Power
We're not saying we're psychic, but we have this deep feeling that you're at least mildly interested in becoming a powerful person. Go ahead, deny it all you want, but you're the one who clicked on the profile with the word "politician" in it. And where would politics be without any power? Yelling at strangers on the sidewalk and occasionally getting into fistfights with other screaming people—that's where.
Fortunately, society recognizes the importance of local governance and gives elected leaders the ability to make a wide range of decisions and take actions on a wide range of issues. This is real power, guaranteed by local and national law and enforced by local and national law enforcement.
And why wouldn't you want this power? If you want a new parking garage built downtown, you get to play a big role in making that happen. If you'd like more funding to go to the arts, you're the one who gets to propose it. You can even petition the Department of Public Works to install a new taxpayer-funded waterslide on the beach—although they can always decline to do so. We call these checks and balances, but you're probably more inclined to call them "haterz."
As with all power, there will be the temptation to abuse it. Let's say you have a sibling who you care very deeply about, who means well but tends to make horrible decisions—decisions that occasionally involve breaking the law. As an elected town official, you'll have the connections to sweep anything your sibling does under the rug, just like you did when you were kids. But the people in your community are trusting you to do the right thing with your power, and that means treating your kid brother just like everyone else in the eyes of the law.