有很多政治家真心实意地希望以谦逊和正直的态度为社区和国家服务，毕生致力于培养造福整个社会的智慧；可悲的是，他们是少数。
人们普遍认为，那些身居要职的人往往具有分裂性、不成熟，而且通常自负固执。另一方面，我们的政客往往深陷于腐蚀性的党派斗争中，热衷于夸大他人的缺点：他们被狭隘的政治议程所束缚，在应对不断变化的社会复杂需求方面显得力不从心。他们常常将意识形态的僵化视为一种荣誉勋章，而且这种僵化越来越被视为获得党内提名的必要条件。
在更具破坏性的一面，他们会贬低一切与自身利益不符的事物，以不宽容或厚颜无耻的偏执为荣，热衷于博取媒体关注，并且毫不掩饰地将那些与他们意识形态不同的人视为“正义的敌人”。众所周知，他们追逐、勾结、密谋，并将金钱作为获取和行使权力的决定性工具。这还不包括少数病态的骗子、腐败透顶的政客、煽动仇恨的政客，以及那些为了保住权力而不择手段的政客。
显而易见，政治已经沦为一种堕落的职业。
现在是时候要求我们的政治家具备服务公众的资格，从而有效地为构建安全、健康、公平和多元化的社会做出贡献，而我们身处一个相互依存的世界和共享的生态圈之中。以下是我认为必不可少的资格。我鼓励大家补充这份清单，并将其发送给你们的政治代表进行讨论。让我们把这些资格信息张贴在所有有理想、有操守的年轻人能够看到的地方，让他们认识到在当今这个复杂而充满挑战的时代，我们需要什么样的公职人员和富有远见的政治领袖。
共情
缺乏同理心，文明就无路可走。缺乏同理心的人深陷自私的动机和自我中心的泥沼，他们无法设身处地地为他人着想。缺乏同理心的政治家与他人交往的方式，要么是原始的群体内包容，要么是群体外排斥。这种心理发展水平无法接受任何中间立场。他们的信念被简化为非此即彼的二元对立，例如“要么你和我们站在一起，要么你就是我们的敌人”。
缺乏同理心，成人式的无理取闹充斥着公共生活，而把自己塑造成绝对正确的形象，被认为是唯一安全的政治策略。任何公司或机构都不会雇用这种认知和情感能力低下的人，但我们却赋予了他们权力。然而，缺乏情商的政客加剧了社会分裂，滋生了不宽容。
同理心是可以培养的，即使天生缺乏同理心。它需要我们学习如何以开放和尊重的态度看待不同的观点：它要求我们敞开心扉，用心体会他人的真实感受。因此，同理心是尊重和充满同情心的倾听、对话和非暴力的基础。正因如此，它也是民主的基石之一。政治家需要倾听他人，不是为了将他们划分为对错之分，而是为了准确地理解民众及其诉求。为什么在当今政治中，像代表多元化的利益和诉求这样基本的事情似乎被抛诸脑后了呢？
同理心并非怜悯他人，而是设身处地地去理解他们。如果有人想担任公职，那么最基本的资格应该是能够换位思考，从而提升自身的人格境界。那些缺乏同理心、人际交往能力低下的空想家，无法为公众谋福祉。
对话
对话需要成熟的沟通技巧，而那些只会对人说教、布道、哄骗、咆哮或进行各种冗长而居高临下的独白的人，显然不具备这种技巧。有人声称这就是自由社会中辩论的方式，但事实并非如此。辩论在政治生活中固然重要，但如今辩论已沦为互相指责和抹黑的恶性循环，而非富有技巧的思想交流。辩论的目的是为了厘清各种观点的优劣，而不是用来掩盖立场或转移人们对核心问题的注意力。
对话建立在尊重之上，没有尊重就没有民主。当我们进行对话时，我们倾听以理解，并学习如何欣赏彼此的差异和共同点。对话旨在搭建桥梁，让共同的理解得以发展。如果没有这种对话空间，民主就很容易被那些有能力花钱进行最成功的媒体歪曲和宣传的人所利用，从而被其肤浅的理念所左右。对话日益受到贬低，因为它需要一定程度的灵活性，而这种灵活性被描绘成对强硬意识形态立场的背叛。当对话被牺牲时，极端主义就会得逞。而当极端主义得逞时，最终受益的只有政客。
对话是一种实践。那些希望进入政治领域的人，应该展现出相当程度的对话实践能力，这是进入该领域的基本资格。
效忠于整体
狭隘的党派之争之所以如此根深蒂固，是因为一种谬论被广泛传播，其信条声称，唯有坚持己见、排除其他观点，才能真正为所有人谋求最高福祉。这显然是错误的：它假定不同的观点是对社会整体最高福祉的腐蚀，而非其建国理想的本质体现。狭隘的党派之争依赖于强制推行和维护其特定意识形态的胜利，从而阻止任何相反的观点在社会中获得任何法律依据。它将政治视为将党派观点强加于他人和整个社会的手段。然而，只有当民主培育出一种服务于全体人民的政治文化时，它才能免受这种极端主义的侵害。民主是一个由相互依存的要素构成的复杂互动系统：那些寻求领导民主的人必须证明他们理解系统的运作方式。
系统思维的基础在于理解各个部分如何有效协同运作以服务于整体。在现代社会，这意味着理解经济体系如何才能支持而非破坏生态系统，金融体系如何才能蓬勃发展而不以牺牲可持续社区为代价，人们如何才能自由地践行自己的生活方式和价值观而不将其强加于人，以及各国如何在面对剥削、镇压和恐怖主义时实现最佳合作并保护普世权利。仅仅鹦鹉学舌般地重复自身利益只会导致不及格。任何在系统思维方面不及格的人都不配在政界立足。
结论
公共服务和政治生涯所需的素质远不止这三点。我们当然应该要求公务员和政治家具备诚实、正直和谦逊的品质。但这些品质难以立即评估，因为它们是品格的基石，而非后天习得的技能。我所选择的这三项基本素质，是有效服务所需技能的基础和必要组成部分。这三项素质都是可以培养的。
如果所有政治家都被要求展现其同理心、与不同群体对话的能力，并证明其对整体利益的忠诚，那么政治格局将彻底改变。没有任何一个行业像政治一样，拥有如此巨大的权力，却对准入门槛如此之低。任何自负且目标狭隘的人都能参选。让我们改变游戏规则，邀请真正有能力的人来成为我们这个时代迫切需要的社会变革的推动者。
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Too many politicians proclaim that people must learn to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. In the arena in which I work, that would be fine IF people actually had boots.
(by the way, if you're interested in communicating about these ideas, please write me at donsalmon7@gmail.com; thanks.
These are undoubtedly wonderful ideas. Unfortunately, the "elephant in the room" is not being addressed. Are there any powerful interests that wish to see the current state of affairs continue, and in fact, see it strengthened?
When Lewis Powell, in 1971, looked at the various burgeoning environmental and sustainability movements, and saw that large numbers of people were genuinely moving toward simpler, non materialistic living, he was deeply concerned. His call for action resulted in think tanks and a host of other organizations dedicated to supporting backward looking corporations and others who saw their power slipping away.
Now that it is more obvious than ever that humanity has to take a different direction from the one Lewis Powell sought to foster, the old guard is digging in their heels even more. One of the groups the powerful thought would be helpful to them - the most extreme fundamentalists - have turned into one of the most divisive powerful forces, perhaps even beyond what Powell and his colleagues thought (the texas GOP just put together a platform which, among other things, calls for more corporal punishment in schools and the banning of critical thinking skills).
The sustainability movement won't stop, and critical thinking will be taught, and by mid century, I believe will be accepted by most. But we can go through the next 38-40 years smoothly, or it can be a desperate struggle with the forces of ignorance. It's up to each of us to find practical ways in our own lives to help foster a smooth transition to a new way of being.
[Hide Full Comment]As Churchman said: "A systems approach begins when first you see the world through the eyes of another" (Churchman, 1968, p. 231)
I would also like to see Politicians taking on a portfolio that they know about. You know, like if an Education Minister had actually ever been a teacher.... Or someone meant to be helping business had ever started one....
Just like I would prefer it if all drivers had to ride a push-bike and then a moped before they could drive a car...or lorry...etc
To credibly and empathetically Talk, it makes sense to at least have attempted the Walk.
Empathy is good but there are some other things needed too. Like an ethica vision. I will quote Josehph Howe who was a Nova Scotian journalist, politician and public servant.
"When I sit down in solitude to the labours of my profession, the only questions I ask myself are,
What is right? What is just? What is for the public good?"
Write these questions large when engaging our politicians. Sadly, too many of them are today in the pay of the bankers and corporations and these issues are buried in favour of "what is good for my sponsor?"
Thank you for the reminder that being "proudly intolerant" of the other party contributes to the problem. Guilty as charged. I just find it so hard to find middle ground when I consider the big picture and how our poor are underserved.
This is not just for politicians but for anyone in a leadership role: business, government, education and religion. It is Leading as Love.
It means that leaders establish common ground that serves the common good: Care about the well-being and dignity of everyone; understand without judgment; respect without control and respond with unconditioned presence. Simply, love makes a leader a leader.
Should be a Must Read for all politicians at every level of Government ... most especially our LEADERS OF ALL parties
Hear, hear!