Heroes and politics

[Az]

Many here at DU keep searching for someone to step out from the pack and be the heroe. We attach our hopes to these individuals and rally around them shouting their praise. Then we find ourselves realing after something changes our view of this individual.

Politics is about ideas not individuals. True we need charismatic representitives to bring the idea to the people. But tying ourselves to an individual who may appear to be our dream come true is a sure path to oblivion.

People are flawed. Everyone of us. We have strengths and weaknesses. People change over time as well. Their opinions will shift. Placing an individual on a pedestal is a sure way to endanger them. If they shift they will plummet from the height they have been placed by their adulation.

The cycle of frenzy and dismay leads to a growing depression. Whenever someone once held aloft plummets their former fans turn on them and evicerate them (note the turning on Miller). Eventually we begin creating lesser heroes as those placed on the pedestal attempt to build a safe landing zone for themself should they lose their perch. The ideas become toned down and diluted. Our expectations become lowered. Our focus lost.

Be careful of making heroes of individuals. Everyone has flaws. Elevate the individual and you elevate their flaws as well. Everyone needs to fight to support the ideas. Everyone needs act like a hero.

[tlcandie]

1. Here, here! Great post Az!

:toast:

[CBHagman]

2. Yes, the people who get things done are flawed leaders.

Examine any figure in political leadership and you'll find weak areas. For example, as much as I admire FDR, I have to admit that there were times when he lacked political courage (notably on the issue of civil rights).

If we're waiting for miracles, we'll be spending the rest of our lives doing that. If we expect everything on our wish list to be fulfilled, we'll spend our lives disappointed.

And if we expend a lot of our energy fighting fellow Democrats, progressives, moderates, and what have you, we'll just be forming a circular firing squad and ENSURING that most of what we want won't get done.

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Compromise of some sort is inescapable in politics.