We often talk about how poor the quality of leadership is these days. We put it down to the possibility that the best leaders keep well away from the job for good reason - because the people they will have to work with are so bad.
I disagree with this analysis, not least because it's circular reasoning - "we get bad people because bad people are here". This kind of view is also bad because it insists that wealth and power are to blame as a way to help me to escape from my own individual complicity - very poor expert help. Still, it goes much deeper than even this though.
The quality of leadership in the world sitting in the highest seats has descended to new depths because "I" deliberately refuse to elect and select the best to lead. The electorate and what have you, refuse to elect the good people, deliberately, and this is why we're now seeing such poor quality leadership on the 'front benches'.
It has nothing to do with evil people stealing power and abusing it. Yes, these people do exist but they are in a tiny minority. The People themselves "Me", are wilfully electing poor quality leaders and for good and rational reasons.
I must stop blaming a cabal of wealth and power because that will not help my personal development and will keep me an obedient and loyal slave of my particular tribe.
So why do I elect poor quality leaders and for what reason would I rationally do it? Well, it's because I want all the things the poor quality leaders are promising me, of course! I want these things, I think they are good for me, I am choosing rationally.
Leadership groups and party's figure out what I want and then promise to give it to me notwithstanding the good or bad in what I'm asking for. The best leadership team, but more to the point- the tribe which will eventually win, will figure out what the majority of people want and then promise to give it to them. Whether or not they can achieve that or or not does not matter. All that matters is that they will win and we will get what we were promised. They talk the talk for us. Because we have asked for it. The rationale for this is that is what will secure the likelihood of the most votes. Put another way we are selling our vote. They are buying our vote. It's a quid pro quo. All perfectly rational.
What is it that I want, which they will promise to deliver, in exchange for my vote?
Lucrative welfare packages. Sanctuary zones to keep doing crime safe. Degenerate and perverted rules lacing the institutions and education. More free stuff. A lifetime on toxic yet satisfying drugs. Health agencies keeping me alive. Punishment of those who try harder which shines a light on my laziness. Systemic exploitation of the sojourners, the poorest and those who cannot help themselves under a veil of saving them - I can then give to charity, be seen to be doing good in front of others and escape from all the above. Fabulous.
To name I few reasons I would elect the worst. There are many more. All about me.
These things and more are what the people as a majority want. Not as individuals but as a tribal collective of people yet voting as individuals. This is why I elect such poor quality leaders because it is only such leaders who will not only promise me these things but will try their hardest to deliver them. In spite of the inevitable unintended consequences.
Fortunately, at least for a while, the productive power of the economy around the world today is so extraordinarily high - even when I and my tribe of people and the poor quality leaders we elect are doing their best to crush it, the economy still has the power to easily overwhelm our wrecking.
Economically the world is still flying high but will it last forever?
When the people themselves have become corrupt, the worst will quickly arise to the top.
We get the people we elect and we get them good and hard.