As the elections approach in Brazil, people started discussing the political future of the country for the next few years, which is a complex, but extremely necessary topic for defining changes in society. In Brazil, we are faced with a polarized reality of opinions that divide the country, but are relevant in some way to create debates about what is essential for the path of politics.
How bad is it to turn a blind eye?
Watching the ongoing debates, we still see people who simply don’t get into politics topics for superficial reasons, be it for laziness, “not wanting to get into discussions” or just for the lack of interest. But putting yourself in a place away from the political debate is dangerous, and means turning a blind eye for your own future.
Some people believe not knowing and being away doesn’t affect them. However, at the end of the day, everything is political — from the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we inhabit, the society that shapes us, the rights and privileges we hold (or are denied), the safety of others, and the health of our planet.
Those who don’t get into the debate are extremely privileged and don’t realize that. Believing politics are optional is a luxury even though it seems it’s not. The political debate involves not only opinions, but lives: People live in poverty, struggle to access education, healthcare, and basic rights that should be guaranteed to everyone. Politics is not just about parties or elections; it’s about everyday life — about who gets to eat, who gets to study, who gets to feel safe walking down the street. When someone decides to stay out of political discussions, they indirectly allow injustice to continue, because silence always benefits those already in power.
According to Oxfam’s report Unfinished Democracy: A Portrait of Brazilian Inequalities, the low level of social and political participation is one of the factors that deepen inequality in the country. The document features an in-depth study titled Democracy and Participation, which explores the role of social engagement in a democratic society and presents a brief history of Brazil’s electoral systems from 1822 to 2019, as well as the emergence of Councils, Conferences, and Participatory Budgets nationwide.
What goes for us and for the others
This debate is about human rights and how lives can change in an unexpected way, and brings out another important reflection: Who is caring for you now?
If you have the right of going out of your house, have access to education, health care and all the stuff that seems (and are) basic rights, that means someone was there to fight for you, no matter who you are. Right now and millions of years before, someone was able and had the courage to stand up for the future and for the life you live now, so why not think the same way and help plan a better future?
Beyond that, even if you think that “not caring” equals being neutral, it doesn’t. It only means you are giving insignificance for the future and discreetly agreeing with those that stand on the “these people don’t matter” side.
That silence, disguised as neutrality, feeds the same systems that oppress, exclude, and exploit. Choosing not to care is, in practice, choosing to maintain the status quo. When we stop questioning, demanding, and participating, we make it easier for injustice to keep its roots deep and unchallenged. Politics doesn’t pause just because someone decides to ignore it — decisions are still being made, laws are still being passed, and lives are still being affected.
Engaging with politics isn’t about knowing every detail of the government or taking part in heated arguments; it’s about understanding that your voice, no matter how fragile it seems, has power. Every conversation, every vote, every act of awareness counts. The transformation of a society begins when people refuse to stay silent and decide that apathy is no longer acceptable.
In times of polarization and uncertainty, the real challenge is to look beyond personal comfort and understand that democracy thrives on participation, empathy, and dialogue. To “care” is to act with responsibility toward others, to realize that collective well-being depends on individual engagement.
The article above was edited by Alyah Gomes.
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