GUEST COLUMN – Politics is complicated, but it is not out of reach

By NICHOLAS HAMSON
Guest columnist

F0R FAR TOO MANY, politics has a reputation of being one of two things: either overwhelming, or not worth paying attention to at all. I see that a lot, especially with people my age. For many, it feels distant, frustrating, and at times, just not worth the effort.

Nicholas Hamson.

But the reality is, politics shapes almost everything around us. Where we live, how much we pay for things, the roads we drive on, and the opportunities we have, or don’t have for that matter. Whether we follow politics closely or not, it is always there in the background influencing our daily life.

One thing I have noticed, both through my own experience and through conversations with others, is how quickly opinions can be formed. A headline comes out, people react, and that reaction often becomes their final view. Sadly, it seems, many do not pause for a moment to ask what actually happened, or how a decision came to be.

The resulting consequences of that situation, however, don’t fall entirely on the individual who is attempting to consume information. The way it’s presented today makes it far too easy to quickly move from one event, or story, to another.

What I have learned is that the process behind political decisions matters just as much as the decision itself. Hence the need to really try and understand what is going on in any given situation.

In British Columbia, for example, laws do not just appear overnight. There is a structured process that a Bill goes through. It is first introduced without debate and then discussed in stages where its purpose, and details, are examined. I think this is where a lot of frustration comes from. People are reacting to outcomes without always seeing the steps that led there.

Bill’s introduced in the Legislature can be reviewed, challenged, and changed before they ever become law. It is only after going through those steps, that a Bill receives final approval.

I admit I did not fully understand that process until I saw parts of it up close. And once you see it, it changes how you look at things. That is why a single vote, or headline, generally does not tell the full story. There is always more happening behind the scenes.

There is also the reality that people view politics differently, based on their own experiences.

Someone who has raised a family, owned a home, or worked for decades will naturally see issues differently than someone just starting out. On the other hand, like a lot of people my age, I am still learning. That does not make one perspective right or wrong, but it does mean those differences matter.

What concerns me is not that people disagree. That is part of politics. It is that many people feel disconnected from it entirely.

From what I have seen, it is not because people cannot understand politics – it’s because they’ve never really been shown, beyond a headline, how it works, or why it matters.

You do not have to follow everything or agree with every decision. But taking the time to understand the basics, how decisions are made, what steps are involved, and why things happen the way they do, goes a long way.

Politics is complicated, but it is not out of reach.

That is why I am convinced that if more people both young and old, take the time to understand the process, our conversations will look, and sound, a lot different.

Nicholas Hamson is a third-year communications student at Thompson Rivers University, focusing on public relations. He has experience working in political communications at both the provincial and campaign levels and currently works for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. His interests include public engagement, media, and helping people better understand how politics works.