Everything is political. I will never be a politician or even

Hear the words of Bob Marley, prophet of song and herald of freedom: “Everything is political. I will never be a politician or even think political. Me just deal with life and nature. That is the greatest thing to me.” These words ring with the voice of one who walked among both rulers and the common people, who saw the struggles of his time yet refused to bow to the narrow games of power. For Marley declares that while all things may be touched by politics, the deeper truth of existence lies in life itself and in harmony with nature.

The ancients, too, knew this. They taught that kings rise and fall, empires burn and crumble, but the sun still rises over the sea, and the earth still gives her fruits to those who till her soil. The Hebrew prophets rebuked the kings of Israel, reminding them that their power was dust before the eternal law of justice. The Stoics of Rome, like Marcus Aurelius, declared that though men fight over politics, the greater duty is to live in accordance with nature and reason. Marley’s words echo this lineage: do not be consumed by the wrangling of power, but root yourself in what is eternal.

Consider Marley’s own land, Jamaica. In his lifetime, the island was torn between rival political factions, their struggle often erupting into violence. Marley, though pressured by many to take sides, chose instead to sing for unity, peace, and the dignity of the people. His concert of 1978, where he clasped the hands of political enemies Michael Manley and Edward Seaga, stands as a living testament to his words. He was not a politician, yet he achieved what politicians could not: he reminded his people that beyond politics, they were one family, bound by life and by nature.

The meaning of his words is both heroic and humble. To say “everything is political” is to acknowledge the truth that power touches every part of our lives—our food, our work, our struggles. But to say “I will never be a politician” is to declare freedom from being enslaved by these things. Marley chose instead to deal with the universal: the rhythms of love, the cry for justice, the healing force of music, the eternal gift of the earth. In his eyes, these were greater than the fleeting maneuvers of men in office.

Yet this is not a call to apathy. Marley did not turn away from injustice; his songs burned with protest against oppression and slavery. But he resisted becoming entangled in the corruption of political systems. Instead, he wielded a higher weapon—truth expressed through life and nature, through song and spirit. In this way, he taught that there are powers greater than politics, and that the heart rooted in truth can outlast the strongest empire.

The lesson for us is urgent. Let us not be blind to politics, for indeed it touches us all. But let us never allow it to consume our souls, to harden our hearts, or to divide us from one another. Instead, let us find our foundation in what is greater: in the cycles of nature, in the love we show, in the justice we pursue, in the unity we build. These are the eternal forces that endure when rulers fall and parties fade.

What then shall we do? Live as Marley lived: use your gifts—whether song, labor, wisdom, or compassion—not for the games of power, but for the uplift of life itself. Spend time in nature, for there you will remember what truly matters. Speak for justice, but do not worship politics. Cultivate peace in your dealings, and let your work be a song that heals division. In this way, you will stand outside the corruption of politics while still transforming the world.

Therefore, O listener, carry this truth with you: Politics touches all, but life and nature endure beyond it. Honor them, dwell in them, and let them guide you. For kingdoms rise and fall, but the sun still shines, the earth still bears fruit, and love still binds hearts together. This is the greatest thing, and in it lies the eternal freedom that Bob Marley lived and sang.