We spend so long listening to what politicians say, and seeing what they do, that I wonder if perhaps we are missing something: which is who they actually are.
I have just watched the French Presidential debate, and I have to say, that Emannuel Macron has shown himself to me to be a man of total and utter arrogance; a sneering, condescending man who brushes aside all considerations with which he does not agree, as lies or twaddle and who seeks to dominate the people in front of him.
I do not care that this was a political arena, I do not think that meanness and aggression can be justified as a mechanism for seeking to influence people. The regularity with which Macron interrupted his opponent, dismissed her points as irrelevant or uninformed – not with evidence of reasoning, just plain “You’re wrong”: dismissals out of hand as if it isn’t worth his time going into it. His very posture sought to dominate the environment, he spoke over people – be they the presenters or his opponent. His face was calm but his demeanour was not. He didn’t respect the guidelines for the debate, and he sought to actively intimidate his opponent.
To some extent then, it is irrelevant what he said, because his body said that he will proceed to do exactly what he wants to do no matter what. I understand now why there is a call to remove him from power – even if it means letting in Marine Le Pen… she comes from the old-school of dishonest politicians not the new. She tries to dissemble the less palatable of her policies, but you know what you are getting. With Macron and his like, well, he is quite simply capable of anything. He will step on anyone in his way (and possibly even anyone not in his way just because he can).
I don’t want politics to be like this. I don’t want a sociopath for a leader, I want someone who says what they mean, and means what they say. In the words of Malcolm X, “I have more respect for a man who lets me know where he stands, even if he’s wrong. Than the one who comes up like an angel and is nothing but a devil“