Are you less interested in politics now compared to 5+ years ago?

Much more. The older I get the more I pay attention.
I live in the U.S. And my political persuasion I certainly don’t like to say on this site especially!

I pay less attention since Obama hates America so much that a missing plane can get a bazzilian hours of news coverage. Ten years ago it was troops getting blown up and the economy getting fucked. It is great that the big news is a racist frat in Oklahoma.

My reaction to “are you less interested in politics?” is a depressing “No”. And the reason is that it is like asking “are you less interested in that thorn in your foot?” It’s actually more serious than that. How about “are you less interested in those termites dining on your house or are you less interested in that tumor in your head?” You know of course that I am a liberal living in America, and it isn’t accurate to define my concerns as an “interest” in politics. It is rather an increasing frustration at the ever growing levels of blatant, out in the open, straight up STUPIDITY evinced on the part of so many of those engaged in the profession here in “the land of the free”. Now this IS some serious shit! While the political history of this country might well be defined as a showcase for rogues and fools, there has NEVER before been an age in when such a multitude of the latter could persist UNLABELED as such. And here is where my bias restricts my credibility, for it is my perception that this tendency for the dull witted to flower and thrive politically virtually defines the current state of conservative politics.

Good question. I certainly spend less time worrying about this stuff than I did when I was younger. I’ve been called “Karl Marx” as a nickname in multiple jobs I held in my twenties. I was active politically and in demonstrating against the invasion of Iraq, etc. Much of my time was spent reading (Chomsky, Bakunin, anarcho-syndicalism, participatory economics, etc) and arguing with people as though it made any difference.

As I’m getting older, it’s not so much that I don’t care – I think my positions on most things “political” are still the same. But I hold these opinions/positions differently. I don’t think I identify with them as much as I did in my youth. There is far less anger to be had.

Just as interested but MUCH more disgusted and cynical.

I’ve never been interested and proudly proclaim my liberal apolitical stance. I have hardcore republican friends that I love dearly but man, when they launch on one of their political rants I want to shoot them. haha
The only issues I am passionate about are environmental issues and I would love to see state of Jefferson implemented for my Northern CA. zone.

Absolutely. When I started grad school in 2013, I had to cut away many things that eat up time and energy. Politics and, basically, news in general got the axe.

I really don’t miss it and find myself less stressed about the world as a result.

Not less interested but far more mistrustful.

@cookieman Same here, cut out the media back after 9–11, not missin’ a thing.

Just as cynical but more likely to tune it out since the terms “political” and “whining” seem to have become synonymous.

I watch the Sunday Morning news shows (well, three of them. Fuck Fox) every week, I read two newspapers every day, and I watch the Daily Show. I rarely watch Network News, but I do watch MSNBC news commentary shows.
I also go in cycles on being a news junkie. I will often avoid news shows for about a year following a Presidential election, because I just burn out.

@Coloma: Yup, bad things will happen with or without me paying attention. What’s more, I have little to no ability to effect even one of those situations.

I get the POV that, as a citizen, it’s my responsibility to stay informed and involved, but I also have a responsibility to my health and sanity. So I disconnected.

And, I also don’t complain about the outcomes. I get what I get and don’t get upset.

I’m interested in politics. I am NOT interested in how it is reported in America.

Ha! Absolutely. I used to run amok with interest, and now I can barely be concerned. I traded for interest in a spiritual path, “and that has made all the difference.”

I am more interested.

I wish I was. Unfortunately, it’s really not an option if you live in DC and your husband works for a political journalism site.

I’m as apathetic now as i’ve always been, politics shmolitics XD

I am a left leaning moderate who is very distrustful of the far right. I used to debate political issues online and I really enjoyed it.over time I grew tired of debate with most of the neoconservatives because with very few exceptions they failed to provide citation for their arguments.I still follow politics because I always want to keep a eye on what the politicians are up to.

Yea pretty much.

At least as interested, possibly more. That’s partly because of my work though. As others have said I’m very interested but more cynical. Politics in Australia is in a mess.

@cookieman Exactly!

I basically see the whole thing in the US as a hopeless muddle. I honestly can’t see a way out of it. The Federal government seems to accomplish nearly nothing new. If the country is on auto-pilot, send all the louts home, but for Judicial.

I don’t live in the rest of the world, so I have no idea if it’s any better anyplace else.

Perhaps Jellies are just malcontents, but I don’t see anyone here much bragging their government up.

Possibly. I am certainly less interested in discussing American politics than I used to be. I now take a quiet, observational view with the conditional objectivity of an alien from another planet.

Americans and America have become just another curiosity in a world full of curiosities.

I have always avoided politics. The only exception is that last time when my country’s peace was threatened. My political belief stays the same as always.

Yes, which is unfortunate since I couldn’t vote 5 years ago.

I think I’ve just been all safe and warm in my ivory tower (read: too busy with schoolwork to care about much else) and have checked out of the “real world” for awhile.

I’ll be back real soon. 2 months.

Yes. Voting for losers did it to me. Gore, Hillary Clinton in the primary and McCain. Yes, McCain. I thought he had more experience than Obama.

Politics makes me tired these days, especially when I support a loser. Taking care of my family takes all of my energy now.