I think our current culture (and pop culture is contained therein) has created an environment in which the only pop culture references we can think of when we hear “politics” are negative. The Client # 9′s, the Blagos, the endless line of clowns plugging their secretaries etc. etc.

We have to be, arguably of course, the most ADD country on the planet so such stories appeal to everyone’s lowest common denominator. They’re easy to think about, entertaining and feed our insatiable appetite to skewer those who seemingly fail.

Politics, the “good kind” anyway, is admittedly boring. But there is nothing more serious and nothing more powerful than what our politics can drive. For starters, I would love to see the media acknowledge and focus any considerable amount of time on the positive impact of politics. On HCR for example very little time was spent on what GOOD was in HCR and much more time was spent on personal mischaracterizations and tea baggers etc.

Generations of Americans have now grown up with a negative, cynical, disdainful appetite for politics because all they hear about are how politicians are hypocrites and screw people over (which I’m not arguing isn’t the case, btw). But with more attention paid on how politics can be positive (and it is we just never hear enough about the successes), a new generation of leaders can emerge which ultimately will lay the foundation for a long-term cultural shift.

Additionally, ELECTION DAY AS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY FTW!

Let’s talk about this when I’m back in NY because there’s lots more to be said on the question you posed.

On a random note ~ How do we get the word out about people whose lives were given to bettering others lives? How do we bridge the gap between pop culture and politics (if you’re not Bono)?