Politics for the young

Ok, I admit it. I am a member of a political party. For over 5 years already. I am not an active party member, I do not always agree with their views (I am on the right flank of this left-ish labour party), but I do believe in the basic thought of social democracy (although I am deep down inside a social liberal, I guess), namely that people are not equal, but should be treated equally and that it is up to the government to take care of this.

Last Friday two party members (I like those words, 'party members'. It has a very communist-style cold war feel to it, those words) came to my parents' house (where i am staying until this afternoon. I am moving to Amsterdam today...) to interview me for a Party magazine (a regional one) about my book. We had an interesting conversation about my views, politics, politics in the Netherlands, politics in the Netherlands following hypes etc etc, and about the question why political parties lose the interest of the general public. I don't know the answer to that question, but one might be because people tend to think, based on how politics was done ages ago, that being a politician is a job for a lifetime. And young people do not want to make lifetime job decisions anymore.

What a lame answer, my answer. Is that all I can come up with? I am afraid so. But if that is really the main reason why people don't want to be involved in politics, than there is something wrong with the image of politics. If someone who reads this can prove me wrong, I'll be indebted to him or her...