A note on Politicians
During the discussion that followed the news yesterday of Mr. Layton’s passing, an acquaintance of mine, commodorified, came out with an observation that I think bears repeating:
That politicians are by default low and dishonest scum is one of those things [which] Everybody Knows that isn't actually so, and by believing it and spreading it [un]critically, all we do is provide cover for the few-but-damaging number who **are**.
I would go further and observe that our distaste for politicians actually may be a cover for something rather more problematic: our own unwillingness to compromise our strongly-held beliefs. This is particularly ironic; after the recent events in the U.S. that finished early this month, any self-respecting Martian (as well as this philosopher) would recognize how necessary a degree of compromise is. Yet it is precisely at this juncture that those who are willing to seek compromise are most thoroughly vilified and attacked.
Maybe, when we ask why the world is so troubled these days, we should not blame others, but look in the mirror instead.
What do others think? As always, this fairly well-perched philosopher would like to know.