Ben Affleck 'Disillusioned' with Politics, Rules Out Running for Office

Ben Affleck has expressed a strong aversion to a career in politics, describing the field as "terrible" and "tawdry." The sentiment comes as he promotes his new movie, "Animals," in which he portrays a candidate for Los Angeles mayor.

Affleck told Variety that the idea of running for public office sounds unappealing, citing a fundamental conflict between political ideals and reality. "There’s a reason why political stories are often chosen as parables for moral compromise," he remarked. "You really get thrust up into the contrast between the ideal version of us and how we should be in our lives and the way it is."

In an interview with Good Morning America, Affleck suggested that public trust in politics has eroded, leading to a general sense of dissatisfaction. "The collective bar for politics... has gotten so low that there’s this kind of like, you know, people are just sort of looking for like just ‘Somebody shoot me straight.’" He added that there is a bipartisan feeling that the system is not serving the public well, stating, "We have a system that’s kind of failing us."

Affleck's experience portraying a mayoral candidate in "Animals" provided him with a firsthand, albeit fictional, glimpse into the demands of campaigning. "This is not all that much fun. And it would be a hard way — you’re just raising money all the time," he observed.

He also recounted a humorous experiment where he and a co-star, posing as his character, took to the streets of Los Angeles in campaign attire. "People would launch into their whole thing and I was like ‘If I’m not careful, I’m going to win this,’” he joked, emphasizing that he has no intention of actually seeking elected office. He even expressed mock concern to the camera, "Do not vote for me for mayor!"

The actor has been politically engaged in the past, having campaigned for figures like former Vice President Al Gore and former President Barack Obama. However, he now feels "averse" to such involvement due to what he perceives as widespread "hypocrisy, corruption and failure" within the political landscape.

"The way it's constructed now is so geared around money, sound bites, cruelties and gotchas, and little snarky things that really have nothing to do with people's lives whatsoever," Affleck stated. He believes that current political strategies increasingly appeal to the baser instincts of voters rather than their higher ideals, creating pressures that can lead individuals to compromise their principles.

Affleck's film "Animals" delves into the theme of moral compromise, exploring how individuals grapple with their principles when faced with personal stakes. He articulated this by saying, "The extremely effective nature of when a person individually has something to lose is when they're most apt to make compromises." He further questioned whether humans are primarily self-seeking, rationalizing their actions, or if they possess a higher self capable of adhering to a moral code despite potential costs.