“How can you not have insurance?”
“Because I spent my money on the Clapco D29, the most impenetrable lock on the market today. It has only one design flaw, the door must be closed!”
No Man Is An Island – Even Barack Obama
It’s difficult to forget the hype that surrounded the hugely successful political campaign and exhilarating inauguration of the 44th president of the United States of America. Barack Obama surely packed some real punches, and delivered his message eloquently and with integrity.
Ultimately it was his integrity that won him the job. At last it seemed the world was faced with a politician whose words and beliefs seemed to match. How rare, and refreshing. The world could sense the potential of it. The steamroller of a campaign was almost a forgone conclusion, was backed by a load of cool celebs and a cool theme tune, and was a seriously hard act to follow once the flags stopped waving and the confetti swept away. So where do we stand two years down the line? Has the first African American president of the USA delivered on his promises? Or is it just another bunch of empty rhetoric that we’ve come to expect from politicians?
Well, to be fair to Obama, he’s come in at about the worst time possible. It’s easy to thrive when the economy is booming and take the credit. It’s also easy to bomb when the economy is in the doldrums and take the rap. After years and years of very good or not too shabby economic growth, the world of banking and finance having got carried away in a lending frenzy has tightened the purse strings; and as this money has stopped flowing from the banks, economic growth has suffered. Mr Obama is only one man. When he was a senator, he had quite a few people who wanted a piece of him. Can you imagine how that changed once he became the President of the United States, and ostensibly the most powerful man in the world? Pretty hard to keep your balance, I’d imagine, if you’re taking all those opinions into consideration. How to make a decision? Flip a coin? Spin the bottle? Seems easy when you’re the only one to consider, but how do you make a decision that will benefit everyone who voted for you?
Of course, it’s a nonsense, and that answer is, you can’t. There is no way that you can take everyone into consideration, and it’s not even Obama’s job to do that. Obama realised soon after taking the job that he had to focus on his job which is doing what he needs to do to fulfill his role, while leaving everyone else to do the same. Obama understands that he cannot help people unless they help themselves. He realises that he is just one man, and that he can only do his best. Ultimately, for the whole world to look at him to solve their problems is not helpful. If you think that a politician, even a self empowered visionary of the stature of Mr Obama, can save you from an economic mess, you’re going to be disappointed my friend.
It’s really a sign of our times that people think along these lines; the law suits (real or imagined) which cripple business into non-action, everyone looking outside of themselves for a scapegoat. We cannot seem to take any responsibility for our lives, rather wanting to point the finger of blame at someone else who is ‘responsible’ for our failings. I know, it’s annoying, and your life should be going better, and that little temper tantrum you’re having is really because you know this, but don’t point the finger of blame, take your power back.
In reality we are each responsible for ourselves. Barack is responsible for himself. I am responsible for myself, and you are responsible for yourself. Sure, Obama can help to bring about the political and social change which we are all asking for, but he needs willing participants to allow him to do his thing, that means a blessing and getting out of the way.
Politicians are high-level thinkers, yet they often lose their power to envision the better life that they want for society, as they get bogged down in the mucky details of life. Let’s give Obama and all the other politicians a break from their Sisyphean task, appreciate them for what they are doing for their countries, and bless them to do the best they can. No man (or woman) is an island.
We may one day be able to live in a society where we do not need politicians, but that time is clearly not now. I get how life works; I get to choose all of it, I accept that my life is a reflection of my balance of thoughts about the various subject about it. By taking responsibility for everything that happens to me, I am self empowered and whole, whether I want what comes to me or not, at least I know that I’m in charge of it. Most of the world does not share this view, looking to others outside of them to guide them, and so we shall have the politics of life for the time being.
Yet as more and more people wake up, politics is becoming less and less about rules and regulations, and more about organisation of public services, which is what it was meant for in the first place. And Mr Obama will have a much easier task as the load on his back is lightened and he can focus all of his attention on doing his job, while leaving you to do yours.
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