User blog comment:N7EagleEye/New Mass Effect 4 Details/@comment-71.2.121.4-20130701021509

i think the situation is just meaning he/she may start off with a clean slate (i'm sure it's been mentioned in the 214 comments) So, it's not so much "omg it's going to suck" as much as it has many potential ideas in it. Like if you play a "politician" as you stated, you wont neccesarily have to sit at your "desk" and do nothing. You can engage in combat if needed, you can choose to talk your way out of it. That is just one set of things you can do as a "politician" passing laws doesn't have to be the only thing.

The Civilian Role is probably the most likely. You'll probably play as a no name or something and be connected into an event by mistake blah blah blah, or you force yourself into a situation (lets say your a trader and come across a craft being attacked) you try to help out those people and such. i just see it as a better chance to expand the game outside of the Shepard bubble, or Soldier in any form.