If we accept it as a norm there's nothing more stopping them. You can't point at one and push him/her out of politics, when it's a broadly shared assumption they all lie equally. If the cynical position becomes the norm, all trust is obliterated and the society becomes dysfunctional, unable to expect any standards, expectations of positive outcomes. This is to the benefit of the particularly cynical and corrupt in power, it is very much against the society. It also blocks any chances for a self-organised response, as instantly anyone who becomes a leader in any noticeable way, or simply a speaker for any concept or vision is expected to be as corrupt, and so there's no chance for creating or promoting an alternative.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 weeks ago

The sad thing is you can tell it's all a vanity project for him. It's his last ditch effort to unify the USSR before he dies. All this needless death for one weak monster's ego.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Weird he hasn't led his troops into battle without a shirt on yet. It's almost as if his entire tough guy image is a lie.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

TBF, that stuff is easier to do at fifty than at seventy.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

What I'm hearing is that men in their seventies might be too old and weak to be world leaders...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago

Same here.