Politicize for Dummies

Politicize is a word that is used to describe when someone or something tries to make a political issue out of something that may not originally have been political. It's like when you take a regular everyday topic or event and people start bringing in their own political opinions or trying to use it to support their political agenda. It's a bit like when you're having a conversation about your favorite sport and suddenly someone starts talking about their favorite political candidate, even though it's not really related to the sports conversation at all.

Let's say, for example, you and your classmates are discussing climate change in your science class. You're all learning about the different causes and effects of climate change, and trying to come up with ways to address the problem. But then, someone in the class starts talking about how the government should be doing more to regulate businesses and industries, while another student argues that it's not the government's job to control businesses. Suddenly, the conversation has shifted from being solely about the science of climate change to being about politics and different ideologies. This is an example of how the topic of climate change can be politicized, where people bring in their own political views and agendas to a topic that may not have originally been about politics.

So, when we say something has been politicized, it means that people have taken an issue or topic and turned it into a political matter by bringing in their own political beliefs, opinions, or agenda. It's like taking a regular conversation and steering it into a political debate. The important thing to remember is that not all issues or topics are inherently political, but they can become political when people start to politicize them. It's kind of like when you're playing a game with your friends and suddenly someone wants to change the rules to benefit themselves - they're taking something fun and turning it into something competitive and political.