as I write the bbc are showing the clips of Gordon Brown's resignation and David Cameron's declaration of his new role and service to the country.
i'm reading a lot of notes of disgust and many of relief, some even ecstatic about a change. many opinions. many voices.
public service as got to be one of the hardest roles.
i always loved how socrates described this harshness when describing his "philosopher gaurdians":
...Those who belong to this small class have tasted how sweet and blessed a possession philosophy is, and have also seen enough of the madness of the multitude; and they know that no politician is honest, nor is there any champion of justice at whose side they may fight and be saved. Such an one may be compared to a man who has fallen among wild beasts --he will not join in the wickedness of his fellows, but neither is he able singly to resist all their fierce natures, and therefore seeing that he would be of no use to the State or to his friends, and reflecting that he would have to throw away his life without doing any good either to himself or others, he holds his peace, and goes his own way. He is like one who, in the storm of dust and sleet which the driving wind hurries along, retires under the shelter of a wall; and seeing the rest of mankind full of wickedness, he is content, if only he can live his own life and be pure from evil or unrighteousness, and depart in peace and good-will, with bright hopes.
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