Why do we get so riled up about politics?

[Magical Realist]

If nothing else the dawning of the age of social media and online discourse has only confirmed the fact that of all subjects politics seems to be the most controversial and triggering of all. Everybody seems to have an opinion on an issue, as if they had given it thorough thought and reached certain unquestionable conclusions. But where are we all getting this fervor and excitability regarding what are really rather remote and abstract matters? Why, to be more specific, are these prefabricated and partisan positions so vital to our identities as participants in our contemporary scene? What is at stake for us? And what need is being filled by coming off as having such needfully articulated opinions about things that are in the scheme of things largely irrelevant and totally unrelated to our daily existence?

“The fundamental problem of political philosophy is still precisely the one that Spinoza saw so clearly (and that Wilhelm Reich rediscovered): Why do men fight for their servitude as stubbornly as though it were their salvation?”― Gilles Deleuze, Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia

“[Ford said] ".. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur. "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford. "It is."
"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?"
"It honestly doesn't occur to them," said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they voted in more or less approximates to the government they want."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards?"
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going in for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in.”
― Douglas Adams, The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

“You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone.”― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

[C C]

In the old days, prior to the rise of generic churches and the decline of such inter-faith distinctions being relevant, there were also religious denominations squabbling endlessly with each other over ideological differences. The loss (or at least diminishing) of that significant half of the overall recreational activity accordingly swelled the ranks of political swordplay all the more.

[Syne]

A lot of it is that the left has made politics their surrogate for religion. Stats show the right really hasn't changed much over the decades.

[Magical Realist]

Uh no..political fervor is not the fault of a particular political party. Did you even understand the post?

[Syne]

Yes. I also understand that political affiliation is the single, largest predictor of happiness and life satisfaction... with the political right being the happiest and most satisfied. That literally means the left is more miserable, which is a large contributor to their anger. You don't have people on the right celebrating the deaths of leftists.

[Magical Realist]

Go back to the shallow end. You're out of your depth here.

[Syne]

Again... more deflection.

[Magical Realist]

“The man matures when he stops believing that politics solves his problems"
—Nicolás Gómez Dávila

[Syne]

Tell that to the leftists who want big government, and it's handouts, to solve their problems.

[Magical Realist]

Blaming and finger-pointing to a particular class of people all the time solves nothing. Rather it only absolves yourself from some imagined and guilt-inducing transgression.