Why would you run for public office?
- Thread starter amadeus
- Start date
I never had any desire or inclination to do so.
Angst
Rambling and inconsistent
i'm not ever gonna run, because i don't have the charisma to succeed at it, but if i were, it would be to change things. therefore my vote. there's a lot of things going wrong, and i'd love to change it.
for people that aren't running (yet), polls like this are kind of strange. of course, i don't know the people online here that well, but from what i know (anecdotically and according to some research) most people that get into politics are motivated to change things for the better (whatever "better" entails to them). if they somehow manage to become influential enough, they'll then get swept up in bureaucracy and compromise, and some indeed start to do it primarily for power and prestige, and some go arbitrary and stop caring. (good on you for being honest amadeus ofc lol)
like, let's presume a sociopath. becoming a politician isn't really something a competent sociopath would do. the litmus test for these things is whether you can actually succeed in this manner. for every strange opportunistic demagogue, there's hundreds of people like that who, like, just went into finance, lol. it's much easier to climb the ladder and get into absurd debauchery and faux prestige if you just get rich the normal way.
it's like why people want to do art. of course ego is a huge part of it (artists usually have plenty of ego, yes), but most people don't start singing specifically to become rich & famous. it's a dream a lot of people have, non-artists in particular, that's how stuff like american idol happens. i could bend and say sure they might want to sing to become famous, but to become rich? just study marketing or finance. if you fail, you'll land a comfortable life.
failed artists - and failed politicians - spend a lot of time doing minor work because they can't help it, not because of the money and prestige. and most people that do artistry or policy aren't beyoncé or the president.
so why are politicians seemingly so corrupt and debauched? because the top sucks. to get in then, you have to be or become that kind of person. there's a lot of structural reasons as to why this happened (eg classical conservatives - like the old of 'em - thought that keeping a wealthy patrician class was the best way to preserve feudalism, and that thread has continued through governments to this day) but in the end, like, people that want power for the sake of it are usually smart enough to get a job with a better batting average.
for people that aren't running (yet), polls like this are kind of strange. of course, i don't know the people online here that well, but from what i know (anecdotically and according to some research) most people that get into politics are motivated to change things for the better (whatever "better" entails to them). if they somehow manage to become influential enough, they'll then get swept up in bureaucracy and compromise, and some indeed start to do it primarily for power and prestige, and some go arbitrary and stop caring. (good on you for being honest amadeus ofc lol)
like, let's presume a sociopath. becoming a politician isn't really something a competent sociopath would do. the litmus test for these things is whether you can actually succeed in this manner. for every strange opportunistic demagogue, there's hundreds of people like that who, like, just went into finance, lol. it's much easier to climb the ladder and get into absurd debauchery and faux prestige if you just get rich the normal way.
it's like why people want to do art. of course ego is a huge part of it (artists usually have plenty of ego, yes), but most people don't start singing specifically to become rich & famous. it's a dream a lot of people have, non-artists in particular, that's how stuff like american idol happens. i could bend and say sure they might want to sing to become famous, but to become rich? just study marketing or finance. if you fail, you'll land a comfortable life.
failed artists - and failed politicians - spend a lot of time doing minor work because they can't help it, not because of the money and prestige. and most people that do artistry or policy aren't beyoncé or the president.
so why are politicians seemingly so corrupt and debauched? because the top sucks. to get in then, you have to be or become that kind of person. there's a lot of structural reasons as to why this happened (eg classical conservatives - like the old of 'em - thought that keeping a wealthy patrician class was the best way to preserve feudalism, and that thread has continued through governments to this day) but in the end, like, people that want power for the sake of it are usually smart enough to get a job with a better batting average.
You're already a politician. Mods and admins are the politicians of CFC, even though that status isn't granted via a general election.
I wouldn't turn my nose up at the money and benefits, though unlike many politicians in my province, I'd strive to actually earn it. And no ridiculous splurging, like a cabinet minister who ended up resigning due to public pressure when she was found to be self-indulgent over her expense accounts. She did things like change hotels to a super-expensive one just because it allowed smoking in the rooms, and she hired a limo to drive her across the street (literally). The kicker that got the public upset, though, was the $16 glass of orange juice.
My prime motivation would be to undo all the egregiously awful things that have been put in place.
Gori the Grey
The Poster
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2009
- Messages
- 12,490
I wouldn't do it unless it was #1. And I don't care that much, so I'll never do it.
Running for office has never been an option for me given my gender and kink noncomformities. But if I did it'd be for #1 primarily, hopefully a decent paycheck (though I'd do it in NH even with the $200/yr state legislator pay), and I'd be proud of myself doing it in the same way that I'd be proud of myself for doing standup comedy or any other job outside of my comfort zone.
Not sure how it is in less corrupt countries, but here if you get to be an mp for two terms (iirc they don't need to be consecutive either), you get mp pension for life (and I think immediately after you stop being mp). Which is a very good pay, in the thousands of euros, for more often than not doing nothing/being a clown for a few years in parliament.
If I run it would primarily be for self-gratification. I like the idea of having honours, of having power, of being known and remembered as someone who did great things.
Sure, I want to Make The World A Better Place but I'm under no illusions that I want to do it in such a way that aligns with my personal values. Now I think they happen to be the correct values, but other people have their own values, and I'm under no illusions that my personal values reflect a general "public interest" - ultimately they're my interests, which I just happen to think the public ought to benefit from.
I'm not running, because being a public figure these days means every random person on the entire planet potentially gets to have access to your entire life. I'd like to think that I can manage, if not thrive, in the arena of political intrigue, but I can't handle having an online hatedom dedicated to ruining my life in the thousands of big and little ways that the internet enables.
Sure, I want to Make The World A Better Place but I'm under no illusions that I want to do it in such a way that aligns with my personal values. Now I think they happen to be the correct values, but other people have their own values, and I'm under no illusions that my personal values reflect a general "public interest" - ultimately they're my interests, which I just happen to think the public ought to benefit from.
I'm not running, because being a public figure these days means every random person on the entire planet potentially gets to have access to your entire life. I'd like to think that I can manage, if not thrive, in the arena of political intrigue, but I can't handle having an online hatedom dedicated to ruining my life in the thousands of big and little ways that the internet enables.
To make the world a better place - which is the first option.
Do I think I could make the world a better place in some sort of government position? Yes. Would an elected office be the way I could do that most effectively? I'm skeptical of that. Being deputy director of some department might be a better fit. Don't have the every-other-year run-around-looking-for-votes overhead, and don't usually have to be the public face of an agency, but be able to focus on the problems to be solved while being in a high enough position to influence things to a decent degree.
I also voted for "self-pride, fulfillment of ambition", but what I really mean is the self-fulfillment of having done something with a positive impact.
I don't think I'd be a good candidate to actually run for office though. Not outgoing nor charismatic enough. Campaign strategist for someone else? Maybe. But if I ever do wind up running for public office, it will probably be because I first rose to an effective non-elected position and was then talked into running for an elected position as a next step. And I can't see going above local levels, too much publicity above that.
Do I think I could make the world a better place in some sort of government position? Yes. Would an elected office be the way I could do that most effectively? I'm skeptical of that. Being deputy director of some department might be a better fit. Don't have the every-other-year run-around-looking-for-votes overhead, and don't usually have to be the public face of an agency, but be able to focus on the problems to be solved while being in a high enough position to influence things to a decent degree.
I also voted for "self-pride, fulfillment of ambition", but what I really mean is the self-fulfillment of having done something with a positive impact.
I don't think I'd be a good candidate to actually run for office though. Not outgoing nor charismatic enough. Campaign strategist for someone else? Maybe. But if I ever do wind up running for public office, it will probably be because I first rose to an effective non-elected position and was then talked into running for an elected position as a next step. And I can't see going above local levels, too much publicity above that.
Zardnaar
Deity
Corruption and to pass silly laws
Eg death penalty for Jay walking, replace the Sir/Madam knighthood title with Grand High Poobah, public humiliation in the stocks for extreme left/right types while taking kickbacks, snorting blow and spending public funds on hookers.
Basically the UK conservative party but improve it.
Eg death penalty for Jay walking, replace the Sir/Madam knighthood title with Grand High Poobah, public humiliation in the stocks for extreme left/right types while taking kickbacks, snorting blow and spending public funds on hookers.
Basically the UK conservative party but improve it.
Snowygerry
Deity
Because you cannot not trust anyone else to do it correctly, of course. Want something done well, do it yourself.
That does not seem to be included among the options though.
That does not seem to be included among the options though.
Akka
Moody old mage.
I wouldn't, but if I had to, that would be "to do something right". Guess it correlate with "public service".
Snowygerry
Deity
"Public service" (option 1: Genuine interest of the public) would suggest you do it for the common interest, not just to serve your own interests.
Edited for clarity.
Edited for clarity.
Last edited:
Akka
Moody old mage.
Are you refering to my post ?
'cause I don't really see how "doing something right" translate into "serving one's own interest"
Snowygerry
Deity
No my post,
the only time I would run (put myself up for election) for public office, is if there is no one I can elect that will serve my interests in satisfactory fashion,
thus I would be forced to do it myself, luckily it has not yet come to that
the only time I would run (put myself up for election) for public office, is if there is no one I can elect that will serve my interests in satisfactory fashion,
thus I would be forced to do it myself, luckily it has not yet come to that
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