Friday, 25 July 2014
Selling Illusions and the Dark Side of Politics
‘Today I would like to return to your awareness an aspect of the Human condition that can be persuaded into believing in something that isn’t real. The magician with his iconic hat and cloak is far from being the master of such illusions. This dubious distinction belongs to the politician. Behind their towering podium, they extol virtues of a utopian world while deceptively masking true intent.
And there is magic in their words. We want to believe in our elected— that they will indeed serve us in a dignified, judicious way and their campaign promises will come to fruition. But the role of the politician is duplicitous at best. Those who seek higher office often answer to a much lower calling. Motivated by the prospect of ill-gotten gains, some won’t hesitate to arrange lucrative deals and secure favors with guarantees that will stay in place long after leaving office.
This lure can prove especially intoxicating to the high-functioning psychopath who would sell their country short in a heartbeat for the right price and a cursory nod in history books. They seem to always have a trick up their sleeve and an Ace of Spades hidden in their shoe.’
