By Zeus - what a country! From a distance, you get a different kind of perspective, especially when you’re floating around the summits of Mount Olympos. One of the more unedifying spectacles in the past month was the political battle for ownership of a temples federation. It seems leaders are determined to carry on with scientific communalism, but look where it gets them? There’s no better way of arriving up to what is best described as shit creek, a somewhat ripe term first used officially to describe Abraham Lincoln’s situation in 1868.

A little thoughtfulness might come in handy. Most political problems arise from selecting candidates and appointees because of their socio-religious backgrounds or friendly relationships rather than their competence. You can blame the prejudices of the hoi polloi but, for attitudes to change, those at the top need to set a good example. Guidance is needed for “gullible and blind followers”, as the trial judge described the devotees of a self-proclaimed Indian guru, even though he has been found guilty of rape, is still awaiting charges for murder – and probably has a safe loaded with banknotes.

Mind you, politicians and good examples seem contradictions in terms. Satyaprakashsing’s recent rant shows a similar attitude to the imam who declared in the Assembly that it was a man’s duty to chastise his wives – when the problem isn’t women in general or fémel journalists but mel politicos. Maybe donkeys would make better leaders, but then you get a human ass like the Emir and the theory dissolves in an instant.

Whenever in power, MPs seem to have problems with journalists. Of course, there are some journalists who are biased for one reason or another but it’s all a matter of integrity rather than diplomas. More important would be courses for politicos, to impart a little humility and commonsense. Indeed, it’s perhaps politicians who should have to obtain diplomas before attaining office. And certificates of morality to state that they’re not greedy, self-important, arrogant or incompetent. Mind you, the failure rate might make the old CPE exam results look like a success story.

The need to defend accomplices only makes matters worse. As Aristotle said: “Though we love both the truth and our friends, piety requires us to honour the truth first.” But what is piety? It’s certainly not belonging to socio-religious groups. Plato has a dialogue on the subject between Euthyphro and Socrates but the question remains unanswered. A good definition might be what is honourable in the sight of man and of the gods.

Change will have to come one day, but it’s no good replacing socio-religious accomplices with inexperienced youngsters. Wisdom comes with age and what is needed is people with integrity and experience outside politics – if they could be persuaded to leave well-paid jobs for an uncertain future in a theatre of the absurd. Anyway, politicos have the choice of continuing with their current obeisance to religious and social communalism or daring to implement meritocracy. It may sound risky but the first party to fully embrace the idea may enjoy surprising success. It isn’t merely a cry for justice – after all, it was partly the promise of openness and meritocracy that brought the current government to power. There’ll be siren cries from vested interests, from the opposition and from some of the media, but Hermes, the Greek god of gambling, will happily wager that there’s a lower percentage of passéists amongst the Admirables than amongst honourable members.

Yours sincerely,

Epi PHRON