Power corrupts, so the scientists say. It corrupts because the ego that is at play. The ego likes to feel superior though it knows that there is nothing superior about it. As I write this column I am reflecting on the US Democratic Presidential nomination. As the stakes get higher so are the egos flying off the handle and struggling desperately to gain some prominence in the eyes of people.
There may be some that might say without ego there is no drive and ambition. Take the life of Mahatma Gandhi. The man who walked away from his successful legal profession and returned to village life, living among ordinary folks, eating and sleeping like them. He did not do this to gain something important for himself but instead he wanted to help his people gain respect and a respectable life. This was not available to them under the British colonial rule.
Gandhi walked with the people, refusing to use violence but through non-violence achieved what many could not achieve using guns and bullets. He did not seek fame but fame found him. Today he lives forever in the hearts and minds of those who seek peace, equity and justice. Had Gandhi succumbed to the temptations of the ego and tried to cut deals with the British and saw what gains he could have for himself – which I am sure there were many – he might not have been so favorably remembered.
Why do politics have to be so down and dirty? What is driving it? The ego. It is people’s need to feel important, better than and more popular than.
In this presidential election, Barack Obama tried to raise the etiquette bar but Senator Hilary Clinton has been lowering the standards as her popularity sank in the polls. It is like an act of desperation. I think some of our politicians underestimate people's intelligence. They believe they have to lie, dance on their heads and make outrageous promises to be heard, respected and to get votes.
The American people may want to see a real change in American politics. They may see Senator Barack Obama as the person who can bring about that change. Let the people decide what they want. Let the democratic process work and it does work if we would only give it a chance. What’s the use of pulling down a member of one's own party and later may have to work with that same person. That could be difficult because the ego comes into the picture again.
Power is at the root of competition with others and power corrupts the individual. Time to bring age of wisdom, decency and spiritual qualities into the political arena.
