Immersed as we are in the current Presidential race (or simply binge-watching House of Cards), most of us develop a negative image of career politicians (see The Nature of Politics). Unfortunately, as much as we are loathe to admit it, there is a bit of a politician in each of us.
Consciously and subconsciously focused on our personal welfare and survival, we are selective in our comments, protective of our image and manipulative in our efforts to influence others. We want to be liked and admired. We hope to be hired, advanced and rewarded for our work. And, of course, we strive to be loved.
Fortunately, most of us devote ourselves to the challenges of relationships, parenting and our chosen career, achieving satisfaction without the personal need for power and celebrity. We choose to relegate those perks to politicians; though we might prefer statesmen (or stateswomen), we accept the fact that democracies cannot function without these elected representatives. In the course of that process, however, we recognize traits in ourselves that are embellished by the candidates, leaving us both appalled and embarrassed by the human condition.
