We are in uncharted political territory: every leader is campaigning for change
Same, same…
In her speech at the Democratic National Convention [last week], Kamala Harris posited the idea that America should not go back, rather it needs to “chart a new way forward .” For people like me who live to challenge the status quo, this was music to my ears. But I couldn’t help but observe that both candidates for the US Presidential election are campaigning on their intentions to move America forward.
On one side we have ideological progress – synonymous with far right extremism – that will Make America Great Again; as outlined in The Project 2025 document, the four main policy aims are broadly to “restore the family as the centrepiece of American life; dismantle the administrative state; defend the nation’s sovereignty and borders; and secure God-given individual rights to live freely”.
On the other side, we have a different sort of progressivism, that promotes the interests of young, climate conscious, foreign policy engaged voters who have strong views on reproductive rights and capitalism.
…but different
Because what if change isn’t what we need at all – neither from blue politics to red politics or from businessmen to lawyers – but rather leaders with different mindsets. Leaders who think divergently, who are willing to make critical decisions without all the information to hand. Who are willing to take chances and accept that sometimes they will fail, but when they fail, know that they have the support of their teams and communities and country to continue committing to chart an unconventional path.
Buyers beware, we may well be entering into an era where our greatest blindspot is a fear of the very complexity that has kept democracy on the straight and narrow. A time where we refuse to operate in shades of grey, and life’s oxygen is the polarity of news media sound bites, of debates where we intentionally speak over each other, and refuse toflex the muscles required to disagree well. An era where integrity is not shown, but is spoken about ad infinitum; and an era where power is fought for but extorted, perverted or squandered once it has been won.
Why am I so cautious? Because, humans are creatures of habit and are inherently resistant to change, even there is consensus that change is necessary to move forward. It takes more than grit to get to play in the major leagues and more than broad shoulders to stay at the top. And therefore while we want to celebrate promises of change, we must always assess our political leaders on the presentations of their egos – do they comply and explain, or deny and blame? Do they accept failure and ask for forgiveness? Do they feel the fear and do it anyway? We must become more concerned not by what they say, but what they do. Because if what they are really showing us that they are willing to maintain the status quo, we may never realise the change uncharted territory has to offer.
And what a great shame that would be.
