WHO’S LEADING WHO or The Governance by Mediocrity
While on a visit to Australia, I had the opportunity to observe a local news story that for many Australians stirred their emotions.
The Everest of Emotions
The occasion was a multi-million dollar horse race (the Everest) which had done a deal with vested interests to project the barrier draw etc for the upcoming race onto the iconic sales of the world-renowned Sydney Opera House.
After much debate and heart beating by the local media and concerned citizenry. The Sydney Opera House Trustees decided against its landmark being used for crass commercial opportunism.
It was not long till the outraged Right-leaning talkback media decided enough was enough and demanded the Sydney Opera House chief executive Louise Herron reverse its decision or face the prospect of losing her job.
Within 24 hours the Premier Gladys Berejiklian overrode the Trust and reinstated the commercial exercise.
What Price Popularity
The New South Wales Premier then came under attack from a large sector of NSW voters and the Left-leaning media leaving her vulnerable to accusations of surrendering to the powerful Racing Industry lobby and other interested parties.
She wished she had never entered the fray however it was too late and impolitic to flip-flop again.
These shenanigans of the mediocrity that is Australian politics, made me think of the times we live in.
Just before Mashiach arrival (Mishna in Sotah) we are told that: “The face of the generation will be like the face of a dog.”
Who is Leading Who
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter says the “face of the generation “ is referring to the world’s leaders and like someone taking his dog for a walk lets the dog run ahead of him and it seems to be leading its owner.
This thought is soon dispelled when the owner changes course and the dog looking constantly back to its master quickly runs after him to take up its prefered position once again in the lead.
And like NSW Premier Berejiklian the world’s leaders are quick to sense their constituents whims and fancies till the next time.
Except for a few exceptions eg; the United States President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin both to a degree, the majority govern with no fixed agenda or moral compass but turn whichever way the wind happens to be blowing at the time.
This is not leadership not by consensus, not by consultation and not by the majority right or wrong.
This is leadership by the weak and insipid, eventually despised by the very people they pander to.
In contrast, true Jewish leadership is infused with integrity, vision and compassion for its people and its convictions, immersed in more than Three thousand years of Jewish struggle.
Jewish Leadership
This Jewish leadership beckons us to strive for the ideals that have been passed down for millennia from Avraham through the forefathers and on into this day.
It takes courage and sacrifice to follow in their footsteps but that’s the duty of every Jew who wishes to see the dawning of the Messianic era.
