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Why is politics important?

1. One may be tempted to find balance through self-work, staying on the margins of society. However, this is a precarious situation. The dominant group can at any moment make a decision that undermines the viability of such a marginal lifestyle project.

2. A satisfactory social organization is, above all, one that functions well even with a large number of individuals who are not moral.

The danger of attempting to live on the margins

When the dominant group makes a decision that destroys the life project of an individual or a small group attempting to live on the margins, that individual or group has little chance of defending themselves effectively, for two reasons:

Limits of individual development

When one undertakes deep self-work, one may eventually reach a stage of maturity where one no longer needs rules beyond those one sets for oneself, and thus may be tempted to stop caring about politics. This is a mistake, because one still needs an effective political system to regulate those who do not make this effort, and who will always be the majority.

Effect of cognitive dissonance in case of underinvestment in politics

When an individual underinvests in politics, cognitive dissonance may lead them to adopt an overly simplistic Rousseauist view, essentializing the oppression exercised by society. In practice, this individual progressively perceives this oppression as natural and impossible to combat. Consequently, individual development gradually becomes their last possible refuge, ultimately leading them to adopt, without even resisting, the risky – marginal – position described at the beginning of this document.

Psychologism

Thus, by underinvesting in the political sphere, we gradually transform any rejection or maladjustment to the system as it currently functions into a psychological pathology. This is illustrated by the excessive expansion of disorders in the latest versions of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and by the growing number of individuals who identify with them, in varying degrees, thereby engaging in a struggle for recognition of their 'disability' instead of pursuing political struggle.
Thus, by under-investing in the political field, we gradually transform any rejection or inadaptation to the current system into a psychological disorder. This is illustrated by the excessive extension of mental disorders in the latest versions of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and by the increasing number of individuals who identify with it, in more or less attenuated forms, and therefore launch a campaign for the recognition of their disability, instead of engaging in political struggle.See the question 'Putting an end to the abusive use of psychotropic drugs and psychotherapy'.

Further reading

↣ Arte report: The time of the peasants
     Illustre parfaitement qu'il est illusoire de penser que l'on peut faire sans la politique. Si les masses n'arrivent que difficilement à se défendre contre l'appétit sans limite des dominants, alors que dire d'un individu isolé.

See the question 'Putting an end to the abusive use of psychotropic drugs and psychotherapy' which describes in more detail the consequences of psychologism.
Also see the questions 'How to succeed in life?' and 'Should one seek pleasure?' which address the priorities to assign in life.