From The Conversation · Robert A. Ballingall · · 1m 10s
Today’s politics ignore ancient wisdom on limits
Modern leaders lack reverence for wisdom, risking democracy’s collapse.
In brief
Modern leaders lack reverence for wisdom, risking democracy’s collapse. Politicians who ignore their limits and principles threaten democratic stability. Originally reported by The Conversation.
Plato’s political virtue
Plato identified reverence as a key political virtue governing shame and awe.
“reverence: the virtue governing shame, as well as awe”
Modern politicians lack shame
Current leaders show no fear of disgrace and revel in contempt for old rules.
“shamelessness”
Leadership requires self-check
Good leaders must limit themselves to revere larger principles they would be ashamed to betray.
“the ability to limit herself, to revere some larger principle that she would be ashamed to betray”
Plato’s 'Laws' on ignorance
Plato’s 'Laws' teaches citizens to recognize their ignorance and seek wise authority.
“the scarcity of wisdom: the dearth of knowledge needed to live a flourishing human life”
Reverence as shame and awe
Reverence combines shame (fear of disapproval) and awe (feeling small before wisdom).
“aidos: the virtue governing shame, as well as awe”
Modern politics need reverence
Liberal democracies require citizens who respect their judgment’s limits and higher principles.
“shaming people for disregarding the awesome nature of wisdom might appear a gross violation of their freedom of conscience”
Awe for democracy’s responsibility
Citizens feel awe for the responsibility of self-government in diverse democracies.
“Citizens might feel awe, for example, at the enormous responsibility of self-government”
Shamelessness threatens democracy
Leaders who ignore their limits risk democratic collapse through shamelessness.
“the shamelessness that many observers find so disturbing will likely continue”
What happens next
Politicians must revere wisdom to avoid democratic collapse.
“until they cease to find an approving audience for their contempt of principled behavior”
The one thing
Politicians who ignore their limits and principles threaten democratic stability.
