Politics are not for me.

So I've been thinking about what I want to do as a career and I really like public speaking.  I've mentioned this to other people and they suggested politics.  I quickly shoot them down and they seem surprised until I explain why.

I would not want to be a politician because for me to get into any place of power where I could actually do any good, I would have to become ruthless.  I would have to be willing to smear my competitor's name and convince people to give me money for my campaigns.  I would have to lose a part of myself and  I have no interest in that. I don't want to lose myself and become something I'm not.  I don't want to have to do that.  I want to be able to help people but not at the price that I forget myself and what I believe in.  I don't want to be a power hungry person that steps on the little people to get to the top.

Now, I might be naive, I might be wrong but this is how I see the current political system.  I'm sure many go into politics with the intent of helping others but they either end up getting lost along the way to the top or they just don't get very far because they don't want to lose who they are and then they can't help many people where they are.  They aren't the majority that are heard.  They aren't the ones that make a huge impact in what happens in the country.  Sure they might help on a local level, but we really need help on a national level.

I'm not saying I want to be President.  Lord, no.  I wouldn't wish that job on my worst enemies.  I would just want to be somewhere I could make a significant contribution to the world, or at least help fix this broken nation of ours...if I can be fixed at this point.

This is just my point of view of why I would never get into politics.  My view might not be accurate, but this is how I see it, from where I stand in my life.  I don't trust the political system and I think it's very broken, even at the most basic level.  Do I think we can fix it? Probably not in my lifetime. But, what do I know? I'm just a university student. My voice is one of many and I feel that it cannot be heard no matter how loudly I scream.