Also... run for office as an independent, and you'll see the problems pretty clearly.

From an individual point of view, politics is undesirable (for me) because:

1) it's a LOT of work. you work insanely long hours. forget it if you have young children, or enjoy your privacy. Having a jog? Someone will recognise you and bitch at you for something that probably isn't even in your jurisdiction. people think it's their right to interrupt your grocery shop. they don't care that you have office hours tomorrow at 8, they just want a quick chat with you, right now, while you're trying to have dinner with the wife. God forbid you should get cranky when the 50th person comes up to you -- you'll be forever known as The Rude Politician.

2) it takes remarkably thick skin. when you step up to the podium, there are people who hate you before you've even said a word, simply because the party stripe you have is different from theirs. they will insult you and the ones you love for no reason other than the fact your name is on the ballot. you'll also get people who love you for the same reasons, but you'll remember the negatives more.

Do you have the same feelings when asked to run for office?