To think that only stupid people have no interest in politics?

[sevendwarves]

It really winds me up when people say that they don't care about politics, or how dull it is.

If you pay tax, send your DC's to state schools and use the NHS how on earth can you not care about politics?

I think there's a lot of inverse snobbery going on when people claim not to be interested in politics.

As Earwica says, everything is political.

I'd also far more rather engage in a discussion with someone of the opposite persuasion to me (ie a Tory) than someone "not interested in politics" who will presumably just trot out the old "they're all the same, yada yada" and yet be the first to write to the local paper or Jeremy Vine when the asylum seekers move in next door.

YANBU. Politics is something everyone should take an interest in, as it affects everyday life. I can understand people not being interested in party politics-particularly these days-but to not take and interest in politics is ignorant, IMHO.

Politics does affect everything.

I'm interested but I get very weary of the sneering and jeering that often goes with debate. Perhaps I am a fragile plant and not robust enough for the rigors of political exchange.

I live in Switzerland, I'm a UK citizen and I can't vote in Swiss elections, National or Cantonal. I therefore have no interest in the politics of my country, and I am certainly not stupid...

...but do come over here and have a go if you think you're hard enough.

?

But then you do have an interest in politics. Just not U.K. politics and by the op's standard, you are not stupid.

i am very interested in politics but pretty switched-off by party politics and particularly westminster minutinae [holyrood policies are a little more interesting to me but not much].

Being disinterested in politics and being detached from it are two very different things.I write and philosophise about things that can only be enforced by political measures every day. However, I am apathetic towards the process itself.

I'm not really interested in politics, and don't think I'm particularly stupid. I guess I just feel that whatever happens, happens, and if it has some impact on my life then I'm sure I'll find a way to deal with it or adapt to it. I think it would take a lot for me to become 'politicised', though I'm not saying it's impossible.

No, I am just not interested.

YANBU, I agree.

Define politics.

I think it means very different things to people.

"All the parties claim to believe different things (the politics bit) but it makes very little difference to us as individuals and so has kind of irrelevant."

I think that's the problem, there are no fundamental differences in ideology at the moment, so its easy to see how people get switched off from party politics.

If you look at the percentage of people who vote, it goes right up when there is some possibility of fundamental change - at that point lots of people get much more interested, unsurprisingly . . .

On occasion I have said that I'm not interested in politics, that does not make me by any shape or form stupid

Firstly, to generalise in such a way IMO is perhaps a little "stupid" surely you are intelligent enough to know that if we all thought/said/acted the same then the world would not be such an interesting place.

Secondly, I have participated in so many conversations about politics that have spiralled out of control and on one occasion ending up having a very heated dabate with my Grandmother that I do just smile and say that Sorry, I'm not interested in having this conversation.... Does that make sense??

Having said all of this, I do think that people are less interested because some people tend to feel "screwed over" either way - it's pretty much about the poor me syndrome in quite a lot of cases and for that they just can't be bothered....

Am I rambling...

It's not that i am not interested just disillusioned (sp?) :)

I often find the people I meet anew who want to "talk politics " aren't really interested in your opinion, unless you agree with them, or are happy to let you be bulldozed over by their opinions until you admit they have a point.

I absolutely hate being asked "how did you vote?"

Absolutely none of your business and I don't wish to discuss it. Especially with those people who then go onto blame you personally for voting in the wrong party, as if you are in complete control of any of their future or current actions rather than doing something in the best of faith.

There is a reason the voting process contains a certain amount of privacy, not the reasons that were first initiated, but for me, to stop political boars and bores from sticking their sticky beaks into other peoples business.

Wouldn't it be a sweeping statement to say " all people who cannot initiate a conversation without involving politics are dreadful bores..." of course it would so keep your sweeping stupidity comments to yourself.

Some interesting points raised, like some have said it probably is more likely just ignorance.

It's just people say "i'm not interested in politics", rather than "I'm not interested in party politics", then go on to moan about education and the NHS not realising that they are talking politics.