The stupidity of brilliant men doesn't go unnoticed for long. Nor does their narcissism. It may seem completely audacious for a person in the public eye to order coitus over the Internet for a moderately hefty rate. But to people in power, it's not a matter of enticement, it's a matter of entitlement.
Elliot Spitzer's recent scandal is of a type that frequently befalls political figures. Sure, athletes and movie stars solicit sex all the time (see Hugh Grant and Darryl Strawberry). But those guys are typical alpha males obsessed with themselves and full of testosterone, or whatever women are currently using to blame us for such follies. Americans view politicians as scumbags of the more subtle variety. We expect our Congressmen and Senators to stand for family values and simultaneously tread water in an ocean of political intrigue and deception full of sharks and undertows.
To be honest, survival on the floors of the Capitol is on par with survival in the sports world or in Hollywood. Both of those industries require top notch killer instinct and a talent for survival. They require skills at manipulation and a salesman's tongue to stay on top. When a player is "loved by teammates", that probably just means that he kisses ass to stay on the roster and preserve his direct deposit. It's all part of the game and we shouldn't expect any different from our politicians. Or should we?
Politicians are inherently different because, in America, they run on rhetoric and values more than actual policy (see Obama winning Democratic nomination). Elliot Spitzer was admired by the public because of his tough stance on corporate America and his crusade for ethics reform in New York state. The people elected him on these promises and his recent actions shattered their collective heart. However, if we take a look at the real Elliot Spitzer, we find an egomaniac that vociferously threatened his opposition personally and alienated his supporters. He was an alpha male bent on dominating the political scene.
He was no different than Hugh Grant or Darryl Strawberry. He's the governor of New York! He could have found some ambitious intern in the governor's office or state legislature and promised her a quick ascension for an hour of fun. The matter would have been kept silent because there wouldn't have been a bank trail and their collective legitimacy depended on it. But that would have meant that Spitzer was being used while using. And that's not what an alpha male does. An alpha male needs the narcissistic pleasure of using something or someone completely for the sake of that use. He was entitled to an hour with "Kristin". And he took it. Sure it cost him $80 thousand over the tenure of his business relationship with her firm, but money is nothing. Power is everything.
Unfortunately for him, Internet call girl services aren't the most secure of businesses apparently. And he was caught. So America faces a conundrum for future politicians. Should we do as they say and not do as they do? Or should we elect someone who acknowledges that they are a scumbag no better than the general populace? Honestly I'd love to have the latter, but in America where everything from health care to racism is privatized, there's no chance of electing a truly honest politician.
Elliot Spitzer's recent scandal is of a type that frequently befalls political figures. Sure, athletes and movie stars solicit sex all the time (see Hugh Grant and Darryl Strawberry). But those guys are typical alpha males obsessed with themselves and full of testosterone, or whatever women are currently using to blame us for such follies. Americans view politicians as scumbags of the more subtle variety. We expect our Congressmen and Senators to stand for family values and simultaneously tread water in an ocean of political intrigue and deception full of sharks and undertows.
To be honest, survival on the floors of the Capitol is on par with survival in the sports world or in Hollywood. Both of those industries require top notch killer instinct and a talent for survival. They require skills at manipulation and a salesman's tongue to stay on top. When a player is "loved by teammates", that probably just means that he kisses ass to stay on the roster and preserve his direct deposit. It's all part of the game and we shouldn't expect any different from our politicians. Or should we?
Politicians are inherently different because, in America, they run on rhetoric and values more than actual policy (see Obama winning Democratic nomination). Elliot Spitzer was admired by the public because of his tough stance on corporate America and his crusade for ethics reform in New York state. The people elected him on these promises and his recent actions shattered their collective heart. However, if we take a look at the real Elliot Spitzer, we find an egomaniac that vociferously threatened his opposition personally and alienated his supporters. He was an alpha male bent on dominating the political scene.
He was no different than Hugh Grant or Darryl Strawberry. He's the governor of New York! He could have found some ambitious intern in the governor's office or state legislature and promised her a quick ascension for an hour of fun. The matter would have been kept silent because there wouldn't have been a bank trail and their collective legitimacy depended on it. But that would have meant that Spitzer was being used while using. And that's not what an alpha male does. An alpha male needs the narcissistic pleasure of using something or someone completely for the sake of that use. He was entitled to an hour with "Kristin". And he took it. Sure it cost him $80 thousand over the tenure of his business relationship with her firm, but money is nothing. Power is everything.
Unfortunately for him, Internet call girl services aren't the most secure of businesses apparently. And he was caught. So America faces a conundrum for future politicians. Should we do as they say and not do as they do? Or should we elect someone who acknowledges that they are a scumbag no better than the general populace? Honestly I'd love to have the latter, but in America where everything from health care to racism is privatized, there's no chance of electing a truly honest politician.
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