When Leaders Fail Us

Leaders of all stripes exert a profound influence on individuals and societies, shaping norms, values, and behaviours. We unconsciously align our behaviours with the expectations – high or low – set by our leaders, be they in business, religion, academia, or politics.

But what happens when our leaders forsake us?

Business leaders

These days we’re charged exorbitant prices for necessary goods and services while business leaders profit immensely. They lure us with bold sales and “locked down” fees while raising prices elsewhere. While upper management’s salaries skyrocket, workers’ wages stagnate.

Corporations cause significant environmental damage and rely on governments and the public to bear the cost of reparations.

As they amass wealth and influence, corporations increasingly control the governments they should be held accountable to.

Essential goods and services, such as food, housing, healthcare, and education, are no longer affordable and accessible to everyone in society. This greed undermines the democratic ideals of equality and opportunity leading to greater inequality and social unrest and a weakening of the social fabric that supports democratic societies.

We are told to fight for our democracy. But it feels like a lie. Democracy is being sold to the highest bidder.

You can’t tell me that unrestrained capitalism works for most people; that it’s ok to gradually leverage yourself into a position of such power where you can make the necessities of life out of reach for your fellow man.

Religious leaders

Our religious leaders preach kindness and responsibility, but exhibit avaricious, and reckless behaviour. They betray our trust by abusing their authority, resulting in financial misconduct and sexual predation scandals. In the name of “God”, many religious leaders propagate ignorance, intolerance and discrimination, hindering social connection and causing human suffering.

Many religious doctrines contribute to overpopulation by promoting large families, and the idea of righteous human dominion over the earth has led to environmental neglect and exploitation to the point where human survival is threatened.

Academic leaders

Academia often falls short in serving its users due to a focus on theory over practical skills, limited alignment with industry needs, high costs, and a tendency to prioritize grades over true learning. This can leave graduates unprepared for real-world challenges and limit access to education based on financial means rather than merit.

In reality, there’s limited space for highly educated individuals who will become the professionals of the world and even less for true thinkers who challenge norms. The bulk of humanity consists of skilled tradespeople and lower-level workers who are essential to our functioning, yet they are undervalued to the point where they can’t afford a reasonable life. We must understand that without them, there would be no growth, construction, or manufacturing. Businesses would have no means to sell or distribute their products.

Academia’s resistance to change and lack of support for non-professional careers further hinder its ability to effectively serve all individuals seeking education and growth.

Political leaders

If we believe that politicians are elected to represent us, politics should be a transparent practice but it’s filled with murky tactics that confuse even dedicated followers. Politicians often make promises during campaigns but fail to fulfill them in office. Corruption, like embezzlement and bribery, diverts resources from public services. Infighting and gridlock stall critical legislation. Divisive speeches, which emphasize differences between groups like race or religion, deepen societal divides and promote mistrust and conflict. This hinders progress by making it harder for people to find common ground and work together to solve problems. Instead of fostering cooperation, it entrenches people in their own views, making compromise difficult.

We need to revamp our voting system so that all votes count and to scrap the “winner takes all” governments. Fairer politics could also be achieved by capping fundraising, as currently, only wealthy politicians can dominate advertising, evade accountability, and perpetuate false promises without consequences.

Ethical Obligations for Leaders and Followers

We can easily see valid reasons to be angry with our leaders, as many fail to meet our standards and uphold our values. We should look to leaders like Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Terry Fox who serve as examples of inspiring and uplifting leadership aligning with ethical values.

We assume leaders possess special qualities, but if they do not meet our standards, are we betraying ourselves by supporting them without holding them accountable? Venal or corrupt leaders can influence followers to adopt unethical behaviours, leading to a deterioration of morals and ethics in society. If we follow them blindly, vote for them and don’t hold them to the highest standards – can we even say we have the standards, morals and values we profess to have?

We must make a choice: follow the leaders we don’t trust or respect, or uphold our morals and values.