33. Integrity is threatened by the environment
SPs cannot be seen as having integrity if they are estranged from themselves. This estrangement can occur due to pressure from the environment, such as (1) pressure to perform, (2) pressure to compete, and (3) time pressure. However, pressure from the environment is never a valid excuse for a lack of personal integrity.
SPs cannot be seen as having integrity if they are estranged from themselves.They are then no longer themselves, do not know themselves, or have completely or partially lost themselves. The true self, the original identity, is suppressed, resulting in loss of unity. Speech, action, and even thought is inconsistent with their deepest convictions and beliefs.
This alienation can arise in public office. Politicians of one party, for example, described their leader as deformed, changing from smart to sly, from good-natured to villain, from cautious to paranoid, from disarming to tense, and from clay to stone.153 Other SPs have been described as contorted, hardened, and crippled.154 They started with ideals and ended up corrupt. They started with the conviction that they should not get involved in power politics, but ended up addicted to power. As a member of parliament wrote in his book on politics, “It seems that once they have had a sniff of power, even well-brought-up people of good character are capable of fighting to the death,”155 as in the case of friends who sacrifice one another for the position of alderman, or who pinch a colleague’s position as spokesperson on an important topic when he is off sick for the day.
The loss of integrity can be caused by the environment in which SPs work. As German statesman Otto van Bismarck said, “Politics ruins the character.”156 This is partly a function of the pressure the environment places on SPs. There are at least three aspects to this pressure.
Firstly there is pressure to perform. The pressure to perform on the job is often high. People place their trust in SPs and results are expected. SPs are not simply there to mind the shop. They must contribute, deal with issues, and bring change and improvement, so SPs’ performance is critically observed. They must prove that public confidence is well-placed and that they are the right people for the job. Furthermore, they must keep the promises they made when they were appointed. If not, this will damage their integrity and they will be called to account.
Secondly there is competition. Power is scarce and highly sought-after. Political parties compete with one another for voters’ favor and media attention to realize their agendas. There is even party-internal competition, because a list of candidates can only have one ranking, one job is more interesting in terms of content and profile than another, there is limited time to speak in meetings, and the number of subjects a party can address is limited. “Only the things that float to the top remain,” a minister once said, adding that a politician may be better off with an opponent than an ally. Fellow party members and colleagues are the most dangerous: the internal battle can be fierce.157 Even mayors compete over attracting business, good public facilities, and subsidies, as well as posts in the more attractive municipalities. Competition is fierce in situations where there is only one winner. As US president Richard Nixon put it, “Finishing second in the Olympics gets you silver. Finishing second in politics gets you oblivion.”158
Thirdly there is time pressure. The time available is scarce. Terms of office are limited, as are the number of hours in a day and a person’s shelf life. Deadlines for commitments and promises can be stifling. Time is dictated by urgent requests, extinguishing fires, and dealing with breathless bystanders. Decisions must be made at short notice, SPs are required to make choices right away, or come out with a viewpoint immediately. This can make the job feel like a marathon run at sprinting pace, where you cannot relax and must be permanently on the ball, and if you do well you are rewarded with another marathon, another job or term of office.
The necessity of performing and competing under time pressure can have all kinds of consequences for physical condition, such as fatigue, stress, and heart problems. In order to escape the pressure, some people seek refuge in excessive use of stimulants, thrill-seeking, or forbidden fruits such as extramarital affairs and illegal betting. Mayor Rob Ford gave “extreme stress” as the reason for his excessive behavior.159 Pressure can also accentuate bad character traits and suppress good ones. The most serious problem occurs if the character itself degenerates, for instance because you are under so much pressure to perform that you become obsessed, distorting your character, or in such a rush to compete or meet deadlines that you do things you would never otherwise do, or become