B.A.F.F.L.E.D. Government

Do We Expect Too Much From Our Leaders?


Leader \ˈlē-dər\ is defined as (1) a person who has commanding authority or influence (2) a party member chosen to manage party activities in a legislative body.

Of course this person is also seen as an exemplary citizen, someone who goes the extra mile, book smart and street smart. They’ve been a follower, where they learned how to lead, and as many would say, they “know better”.

Knowing better usually includes being morally sound, but over the last few months, we’ve found a number of our leaders, whether political or just social, proved to not be as coveted as we've held them to be. From Senator John Edwards to Tiger Woods, it appears our “leaders” are not only “regular people” like the rest of us, but maybe even a tad less morally sound than we thought. Understandably, there is trouble in balancing power, fame and morals. This is especially the case when so many treat you as more than human. Not feeling invincible can be hard to counter.

Do we hold our leaders to too high of a standard? We know they are just like us; they come from among us, but are they more susceptible to mistakes? Why do they succumb to the pressures?