Diluting Democracy.

I tried to write two blog posts tonight and gave them up. They both highlighted a serious deficiency in our so-called western democracies, and I found myself becoming impatient with the process of finding the right words to tell the whole stories. I decided instead to skip to the bottom line and leave it at that.

It seems to me that in a democracy, the job of politicians is to make life better for people in their sphere of influence, both collectively and individually and with due regard to the rights and wellbeing of all. If a person doesn’t want to work primarily to that end, he or she shouldn’t become a politician because it’s the only right reason for taking the job.

What I actually see, time and time again, are cold-hearted career climbers whose modus operandi is to pursue whatever course will lead to more power, wealth, favour, and a higher position on the career ladder. Service to self-interest is the only kind of service they recognise as valid, and that principle is one of the features which democracy is supposed to have eradicated after a history of personal power promotion. There are exceptions, but they’re rare.

Frankly, I’m tired of them and I’m tired of the fact that there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m also tired of constantly feeling the need to rant, but pictures such as this are filling my view of the human condition at the moment and rendering it a blacker shade of dark.

I suppose I could mention the new pair of wellington boots I bought today with reference to the lovely ladies in the shoe shop who were duly complimented, but I fear it would lack sufficient gravitas to qualify as an antidote.