Hey everyone!

Next week's Cereals For Lunch will be the last comic before my hiatus. While I don't come back I'm hoping we'll have enough guest comics to hold the fort. I have a few already, all great, and I'm waiting on some more. I'm pretty sure everyone will love them.

I'm still looking for guest comics, so if you'd like to do one, I'd love to have it! The only basic restriction I have is that the width of the comic is at most 1200 pixels. Anything else is good. But you can just talk to me about that anytime on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or email.

This comic ends two arcs that merged together: The "Change of Calling" and the "Occupy" arcs.

Regarding this last one, I thought I'd delve into my views on all this. If you don't enjoy politics, I recommend you skip to the end.

- Politics start here -

First of all, as was stated on a previous comic, I don't believe in political parties. I think they had a place before, when people were frightened that countries would fall into a communist rule if there was no structuring of government.

Nowadays, on most advanced countries (most of Europe, north America, and countries which I honestly have no idea how their governments work (which is, to some extent, all of them)) I believe the risk of falling into an extremist regime is very low. People kind of know, I hope, the signs that the country is heading the wrong way.

Right now I think political parties are causing a political mafia where the party's political agenda is pushed ahead of any ideas that individuals may have within it. I also believe it is hurting countries' development when any party that is not the government is voting against any ideas coming from government, as well as the government voting against any ideas coming from other parties, simply because they're different parties (and as anything in this damned society, it's about the size of your dick, so we can't be mature about it and do what's best for our country).

That is my main reason for hating political parties.

Regardless of that, in regards to Occupy Wall Street, there's more.

I really like the Occupy movement. I really like what it stands for. What it means. And I'm really happy that this protest has (mainly) been free of violence. I think it's wonderful. I think it's noble and honourable. And I think a lot of people in a lot of countries have been "slightly" outraged at the direction government is taking. In the end it's true. Private companies sponsor political campaigns to push their interests. In return, politicians (parties) give those companies benefits that for instance allow them to get better deals on the market, to override market control legislation, basically allowing these companies to grow even more.

But you never hear someone say "I get paid just fine at ". It's true, there ARE some fat cats going around. And they're right. It isn't fair.

The problem is none of the people who have either the power or the means to make a difference about this care about you, standing on the streets. Taking over parks. They use private limos to go places. They don't care how much shouting there is in this park or that. In this street or that. They'll hop on a jet and take a break in a tropical location.

What people who want change should be doing is getting together with other people who want change, and ironing out details of what is actually wrong with the constitution. Present a solution to the problem. Don't expect others to do that for you. Those who know enough to do that are probably way too deep to want any change at all.

My belief is that democracy works. It is a good model. What went wrong is that we trusted the people that were leading our countries that they were prioritising the people's well-being. We slacked off. How many of you actually know how the government works, besides "I gotta vote now"? How many of you actually understand what it takes to get a bill, a law, an ammendment through? How many understand what a candidate actually stands for besides their position on gay marriage or guns or the war on terrorism? Those small things matter. And they're being decided without going through you.

But it's not that democracy has failed. It is we who have failed it. I believe politics should be taught when you're like 14 years old. Older, if you still don't understand its value. We need to know how our country works in order to vote for the person that is planning the best measures for our future. We need politicians who will look to their competitors and admit "damn, that guy has better ideas." Better yet, that will work together for the good of the people.

(I'm not a communist. I believe what you earn in life is yours to have and to use as you see fit.)

We need a lot of things. But we need to stop waiting for someone else to do them for us. Democracy is a state in which the government and the people support each other and work in harmony to improve the quality of life of everyone.

Haha people who don't like reading politics will never read this joke:

My monkey is half communist half capitalist: He keeps all the bananas to himself, but shares all of his poop!

(Sorry, I have no jokes)

Now to trash all this talk. I know a lot of you will probably say "what have you done?" Nothing. Zilch. Nada. I suffer from the same ailment as you. I know nothing of politics. That's not my limitation. I can learn politics. I am, though, an idiot and a naive idealist (obviously, eh?) that has really no knowledge or wisdom or common sense. I only think there probably is someone who has more sense than me to be doing the thinking. But hey, I'd always love to hear other people's thoughs and ideas! (It's just that every single time I start talking about politics people give me weird looks.)

- Politics stop here -

Thanks for reading Cereals For Lunch, and feel free to comment on anything!

Joćo

18/May/12