-- PietroSignoracci - 13 Mar 2008

I became uncomfortable at the same moment as Julia but for a different reason. Rather than thinking Eben's proposition was unfairly tough on politicians I felt it was unfairly soft on non-politicians. The difference between Spitzer and Dahmer (as interviewees) is not that one is a politician and thus almost assuredly dishonest but that one was a man condemned to die who longed to be understood and thus unusually predisposed to be honest. Mass politics might further encourage or especially demand types of dishonesty, but such dishonesty is not unique to politics (just as social engineering is not unique to law). We are all so well-versed in the art of obfuscation that we can hardly appreciate the extent to which it pervades even our most personal thoughts.

Enjoy the break.