The Failure of Leadership in Modern Society
72
The myth about leadership
There is a popular myth that we in the West elect our leaders. We don't. We elect our drovers.
When I was in primary school I learned that shepherds in the Holy Land lead their sheep. They walk in front and the sheep follow, willingly. That is the definition of leading. But in the West, the shepherd walks behind, driving the sheep. He is not a leader. He is a drover. And as a drover, he has the tools of the trade: the whip, the goad, the dogs.
The myth of leadership is promulgated ad nauseam by our self styled leaders and bought into, uncritically, by all too many of the populace. That's until things start to go wrong. A true leader could not lead a country to financial ruin for the simple reason that s/he, walking in front, would be first to fall over the precipice. The rest of us would quickly turn back. But what we find, every time, is that the leader's mask slips to reveal the ugly face of the drover. The whip, the goad, the dogs have become the batons, tear gas and water-cannon of the riot police.
Bush and Blair did not lead us into war in Iraq. They goaded us with implied threats of mass extinction, for how else can you describe their lies about weapons of mass destruction? Arch-drovers, the pair of them, as cynical and self-serving as any we've seen. That one of them had the effrontery to pretend to be socialist and by implication interested in the peoples' welfare is merely the icing on the cake. And of course, each enlisted God as his personal adviser.
Hosni Mubarak: Even this week, Egypt is erupting once more into street protests. The Arab Spring revolution had only ended the Mubarak dynasty; it had not dismantled the drovers' machinery of an outwardly benign military in control of a thuggish and brutal police force, their private arm for quelling all civil dissent. The people have had enough of being driven where they do not wish to go.
The sad fact is, we, collectively, have allowed our societies to be dominated by corrupt individuals, governments and corporations who, whether ostensibly elected or merely imposed, are no more leaders than the man in the moon.
They are drovers, every one, and we are the driven, whether we live in the 'free' world, the third world or some tin-pot dictatorship. If in doubt, try to change the prevailing order and see how long before the enforcers turn up, whether bailiff, lawyer, police officer or private thug.
Are there no real leaders?
There are, of course, but for the most part, not where the cameras are pointing. What differentiates our Holy Land shepherd from the drovers is the complete absence of compulsion. A true leader inspires the desire to follow or emulate the example shown. If some even surpass the leader's example, there is no jealousy, for leadership is generous by nature. 'Educare', the Latin word for educate, literally means to lead out. A true leader is one who will lead us out of ignorance, poverty, superstition or bondage. But s/he might not look back to see if we are following, and there are no snarling dogs to herd us if we stray.
Jesus of Nazereth for many is the ultimate leader and if we had only the Sermon on the Mount to gauge him by, a strong case could be made. Unfortunately there are also passages where he betrays extreme intolerance towards those who doubt his message. Of course, this could come down to faulty reporting as there is no suggestion that he ever considered writing his own book. Hearsay is always suspect.
Truly inspirational leaders are rare in the inherently corrupt modern political realm. We could single out Bishop Desmond Tutu and Aung San Suu Kyi, but after that it starts to get difficult.
Perhaps the true leaders of society, when you cut through the fog of commerce, politics and celebrity, are the philosophers, scientists, poets, artists and visionaries who, through the ages, have advanced human knowledge and accomplishment and given all who follow something to admire, emulate and even surpass.
Thank you for reading.
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I suppose the temperament of an effective leader doesn't suit the corruption and greed that is the core of todays politics.
You remind me a bit of Tony Benn here Paraglider; one of his favourite analogies is to put politicians in two basic categories: the signpost and the weathercock. The “weathercock” changes with the political winds; the “signpost” stalwartly points the direction s/he believes is right. (There has always been too few of the latter.)
It's maybe not exactly the same point you make here but if it's about integrity - and the difference between the career politician and the conviction politician, I get it. BTW, I think Gandhi was another one who led by example.
Yes, Gandhi did, and so did Nelson Mandela, But there are legitimate objections to Gandhi and Mandela, while Desmond Tutu and Aung San Suu Kyi seem to be on the highest plane. Thanks for the read :)
Talisker - I think that is true. Of course, you could say that Alexander the Great or Napoleon were great 'leaders'. but others would say their main talent was for genocide. Destruction and mayhem are easier than creativity!
tony - thanks ;-)
Yes, It's funny, I was listening to a radio show wherein a guy was giving us all these crazy statistics and it became obvious that all the 'conquerors' whose names ended with 'the Great' were the ones that had slaughtered the most men.
Paraglider,
Great analogy and true.
I wonder how many leaders would seek office if the mistakes they made were rewarded with loss of limbs or their lives.
Pretty simple, really. You get elected, unemployment goes up, you lose an arm or a leg.
Start a war without approval from Congress and you lose two limbs.
When you end your term, your salary ends without life long benefits like every elected official in Washington, DC gets now.
Something along those lines would certainly limit the dodo's we have in office now.
They'd really have to accept the consequences of their actions and take responsibility for their misdeeds!
Good post!
Cheers,
John D. Wilson
Love the subject of your hub. I think you are right about the leaders. It all makes sense to me now. I voted you up and interesting.
Nice hub! BUt I suspect Bishop Tutu a rare case. Su KI has some goodness but still I suspect her certain behaviours. Jesus is a real leader but current leaders of his club - church are not. They are mostly politically motivated not by The Word. Many country leaders are elected by misguided citizens. Misguiding can be done by western money flows. Recently it was revealed that our opposition leader had received 2million USD for his election campeign from Norway. At the same time, they had given some funds for current rulling party leaders too.
Yes Dave, I do like this one.
I've always made the distinction between leaders and rulers; the latter claiming to be the former and the former really claiming very little or nothing.
Your analogy is a bit more precise and easier to grasp. Well said as always.
Now then, were are we to look for some real leaders today? I think it's safe to say, if any show their true colours, they won't be long for this world. Leaders aren't welcome these days.
Maybe a lot of it is to do with human nature. Most of us tend to have a feudal mindset which makes us accept - no matter what. Maybe this is why people can choose to rule and not lead - it's because we don't make them. And the ones who try to change the rules of the 'pack' are quickly dispensed with or chased into obscurity.
I think Gandhi was a leader - though he was an awful man - but in the end, he succumbed and appointed rulers and not leaders to carry on. And so many start off as leaders and become rulers because power is such a corrupting force! (@CWB - Love the leader/ruler distinction!)
Talisker - that's right. Alexander is only called 'the Great' in Greece and lands to the West. In the East, they don't like him at all, which is no surprise.
John D - I'm not sure I'd go along with lopping off body parts, but certainly we should look again at these lifelong benefits. They encourage the 'career politician' type.
Carol3san - thanks for the vote of confidence :)
Magodis - Desmond Tutu is exceptional, I agree. But we don't have to look for perfection or we'd be looking forever. Corruption is unacceptable but personal human failings are inevitable.
Richard - There are plenty out there, but working as school teachers or general local community figures. But very few go into the public domain. Why risk the inevitable smear campaigns from the bought press?
Shalini - yes, we don't hold our 'leaders' responsible until it's too late. Gandhi was a leader indeed and a good example of the need to assess a leader's leadership independently of his character.
Have you read Lord of the Flies? Or perhaps Animal Farm too. Both these books expose humanity and the corruption that tends to prevail within it. So often the 'Jesus like' figures are overthrown in ghastly ways due to the grimness of human instinct
Yes, I've read both of these and seen the film versions too. It does often seem as though the odds are stacked against the good guys. That's why it's important to stand up and be counted.
But if you think about it, it only takes one loon with a machine gun to wipe out numerous people. It's a scary thing power.
Always refreshing to see your take Paraglider. I do like the way you give philosophers, scientists, poets, artists, and visionaries their rightful place in the greater sphere of things.
Thanks Snakeslane - the World does owe a debt of gratitude to the real leaders as distinct from the career 'leaders'.
Well done Paraglider! You know, I think of you as the conscience of HubPages. This is a well articulated, potently concentrated bit of moral outrage about the quality of so-called political leadership (I hadn't thought of it that way before!).
This essay feels like it was inspired. Did it come to you suddenly? And did you write it very quickly? It somehow feels like you did, that the words just flowed out of your fingers like a raging river.
Anyway... excellent work! Voted 'up' for 'awesome.'
Wingedcentaur - thank you. This was a very fast write, but mainly because it had been in my mind for a few days when I was too busy to write it down.
Some of the comments on here are interesting. In a civilized and organized society we need leaders, but sometimes I am envious of the Serrano Indians who lived in the San Bernardino Mountains grinding acorns before the Spanish came to California. I visit the metatee rocks and think about the simple life they had, and how ingenious they were when it came to providing for their needs. Sure, they did not travel far, but they lived in a beautiful place, and there leaders would only make small scale decisions effecting their community. Not wanting to go back to the past, but sometimes I think it might be nicer to live in a time in place where I was more isolated, and leaders were not always worried about hobnobbing when there is a high unemployment rate at home.
SP - yes, it's a tough call. We can't turn the clock back but we're doing the World no favours if we 'lead' the developing countries through the same mistakes we've made since the Industrial Revolution. Ivan D Illich's 'Tools for Conviviality' should be required reading for anyone intent on changing society. Thanks for the visit :)
Pointing out the obvious and calling it education always amazes me. Sure a lot of people do not know, but I think we all knew this all along. More then 75% of all campaign contributions are given to Politicians outside their districts, states and are paid by lobbyist and major corporations. Those are the people telling the Shepard where to lead his sheep. Still history reveals a darker side to individual leadership. Study the history of English monarchy for example. Imagine changing your religion because one man wants to divorce his wife. Or imagine a civil war being fought over two people who claim the crown or a 14 year old boy having your head cut off. Even the Government needs regulated and several figure heads are always better then one but who really rules or has power?
All of that is true. It is important to articulate the truth in different ways, to appeal to different ways of understanding. It's important because there is so much deliberate misinformation being spread by vested interests.
Thank you for this Paraglider. Unfortunately, I feel surrounded by career politicians, and I do not feel that MT (dog breath as she is otherwise known in my home) was the only leader to use the Police as her militia. TB and fat face are the same. Congrats, on being compared to Tony Benn, I can think of no greater compliment!
Hollie - Thatcher was certainly not the only leader to do that. But she was maybe the first of the modern era (post WW2) to do it so blatantly. Remember the cavalry charges?
Last time I flew home to UK, I listened to the Tony Benn diaries as a talking book. He (and Michael Foot) talked a great deal of sense in their time.
Nicomp - comment denied as it merely consisted of an outgoing link to Fox News. You are welcome to comment in your own words, without outgoing links.
Good read and makes me mad when I think of how 'they' ridiculed Tony Benn,Michael Foot and good old Arthur Scargill ! Then! the stupid fell for it, and still are.
(bit off the point)sorry....
best from jandee
"Nicomp - comment denied as it merely consisted of an outgoing link to Fox News. You are welcome to comment in your own words, without outgoing links."
No, it was a rebuttal to an incorrect point that you made. This is your sandbox and you get to make the rules. No problem.
Jandee - not off topic at all! Often I think that if John Smith had not died, we'd be living in a very different world. He would never have ponced along with GWB, there would have been no 'new labour' party and Tony B would still be on the back benches. Oh well...
Nicomp - thanks for coming back. The rebuttal might have been in the link, but it wasn't in the comment. It's not in your new comment either. Still waiting ;)
Am I Paranoid ???
Too many good ones have 'Died' !!Sometimes in mysterious ways. Maybe I am !
jandee
Dr David Kelly comes to mind...
Your article is well done and interesting. I agree with the overall theme about leaders versus drovers. That is a great analogy.
I could take exception to two small points you raised. You mention about Bush and Blair that "their lies about weapons of mass destruction." I know you are sharp enough to know the diference between lies and simply being mistaken. The evidence is that they believed the reports of these weapons. And not only did they, but their most hostile critics accepted these reports as well. There is no evidence that they never believed that these weapons existed. We know for sure that Saddam not only had but that he used WMDs against his own citizens in the past.
Lastly, you write: "Jesus of Nazereth for many is the ultimate leader and if we had only the Sermon on the Mount to guage him by, a strong case could be made. Unfortunately there are also passages where he betrays extreme intolerance towards those who doubt his message."
I find this word "intolerance" quite misleading. If God offers a free gift of eternal life for those who accept it, this does not make him "intolerant" of those who reject it. The individual does the accepting or the rejected of this offer from God.
If God were intolerant He could extinguish those who reject Him at any moment. Instead, he "tolerates" them—He allows them to live even though they refuse to accept His free and quite generous gift; He puts up with their rejection of Him; He endures their rebelliousness. He causes the sun to shine on the wicked and the just and the rain to fall on the wicked and the just.
God has set the rules and told us what they are. If we reject His way of life he still tolerates us. Just because He provides a way to Salvation does not make Him "intolerant" of those who don't want it.
Tony Blair will swear to this day that he believed that Iraq had WMDs and even that they could be delivered within, I think, 40 minutes. Having seen his (televised) court performance to this effect, I simply do not believe he is telling the truth, now or then.
You'll accept, I'm sure, that for one who does not believe in any divinity, the word intolerant is correctly used. If I shared your belief system, no doubt I'd use different language, but since I don't, the word stands.
who would anyone with sense believe
Lawyer Phil Shiner
or
Tony Bliar ?
It's a good question :)
Read again and agree with Hollie ! I would like to add that I admire your patience and tolerance ,I wish I had that quality...
Now ,today ,we have the furore over the Olympics,
best from jandee
I've been out of touch with news for the last two days as I've been travelling. Time to log in and find out what's going on with Olympics!
Oh Hello! Re. Olympics ! McClusky hinted it would be a good time to strike!
jandee
OK, thanks!
Great analogy and most apt.The 'drovers' seek self aggrandisement and ego stroking.They do not inspire ,transform or serve - and yet we just seem to keep churning out the same old ,same old .....ad-nauseum.
Terrific article, and I love your choice of Desmond Tutu,what a leader!
Thanks iatkins - I don't remember Desmond Tutu ever putting a foot wrong, something you can't say even of Nelson M.
Paraglider,
You stated in writing some perceptions that I could not shake loose. Many times I felt I was a loner, now I feel honored to share your perceptions, I should say facts!
Ronnie
Thanks Ronnie - it's satisfying to strike a chord :)
tonyduxburyuk 6 months ago
Very good.