It’s easy to think of some large corporations as being
beyond human. When you think of Google does a human being come to mind? Same
thing with a bank. It’s in their interests to keep it amorphous; makes them
seem more powerful and you more helpless because what can you do about a
corporation that has too much power but nobody to be accountable to you?
But even the celebrity-type corporate leaders who have
intentionally splashed their name all over the place, seem kind of beyond
human. Whoever thinks of Jeff Bezos as having real emotions, capable of being
hurt?
As for politicians and world leaders nobody cares what they
feel, especially if they’re kind of unpopular or provide great target practise
for prejudice-burdened mentalities, and most especially if they fill the formal
role of public scapegoat. When you need to openly persecute somebody you don’t
want to keep in mind that you’re hurting a real person.
Even if a
politician is generally popular, most people, whether they realize it or not,
look on them as if they’re machines. As if they’re somehow immune from
emotions, especially doubt and low self esteem.
They aren't, though. Take Paul Ryan for instance. When he came on board Mitt Romney’s presidential
campaign he was hailed as the Republican boy-wonder genius with huge
intellectual strength. The fresh face that could rescue the Republican party. I’d
heard about him and expected a very powerful, energetic man in his prime.
But that isn’t who I saw. Within days
he tilted his head to the side a la Mitt and his tone of voice took on the same
soppy pleading, his body the same kind of defeatist stance. Conclusion: no
power there at all.
But it’s when leaders get together that you really see what’s
underneath the public persona. The trick is to either blank out the content if
you can, or shut off the sound, and focus on the body language. It’s a dead
give-away.
Recently the New York Times showed a video of Vladimir Putin welcoming Barack Obama outside the building where the G20 summit was happening.
Obama stepped out of his shiny black car and walked towards Putin. They shook
hands, said a few words. Obama smiled at the cameras, Putin followed suit and Obama
strode off.
Vladimir Putin comes across as a bully and very sure of himself when
he’s on his own or surrounded by supporters. But put him next to Barack Obama and he’s surprisingly insecure and
unable to hold onto that bully-persona which just slips away from him; you can
see he has no control. Fascinating. It doesn’t help that Obama is much taller, but it’s more than that.
Without effort, Obama had the lead all the way, not because he’s a bully but
because he’s inherently the stronger man.
As he walked away towards the entrance he did so with
purpose, energy and resolve. Putin was left standing on his own waiting
presumably for the next arrival. But he looked small and insignificant. And he
looked as if he knew it.
