Apathy: Dozing into Your Worst Nightmare

A friend of mine - a lawyer and politically minded type - emailed a bunch of us, offering to explain the Lisbon treaty, should we have any questions. His efforts were dashed when one voice returned with a joke, asking how we should vote. From there, the whole thing descended into the usual mayhem that is circular emails, once gravity has been punctured.
I stayed out of it. While I usually enjoy embarrassing myself by making outlandish and often indecipherable comments in group emails (the ones that make sense in your head, but not on your screen, and not on anyone else's either), I was held back by thoughts about morality, about politics and about the apathy of the 'post-secular state'.
What is the 'post-secular state'? A term I made up for the world we now live in (in the 'West', at any rate). It is post-secular because the idea of neutrality in religious matters is now ridiculous. People with no true (let alone 'strong' or 'devout') beliefs baptise their children in Ireland to ensure they will receive an education, which, on the face of it is provided by the State - but is, in fact, controlled by the Catholic and Anglican churches. In the UK, the prime minister cannot be Catholic. In America, 'God be with you' is still a stock phrase of political speeches (particularly just prior to the launch of an ungodly attack somewhere in the world).
I'm not against religion, I'm just pointing out that to speak of a 'secular state' in England, Ireland or America is ridiculous. Ironically, the mode du jour for debate and commentary remains firmly non-religious. Religion is often seen as naive, despite the fact that it is naive to try and wave it away, like so much nothing.
But the 'post-secular' state is also about consumerism. We left religion by the side of the road (we'll pick it up again, it's only human) to pick up some cool clothes and CDs. Gadgets galore made by little hands to keep us entertained, care free, unthinking.
And this is where morality and politics come into my thinking. I was at a Will Self reading last week, where he pointed out that his work (as a satirist) is inherently about morality. It's not that he wants to 'offload' his own morality on people, but that he wants people to consider their own morality, and to understand the foundations upon which that morality is built. This, I believe is now a fundamental responsibility for humans.
Without religion, we lose a stock-morality, prepared, packaged and ready to consume. That's not to say religion is a good source of morals - it is just to point out that with religion came a moral framework, much like Windows comes with a media player. However, if you think enough - if you are curious enough to consider what might be outside conventional wisdom, you may find a media player that suits you better. You may find a morality that you can stand stand for.
And that's the important thing about morality - you do have to stand for it. It has to inform your actions and your judgments about the actions of others.
A religious-type morality allows you to look up a book somewhere (or even a website) for guidance. But of course, this isn't always practical. Despite the rise of 3G, mobile Internet connections just aren't fast enough to tell you whether you should speak up about an obvious down-and-out stealing bread, or keep shtum because the harm he is causing another is outweighed by the possibility that this is the only way he can feed his family.
People often say that we're missing God here in Ireland - that the (mush overstated) demise of the Catholic Church has left a moral vacuum, which needs to be filled. Usually, someone of a religious bent will scream this through a mouth that is frothing, causing the rest of us to snigger at what we see as a transparent attempt at recruitment. But they do have a point. Without Catholicism's dowdy, dreary and downright damning sense of morality, a moral vacuum has appeared. But, with the shoes, the clothes, the gadgets, the satellite TV, we've all been too busy distracting ourselves to notice. Which is why little hands stitch the soles and lapels, and fit the circuit boards and buttons that provide our distractions from reality.
Are we happy with this? It's a vital question, and one so effectively ignored that it's a good case for telling someone to 'lighten up'!
Politics is in a similar barrel, albeit one that might be more pressing, if morals don't interest you. The thing about morals is that really, they're all about how you affect the world. The thing about politics is that it's all about how the world will affect you. Don't think so?
Democracy - famously described by Winston Churchill as the worst system of government, except for all the others - affords its citizens a choice once every 4-7 years (depending on where you live) on who should govern the country. In a few short months, one is asked to decide on who you feel is most suited and capable to steer a whole country through a future which is most uncertain.
The rise of Nazi Germany (elected with 37% of the vote) is often contributed to voter apathy - the only people motivated enough to seek change were those who morally and politically weren't against facist and racist governance. Of course, this is within the context of history - a period when facism was a popular political ideology and anti-semitism was rife.
Closer to our time, there's the re-election of George Bush. His first election was much contested, and caused many Democrat supporters to apologise for his election. However, his second election was due to an absolute majority. Many feel this victory is due to the war in Iraq and - whether you supported this state of affairs or not - a Republican was the only way to ensure the safety of the country and the end of the war (even though he started it...).
Time and again over the past decade (century?), a lack of moral and political belief has led us blindly to places we wish we could get away from. Places we wish we never were.
It is true that politicians are often corrupt. This is often given as a reason for political apathy. But this is true of all humans. It is sometimes true that politicians can't really change anything. Especially not if their party is in a minority. But the Nazis had 37% of the vote, and look at how much they achieved.