Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As you can see, the US culture is the culture of debate. For the presidential election and all other elections at federal and state levels, the pre-election debates are the main events. And they are “debate,” folks! Not discussion, or conversation, or presentation… A debate is a formal contest of opposing viewpoints, in front of an assembly.

Note: I don’t intend to single out the US here. Many other countries have the same phenomenon. I just happen to understand the US more than other countries, to use the US as an example.

It sounds reasonable: You have two or more debaters with different viewpoints, each tries to present his/her viewpoint while discrediting other debaters’ viewpoints. The voters will gain more understanding from the debates, to choose their candidate(s).

But the reality is much more disappointing.

1. Voters depend on (or are distracted by?) the talking skill of the debaters – the guy who talks fast, talks sharp, entertains well, BS well, and even lies well can easily win a debate. All is a matter of showbiz, not much substance.

2. Voters depend on word, word, and word, promise, promise, and promise, which often turn out to be false. Words and promises cost nothing and can sell well.

3. Usually, there is no unity among candidates on any major subject. You can’t win a debate by agreeing much with your opponent – one or two agreements on one or two minor points is acceptable, more than that you lose. You are supposed to fight and entertain, as a gladiator in the Coliseum.

Folks, politics means serving your people. And the good leader is not necessarily the fast talker, fast shooter, fast promiser, and fast entertainer.

Serving the people requires a heart with genuine love, talking less, promising less, caring more, working more, understanding more, and listening more.

Tao Te Chinh, Chapter 81 (last chapter), PTH annotating, says:

Lời thật không đẹp, Lời đẹp không thật. Người thiện không tranh biện, Người tranh biện không thiện. Người biết không học rộng, Người học rộng không biết. Thánh nhân không thu gom, Càng vì mọi người, mình càng thêm có; Càng cho mọi người, mình càng thêm nhiều. Đạo Trời, Lợi mà không hại. Đạo Thánh nhân, Làm mà không tranh.

Truthful words are not beautiful, Beautiful words are not truthful. Good men do not argue, Those who argue are not good. Those who know are not learned, The learned do not know. The sage never tries to store things up, The more he does for others, the more he has; The more he gives to others, the greater his abundance. The Tao of heaven, Is pointed but does no harm. The Tao of the sage, Is work without fighting.

Look at the US politics and make your own conclusion on how to be a true leader.

With compassion,

Hoành,

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Trần Đình Hoành
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