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Have you ever wondered why achieving your life’s dreams seems so challenging? It’s not due to a lack of personal effort or the latest innovations making them more accessible. The answer lies in something more fundamental and pervasive: politics.

We’ve been led to believe that politics is irrelevant to our daily lives, but nothing could be further from the truth. The moral vacuum and lack of inspiration in politics have significantly shaped our world, from the rise of the Third Reich to the rapid changes in the US today. In Germany, the best leaders the political system has to offer are a “CumEx-Scholz” and a “Lobby-Merz,” so it’s no surprise that people are looking for change. If the AfD were to gain power in Germany, the impact would be dramatic.

By choosing to be apolitical, we inadvertently support the existing system and its trajectory. Unfortunately, the current system is increasingly indifferent to your well-being and aspirations. The right-wing exploits this situation, claiming to have solutions, but history has shown us the dangers of such promises. Authoritarian politics poses a significant threat to the pluralism and freedoms we enjoy today. If our situation is taught in schools in the future, students will ask, “Why didn’t the people do anything about it?”

I believe that one of the most pressing issues of our time is wealth inequality. In 2023, an estimated 1.5% of the world’s adults control 47.52% of global wealth, and this figure is likely even higher when considering hidden and offshore assets. This level of inequality is unacceptable and spans all countries. Imagine this: If global wealth were evenly distributed among the world’s 5.5 billion adults, each person would have approximately €80,000. While perfect equality is unrealistic, the current distribution is alarming. The money concentrated among the wealthy could be used to dramatically improve living conditions for all.

Bold political change can address these issues. By properly taxing excessive wealth, we could fund public goods such as affordable healthcare, quality education, green spaces and parks, and climate change measures. However, for politics to change, we need widespread support. We need a critical mass of engaged citizens dedicated to voicing their discontent and proposing alternative solutions. This means getting involved in non-profits, political parties, and volunteering our time and skills.

If we only actively work for what we are paid for, we trust that the system incentivizes what is needed for us to prosper. But if we believe this is not the case right now, it is imperative that we volunteer and take action.

Activism doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be a rewarding experience where you exercise your skills in meaningful ways, meet like-minded individuals, and create lasting connections. This is your call to action—to get involved and make a difference, for yourself and for the world.