Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Hypocrites (Part 1)

Hypocrisy [hi-pok-ruh-see]
A pretence of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.

Now then, I have wondered for some time if this scenario represents the definition of hypocrisy, airing it might help me decide. Maybe 'X' in this scenario is the personification of hypocrisy, if such a thing exists. Let's see:

Imagine 'X' is your political party's chairman for your region, let's say the North West of England. You are voted to lead that party list for a forthcoming election to public office. However, things you have witnessed over a period of time make you uneasy and you have doubts. So, over a period of time you regularly meet 'X' for a lunchtime curry, to discuss your concerns.

'X' has a deep hatred for 'Y', seen widely as your rival. 'X' has a hatred of 'Y' that runs so deep that he won't even accept a dink from 'Y' at a meeting at a local hotel. 'X' urges you to fight if only to keep 'Y' out.

You explain that you feel the party leader is a charlatan lacking morals, principles and real belief, 'X' agrees with you and proclaims his belief that the party is going nowhere. This convinces you that you must do the right thing and step down. 'X' cries: "No, that will allow 'Y' in, don't do it."

He then urges you to remain on the list, get elected, then immediately stand down to become an independent. For you that was another nail in the party's coffin. You stood down.

Some months later 'X' stood for the party's ruling body, proposed by guess who? Yes, you guessed it, 'Y'.

'X' is now on the ruling body, and 'Y' is in a very, very senior position.

And you think the three old parties have 'a pretence of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that they do not not really possess!'

3 comments:

Mark Wadsworth said...

It's a dirty business politics.

So just see it as a hobby, like collecting stamps or playing golf, do it for fun and when the fun wears off, pack it in.

Don't spend the rest of your life complaining that somebody underpaid you for a valuable first day cover or that they miscalculated your handicap.

We all get stabbed in the back in the end, etc, continued page 94.

Gregg said...

It's not a case of being 'stabbed in the back' it's a case of commenting on things.

When something happens, as it did this week, it sets off a train of thought that often leads a blogger to blog.

Quite simple really Mark.

Anonymous said...

Wadsworths comments show why politics is in such a state. He doesn't understand the impact politicians have in the real world and apparantly has no political beliefs as he says 'just do it for fun' (which again reflects the state of politics today).
Politics is about belief, Wadsworth, not a bit of fun to be discarded as and when the damage is done.
The sad fact is, Gregg, that ambitious (and usually talentless) people follow the example of their leader to get on and if the leaders are bad.........well, just look at the 20th century.
There is obviously a vacuum of integrity in our current political set up.