Why does humanity accept bad leaders?

a reply to: PrivateAngel

I can give you a very simple answer:

We have turned away from our creator.

We have decided to worship His creation instead of Him. (Science)

We have decided to live lives that do nothing to better ourselves as people or individuals.

a reply to: Hakaiju

"Brother against brother" was a phrase associated with the Civil War. So things were not so different back then as now.

Your civil war was 159 years in the past, and things are completely different in this day of age.

The stakes depend on what side you are on. Was the civil war worth fighting? I would say yes.

Just as worth fighting as your war of independence by my guess.

Is a new civil war worth fighting?

Absolutely not unless you wish to end up all back of the bus and a second-rate world power.

Because once you destroy yourself and the infrastructure with your own magnificent weapons of war, you won't be building anymore for a while.

It's a terrible question to ponder. Right now, I would say no.

Personally, i think it's a crazy question to ponder right now or in the immediate future, especially so given the current geopolitical climate.

Tomorrow is another day.

Very true, and where future generations will exist.........hopefully.

a reply to: andy06shake
I agree with everything you've said.
Just to clarify the first point, you mentioned neighbors fighting neighbors, which would certainly be a literal thing. What my reply meant was that although we are different technologically now, than we were then, the civil war was not a hard North vs South thing, with a line drawn on the ground. It was ideological. And brother did fight brother and neighbor did fight neighbor. It won't be any different now, and to your point, probably worse.

Terrible stuff to think about. I think I will have that beer, thank you!

First you need to define "Bad Leaders". Do you mean bad leaders as in Hitler, Mussolini, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, people of that reputation?
Or political ideologies you don't agree with?

"Good" and "bad" leaders when there's no consensus about what those words mean. We're in thrall to moral relativism. Took us a long time to get there, and if it's possible, a long painful time to get out.

originally posted by: theatreboy
a reply to: PrivateAngel

I can give you a very simple answer:

We have turned away from our creator.

We have decided to worship His creation instead of Him. (Science)

We have decided to live lives that do nothing to better ourselves as people or individuals.

Naah, God created us in his own image, we are the image of him. Just as greedy and avaricious. Hence "worship nobody but me", me, me, me, or be punished, into purgatory.

a reply to: crayzeed

So instead we worship ourselves...

And here we are, still.

You know, in 68, the NYT declared God dead...and we have been in decline ever since.

And 60 years later, the masses are yearning for disclosure. And those benevolent aliens that are coming to save us from ourselves.

We are fools.

The leaders are bad now because they are just in it for what they can get out of the system and they have no real direction/goals or empowerment to actually accomplish things when they get into the office they want to get into.

Very much like the people they lead.

Every time I hear 'civil war' I can't help but shake my head. There are 341 million US citizen, of which only 77.49 million own the estimated 393.3 firearms.

The civil war was fought with cannons and guns-not tanks, aircraft, LRADS, DEWs, satellite imagery, etc. and let's not forget what bioweapons can do in a crisis.

The chances of those 77.49 million organizing to forcefully enact change at the highest government level is zero. Macho bravado and reality are two different things.

I think like attracts like. Society as a whole has been leaning to the wrong side of right as history has proven time and time again. But people are lazy, wanting stuff for nothing, then comes a little theft here, a little lie there, no repercussions and it easily escalates.

Moral character is a big deal.....or it should be. Some people are simply naïve. For some reason though, a large percentage of the population believes it isn't. And since people continually weigh up their own actions by other's actions instead of what they know to be right and wrong, they have exchanged their measuring rod.

But here's an interesting article to digest. Warning, religious based article:

Some rely on majority opinion, which philosopher Francis Schaffer called “51 percent morality.” If the majority concludes a behavior is moral, it’s moral. But the vast majority were condemned as immoral in Noah’s Day and perished in the judgment of the flood.

Others use personal feelings. What is moral is what I feel good after; what is immoral is what I feel bad after. But the conscience can be programmed wrongly or completely seared. A terrorist may feel gratified after killing dozens of innocent people with a bomb.

Some suggest what is legal determines morality. But in the Sudan, it’s legal to beat your wife or to sexually mutilate your daughter. It’s legal to smoke marijuana in Colorado, but not in Kentucky. Man’s laws are imperfect and grossly inconsistent.

www.biblicalleadership.com...

We don't accept these bad leaders. We make it so that we only have bad leaders. We push all high profile people to their breaking point and wonder why good leaders don't participate and we only get the crooks and #ers.

a reply to: vance2

That's actually part of the problem. Wrong is wrong and right is right. Wrong is bad. Are there levels of bad, of course. But only a 'little' bit of wrong doesn't put it in the 'right' or good category.

The problem is our side is always the good side. God is with our side. We are right. We will win.

It has always been that way no matter that side 'we' are on. I am certain Hitler thought he was good and doing the right thing for his people.

As for the smart defeating the powerful, only if they are very smart and very careful.

a reply to: PrivateAngel

Unfortunately, true leadership is rare in recent times, whether in politics of corporations.

Not the most qualified or the smartest people gain the power, but the loudest, most entertaining, most divisive ones. The narcissism and ego at top places is horrifying. Personally, I believe academically very strong people should lead the countries and companies.

A true leader brings the people together, communicating his vision eloquently with intelligence and solid arguments, not emotions.

A true leader respects their opposition and people in his teams, even the lowest ranks, rather than running temper tantrums, firing anybody who does not agree with him or makes a mistake. He or she makes everybody around them better, caring for every member of the team, while challenging them at the same time.

A true leader does not command respect, he gains it via his actions and is willing to accept responsibility whatever happens, whoever screws up. He is willing to listen and consider opposing arguments and speaks last rather than trying to push through his own opinion from the beginning. Leaders eat and speak last after all. Silence is wisdom.

Since the populist parties have gained traction in Europe, I have stopped watching any political debates, as the stupidity is simply intolerable. Unfortunately, there are many gullible people out there.

originally posted by: BeyondKnowledge3
The problem is our side is always the good side. God is with our side. We are right. We will win.

It has always been that way no matter that side 'we' are on. I am certain Hitler thought he was good and doing the right thing for his people.

As for the smart defeating the powerful, only if they are very smart and very careful.

Totally agree.

I am not saying you BK3 have the same thinking whatsoever, but for me..

Religion is the consequence of so many deaths over the thousands of years. And so much pain in the present.

I think i can fathom why people want to believe in any god. Faith can be a powerful motivator.

I would call Mother Earth the best to thing to put devotion to. If only.

He who laughs last, laughs last, and alone.
No more button pressing for him.

a reply to: PrivateAngel

Don't get me wrong here because, yes I do realize there have been bad leaders throughout history but I don't think they were as prevalent then as they are now, and didn't remain in positions of authority as long as they do now. They didn't die in office like they are doing now.

Again, don't get me wrong here because I do appreciate all of the major advantages we have in this day and age but I think part of the problem of which you inquire IS this technological advancement. Back in earlier times, without all of the advantages we have now, the general populace was forced to physically difficult labor to sustain themselves, much less raise a family. Times were more difficult and physically demanding in those days. The days before unemployment insurance, Social Security, welfare for everyone, medicare, medicaid and on and on.

But now, all of these things, and more have made life more secure for these latest generations to the point they no longer have to worry about where their next meal will come from as long as a benefactor government is there to provide the basic necessities plus, to bribe and sustain them. I'm thinking Obamaphone here. I don't think these newer generations appreciate the advantages we have now as much as they have come to expect them. Not as earned advantages but as entitlements to these advantages. As long as the crooks continue to dole out the cheese, the mice will continue to come out to them.

This issue is more complex than just one cause. There are a number of causes here.

People lie! Politicians lie. Many politicians are very good at lying and many, many people are far too gullible for their own good.

I had one other thought but I'm getting old and I forgot it. LOL

Edit: Government subsidized or government provided housing. Food Stamps. The list of government provided sustainment for those willing, ready and programmed to accept and live off of it are many.

Paying off personally encured higher education studen't debt with others hard earned money is a good example of political bribery, isn't it?

a reply to: Hakaiju

Enjoy your beer Hakaiju.

I have a new theory or relatively at least.

In Blue States and cities: The Dems cheat on the count and put their hands in the till for both the Primary and the General elections

In Red States and cities: The R's cheat at the Primary and then lay down since they are the controlled opposition. They will win the Red states and some will vote just enough to get the prog laws passed. Some almost always doing it like Romney, some rarely doing it like Rubio. Key times Graham has waffled. They all put on airs of Conservatives


THIS is why Trump is making the RINO's mad. They were never true like the Dems aren't.

They are criminals playing a game of cards with us and winning. People on both sides defend theirs and right now the R's are better for sure, but they will turn to being RINO's when Trump is out of the way if we don't fix this right.

This is why I have been a Libertarian loaning my vote to who is good for my state.

originally posted by: Hakaiju
a reply to: andy06shake
I agree with everything you've said.
Just to clarify the first point, you mentioned neighbors fighting neighbors, which would certainly be a literal thing. What my reply meant was that although we are different technologically now, than we were then, the civil war was not a hard North vs South thing, with a line drawn on the ground. It was ideological. And brother did fight brother and neighbor did fight neighbor. It won't be any different now, and to your point, probably worse.

Terrible stuff to think about. I think I will have that beer, thank you!

YES, and I would add the poor folks of the South were sold a we defend the Nation state of VA or whichever state and not for slaves at all. The elite were fighting for freeing slaves. The poor didn't have any and considered it sinful like Northerners did. In fact the black history was they were treated well in the South minus the KKK verses the North where they were hiding from slave hunters.

a reply to: PrivateAngel

If our leaders are bad, it is because WE chose them to be our leaders for bad reasons.


If you want good leaders, first you must base your choices on "good" principles; not just what is best for you, and yours, but what is the best possible for as many as possible.


"The best way for two to share a pie, is if the one who cuts the pie must let the other one decide who gets which piece each one gets."