元键政2：键政的意义何在？ - Meta Political Discussion 2：What is the significance of discussing politics?
在和我妈聊到政治话题的时候，她总是会说：“你说的这些有什么意义啊，还不如把你自己的事情做好。”
When discussing political issues with my mom, she often comments: "What's the point of all this talk? Please focus on managing your own affairs."
在民主国家，讨论政治自然是有意义的：作为普通公民，手中的选票决定着国家将来的方向。那么在威权国家呢？尤其是在讨论政治甚至会有风险的国家呢？
In democratic countries, political discussions have significance: the votes of ordinary citizens steer the future direction of the nation. Yet what about authoritarian nations, particularly those where political discussion carries risk?
我相信，键政（讨论政治）仍然是有意义的。其意义在于两点，一是提高自我的知识水平和政治素养，二是让意见相近的人聚在一起，联合起来。这两点本质上都是为了加强公民社会的力量，从而在一定程度上让公民取得政治地位，成为可以与党/政府抗衡的另一股力量。
I believe political discussion remains meaningful. Its value lies in two aspects: first, it enhances one's knowledge and political literacy; second, it brings like-minded individuals together, fostering unity. Essentially, both aspects aim to strengthen civil society, enabling citizens to gain political standing and become a force capable of counterbalancing the party/government.
必须承认的是，中国的公民的政治水平，总体而言，还是比较低的。比如，即使是对政治热衷的人，他们中的大多数人也分不清总统制和议会制，我相信这是因为教材里没教。而他们对于资本主义的认识，往往停留在早就过时了的马克思主义对其的描述上，因为教材里只教了这个。（在这一点上来说，我们的政治教育做的挺差的，哪怕大学多开一节《世界各国政治模式导读》之类的必修课也好。）
It must be acknowledged that, overall, the political awareness of Chinese citizens is relatively low. For example, even those who are passionate about politics often cannot distinguish between a presidential system and a parliamentary system, which I believe is due to the lack of such content in textbooks. Their understanding of capitalism is often stuck in the outdated Marxist descriptions, because that is all the textbooks teach. (In this regard, our political education is quite poor. Even adding a compulsory course like "Introduction to Political Systems of Various Countries" in universities would be beneficial.)
为了弥补政治教育的缺陷，一些中高水平的键政论坛还是很有必要的，即使只是让大家认识到政治思潮是多元的也好。参与政治讨论的过程，本质上也是接触各种不同思想的过程，真理越辩越明，最终，热衷政治的人会找到自己真正支持的主义，并逐渐完善自己的政治理论。以兔友（爱国者）为例，参与政治讨论也可以让他们从更高的角度解释国家的所作所为，成为捍卫国家的盾牌，而政治水平不足的兔友只会把所有没见过的思想都归为反贼。
To counter this deficiency in political education, high-level forums to debate politics prove necessary, even if they merely serve to expose the diversity of political thought. Participating in political discussions essentially provides exposure to a variety of philosophies, nuanced argument uncovers truth and eventually, political enthusiasts will identify the ideologies they truly resonate with, refining their own political theories over time. For example: for patriots, engaging in political discussions enables them to justify national actions from a more informed perspective, acting as defenders of the state, whereas patriots with limited political literacy will simply equateany unfamiliar ideologies to dissent.
此外，键政的另一大作用就是对抗社会原子化。“原子化”这个词指人与人之间的关系变远，组织能力变差，就像分子分解成原子一样。现代社会，人与人之间的亲情和出生地的纽带大大减弱，而这也是独裁政府喜闻乐见的。而公民想要反对政府的一项决定，往往会先组织起来，比如为抗议不合理的封城制度组织的白纸革命。键政给了公民们一个基于相同的政治观念聚集在一起，形成组织的机会。如组织发展壮大，则可能会形成新的政党，比如民进党。
In addition, political discussions also serve to counter societal atomization: the phenomenon where interpersonal relationships worsen, much like molecules decomposing into atoms. In the modern world, bonding due to familial ties or place of birth weakens which is definitely a situation welcomed by autocratic governments. Citizens aiming to oppose governmental decisions often band together, for example, 'paper revolutions' to protest unjust lockdown protocols. Debating politics gives citizens an opportunity to gather based on shared political views, potentially forming new political groups or parties, such as the Democratic Progressive Party.
无论是民主国家，还是威权国家，其政治都是一个各方的力量博弈的过程。没有哪个国家的党/政府是铁板一块，甚至，有时为平息民怨，他们会经常做出让步（只要留心周围的新闻，总会发现一些）。游行与示威也正是党内开明派用来对抗保守派的工具。公民社会的力量越强，越能影响党/政府的决策，而这也是参与键政的意义。
Whether in democratic or authoritarian countries, politics is a process of strategic interplay of various forces. TNo country's party or government is monolithic; sometimes, to appease public discontent, they often make concessions, as was the case with the 'paper revolution.' Protests and demonstrations can also serve as tools employed by open-minded members of the party to challenge conservative factions. The stronger the power of civil society, the greater the influence on party/governmental decisions, underlying the significance of engaging in political debates.
当然，没有必要非要为了自己的理念去做一些危险的事情，保护好自己永远是最重要的，尤其是对于神友和左人而言。往好了说，大家都是体面人，智慧比头铁更重要，用他们还算能接受的方式，从各种微小的改变开始，慢慢地争取机会。
往坏了说，有些人，有些事，不值得任何人为之牺牲。
Of course, there's no need to take risks for one's beliefs; protecting oneself is always the most important, especially for believers and leftists. Ideally, we are all decent people, and wisdom is more crucial than stubbornness. Using methods they can tolerate, we should start with small changes and gradually seize opportunities to achieve bigger goals.
On the downside, some people and things are not worth anyone's sacrifice.