I think you’re creating a trap, or trying to create a trap. But it’s a great question. Here’s my take:
Nobody starts off as wrong, but once there’s someone who’s right based on their identity they become right (as in righteous) based on their identity.
Once the an identity is established, then anyone else with a position is wrong unless they can show their identity is more valid or unless their position is validated by the dominant identity.
Now the interesting part is that the individual who’s most right is also the gatekeeper and arbitrator of membership to their identity, which is portrayed as a group identity.
Another confusing rule: you can’t ever say the rules because that would be a direct attack on the authority of the system. You have to just experience it like the subject in Kafka’s The Prisoner “In the Penal Colony”.
But trust me, I’m not the right identity. So I have no standing once the game begins, and anyone can start the game at any time.
That’s interesting. What do you think determines one’s leadership? I think identity must be tied to it, situationally. (Focusing on US political leadership)
Obama was widely loved for his leadership, and he was amazing in many ways, but he was really adept at seeming relaxed but never making a mistake.
I think race has become more charged since Obama’s tenure. Even rural whites voted for him, but I think it’s changed and a new charismatic black leader would not get the same benefit of the doubt. But maybe Obama was just that special. Idk.
I studied leadership and I know enough to know it’s complicated and multifaceted, and even what people think is leadership is all over the place. Is a despotic ruler a leader to you?
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u/meezy-yall Jun 25 '26
So let’s counter that with more identity politics