Saturday, July 30, 2011

Fear


I am not sure the man is right. Only six months ago, I was asserting that they had lost their fear. One would like to think that those six months have made the difference. But the Jeffersonian precept is still a long way from being satisfied – although, for those who are determined to make a point, the means are still available.

Fear is one thing though. Whether the politicians are capable of understanding why they need to fear us, and what they need to do to contain that fear, is another matter. But if they get this wrong as well, we end up in a downwards spiral. Fear begets repression, repression begets resistance, resistance begets more repression, and so on.

In the longer term, however, fear in a politician can be the beginnings of wisdom. We should do all we can to help each and every one of them attain that desirable state.

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