You just couldn’t make it up, could you? The so-called shenanigans by the so-called super-powers at the moment are so hard to believe, you would think they are the plotlines of a damp squib Hollywood satire. They are laughable! Which, of course, makes the concept of democracy simply ridiculous.
The entire basis of democracy is that we elect our best representatives, those who would most effectively represent us, and make the decisions we feel would be the best for our society, to do the best for all of us, and yet... here we are. Once again we are mired, not even in the politics, but the incompetence of our elected, so-called, representatives. We don’t want this rubbish. We want people with respect for themselves and others. We want role models, people we can be proud of. We want a touch of class, and to be honest... if it cost a few dollars more to get some class... I, and millions of others would be a whole lot happier.
How fortunate is Oman? You have a hierarchy that, through its culture, traditions, and religion, is focused upon the needs of its people. Every moment of their lives is dedicated to their people. Political scientist Urmila Sharma has written that key elements of this form of leadership are continuity, the fact that a royal family prepares each generation for leadership, their awareness of the “concentration of power and wealth, and has established streams of patronage. They will always be more diplomatically competent, and have a hereditary level of dignity, while the population always have greater regard and genuine affection for royal families. There are established positive perspectives in hierarchical cultures of authority that are reassuring, that become silent heralds and perpetual reminders of right and wrong, respect and discretion.
Research by the Edelman Trust indicates less than 20 per cent of us trust our leaders. Yet we have voted them into power. What does that say about us? Well, we do have an obsession with change don’t we? Most of us won’t gamble on a horse race, or a football match, yet we are prepared to gamble on someone who can, in a few months, change our lives forever.
We don’t deserve the privilege of voting! Theo Hesburgh once said “The very essence of leadership is to have vision, because you can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” So, why do the democratic alternatives keep falling on their faces? Political strategist Mathew Taylor pondered whether the West can continue along the path of “weak and venal leadership,” and when you look at the recent and current flops, they could probably only be characters in a pantomime. Now there’s a thought... so without any names, you could probably put together a decent satirical panto. Couldn’t you? You could have as the lead ‘character,’ a loud-mouthed, false tanned, orange haired, not-as-much-of-a-millionaire-as-he-thinks-he-is; the villain-of-the-piece could be either the war-monger, eager to unveil his weapons of mass deception, or the arctic crime boss with a Napoleon complex who has ‘gone legit’ and managed to start a war he can’t win; the bunga-buffoon could be that party going little pizza guy; the guy in the middle, the ultra-pensioner who can’t find his way off the stage, would be a tragic comedy turn; then there’s the ‘big fish’ from up North who has managed to ‘lose’ a million dollars; throw in an Asian footwear collector and her husband, a Latino who made his wife cry, a Gallic ex-president who got bribed, and got caught; another president who gave his daughter the national airline as a birthday gift; a cricketing superstar; a tricky watergater, a president who said he never... um, you know... and, and a best-selling author, oh my goodness... how would we fit them all on the stage, and how many have you guessed? Maybe we in the West should return to the monarchy for leadership?
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