I don't think I've recently heard a speech or a quote, from any of today's leaders, that will go down in history (at least not favourably). I also can't remember the last leader to deliver a stirring, passionate, rallying speech. This has to contribute to the apathy towards democracy that is prevalent in today's society. Where are today's great leaders?
2006-07-05 03:59:23 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Other - Social Science
All leaders in our current culture are hobbled by our media and the parsing of every word. In order to not make a politically costly mistake it is necessary to not make strong statements period.
2006-07-05 04:04:41 · answer #1 · answered by NSTLJA 1 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Because it's a sound bite society now. No digestion, just one bite. Howard Dean said quite a few things, but all we ever knew about was the "Dean Scream." Al Gore has made some moving speeches lately, but the media never bothered to cover them. I have no idea how a JFK or a Churchill would even be portrayed in today's media.
That's what happened. We had a huge movement in America, then the assassinations started. JFK, MLK, RFK, Malcolm X, and more. How is it that one side of the debate started getting killed while the other sat back and maintained the status quo? They continue to to this day.
2006-07-05 04:09:49 · answer #2 · answered by Isaac 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a republic with democratically elected officials, therefore
we should not have 'leaders', we should have employees! We the people have the responsibility of giving these suckers jobs. Perhaps there's no 'great leadership' because our elected officials are too busy engaging in mock human sacrafices at the Bohemian Grove, sucking up to the presidents of China and Mexico in the name of 'fair trade', working on consolidating the north american continent into one superpower, or covering up 9/11. Anyone that might be a 'great leader' was undoubtedly doped up with ritalin in the first grade for being 'hyperactive', or shot in the back of the head by some goon from the Bilderbergers with a russian umbrella before he could pose a threat. Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul fit the bill, I think.
2006-07-05 04:14:08 · answer #3 · answered by motiongraphics81 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In today's corporate media, cheap slogans fit neatly into soundbites. Long, impassioned speeches that might make one remember the greatness of this or that leader are not possible anymore. Mainly, the present supply of candidates for political life is quite mediocre. This combined with a corporate media that prizes brevity over content has pretty much ruined the art of speech-making.
Where are today's great leaders? They are in Central and South America. They are in Asia. They are in Africa. Some of them do make great speeches: for example, Subcommandante Marcos is renowned for eloquence. What makes great leaders great? It is not their speeches. Great causes make great leaders. All over the world, there are leaders who are organizing their people to fight the oppressiveness of a global corporate system that strips their land of resources, ruins their economic and political systems, and takes the wealth of their countries away to hoard it in the wealthy nations of the world. If we don't have great leaders, it's only because there is nothing great about promising a nation of overfed, overspoiled brats that gas prices can be brought down or that the prices at Walmart will stay low.
2006-07-05 04:40:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They aren''t passionate becuase corporate America owns them. When JFK was president you had some corporate sponsers but now in todays world the leaders are bought off by corporations. The leaders of today are too woried about there popularity rating instead of worring about what is important.
2006-07-05 04:07:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The media and society influence today's leaders off the path to becoming great leaders. The leaders of today try and conform to the path society is going, rather than sticking to their beliefs.
2006-07-05 04:47:26 · answer #6 · answered by Andrew A 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If a leader of that stature was to get into politics, he would lose all support from his party and therefore get no money to finance his election campaigns and would lose.
THere are people like this out there, but the problem is the people who run the system don't want it changed.
2006-07-05 04:27:33 · answer #7 · answered by ColvinBri 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that all JFK was passionate about was extra-marital affairs.
2006-07-05 04:37:00 · answer #8 · answered by Rob 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What they're passionate about, unfortunately, is power and holding on to it at any cost.
2006-07-05 04:10:25 · answer #9 · answered by GreenEyedLilo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋