An Ode to Hypocrisy
Even though I have enjoyed the long, protracted self-destruction of Anthony Weiner as much as any red-blooded conservative, I must say that I am a bit disturbed by the logic used by many conservative commentators to condemn him. Specifically, I am not convinced that Weiner’s sexual indiscretions by themselves made him unfit to hold public office.
Before you accuse me of hedonism, let me say that I am not. I am a strong defender of the old morality – the one that was in effect before the 1960’s. And there is no question that this moral code was much harsher on sexual indiscretion than the present day, post-60’s, whatever-floats-your-boat sensibilities.
Nevertheless, I believe it is wrong to conflate personal and public morality. One of the most odious principles of the left is the idea that the personal is political, which has led to the noxious rule of Political Correctness today. The right should not go down that road. We do not need religious leaders probing into our personal thoughts any more than we need human rights commissars probing into whether we have ever had racist thoughts.
Have I ever had a racist (or impure) thought? Of course I have and I defy anybody to tell me with a straight face that he has not. Human beings are made from a very crooked timber. We are not angels, and our moral code must take that into account.
So how did the old morality deal with human imperfection? That is a good question with a simple answer: hypocrisy.
While the old morality was indeed much harsher in what it condemned in the abstract, it was often more tolerant when it came to specific individual failures. There is no doubt that the old morality would roundly condemn the actions of Anthony Weiner, but there is also no doubt that the old morality would have tried to sweep things under the rug first. The fangs would only come out if the matter blew out into the open.
Look at how the press corps protected America’s politicians in the past. And I am not just talking about Democrat icon JFK and his bevy of girlfriends. They looked the other way too when it came to Dwight Eisenhower and his comely English driver, Kay Somersby. The old morality protected America’s leaders because the people implicitly realized that human beings are inherently flawed but that America, nevertheless, still needs effective leaders. And for a leader to be effective, he needs a modicum of dignity. We must keep in mind that dignity is a virtue primarily about appearances and surface. What determines your outward dignity is not what you are on the inside but what your fellow man thinks of you.
All of which gets me to the public crime committed by Representative Anthony Weiner: he turned himself into a joke. As a Congressman, Anthony Weiner is a man who wields power. To be effective at wielding power, the people must be able to look up to you with respect. If Weiner had been able to keep his indiscretions under wraps, his followers and his constituents would still have been able to do this. But he wasn’t able to do this because he transmitted text messages and compromising photos of himself to women he barely knew in a medium where the retransmission of information is very easy. His reckless behaviour made what happened to him a foregone conclusion. As of right now, nobody can take him seriously. No constituent can say, “Anthony Weiner is my representative” without feeling a sense of embarrassment. This made him weak. And that made him despised. And this is why he had to go.
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May '11
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Very nice analysis. Much better than most of the blogosphere and mediaworld.
Aug '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Furthermore, if he didn't resign then the voters would have probably kicked him out and the Republicans would have picked up his seat. Now, the Dems can put in a replacement candidate and keep the seat.
Jun '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Look, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks is old morality, new morality, hypocrisy, or virtue. A politician should have at the minimum enough political acumen to keep the peasants from reaching for their pitchforks. Anthony Weiner does not meet even this bare minimum. Ask yourself, how good a politician was he? And if he is as horrid a politician as this incident indicates he was in this circumstance, the quicker he finds another line of work the quicker he might find his metier. So, quit with the old morals and the new morals, because neither exist in politics and never have. Politics is basically the art of what you can get away with. And since Mr. Weiner clearly did not get away with his internet frolic, we're discussing a man too dumb to stay in high office. I'd like to wish him a totally amoral good riddance.
May '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
I don't agree with Cas at all.
Part of American Exceptionalism has to do with the notion that self-governance rests on virtue.
If we want to keep our republic, we require representatives who are capable, honest, reliable, serious, responsible.
A man who proves a complete cad in his personal life is not to be trusted with the public welfare.
Jun '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Katievs, in politics, especially democratic politics virtue = whatever the majority says is virtuous. The pity is that virtue in today's politics is more often than not whatever nine guys in black robes say it is. Don't get me wrong, I feel that a properly lived life must be a virtuous life, and the more virtuous our politicians are the better their governance. But, as far as politics is concerned, more often than not it's whatever works that carries the day and the people. If you doubt me answer this question: If something like 60% of the population is anti-abortion, how do you explain some fifty million abortions since Roe vs Wade? As a corollary, do these fifty million abortions represent a manifestation of the new or old morality?
May '11
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
As I have said before, I don't mind hypocrisy in a politician. I just expect them to at least be able to fake that sincerity thing.
May '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Nonsense. In reality, virtue is virtue, whether you are a politician, a priest or a plumber.
May '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
They are a manifestation of immorality.
Nov '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
The issue for me is one of honesty. If you can't trust a man to hold sacred the most basic compact, why should you trust him to govern? Look, I get that men have been cheating on their wives forever, as Rob said, but so what? That's like my kids saying "Well Johnny's mom lets him ride without a helmet!" Because it happens that makes it right? Because it happens that means there isn't something morally wrong with it? No, he was wrong, he is not to be trusted. Add to that the fact that he lied about in public.
PS - In this case I would guess that the majority sees honoring your marriage vow as virtuous.
Dec '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Men lie when embroiled in sex scandals. No surprise there.
I agree with Prager on this one (also no surprise!). If Weiner had had an affair, it would have been a mark against his ability to control his male sexual nature and a tragedy for his wife, but hardly an embarrassment to Congress. However, sending pictures of his genitals to women he never met is simply perverted and tarnishes the entire Congress. If he had stayed, we would be justified in asking, "exactly what kind of person serves there?"
The fact that he bore false witness to try to incriminate others for what he did is morally repugnant as well.
Jun '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
katievs
Nonsense. In reality, virtue is virtue, whether you are a politician, a priest or a plumber. · Jun 17 at 5:18am
You still don't see it do you? There is a vast difference between what constitutes personal morality or personal virtue and the total lack of political virtue and political morality. In a previous post on this issue in the member thread I made the point that both capitalism and politics are amoral (note I did not write immoral) and that it is utter nonsense (a pejorative that you introduced into this otherwise pleasant conversation and one that, quite frankly, has no place on this forum) to believe that politics and capitalism are something they are decidedly not. The reason the founders demanded a virtuous citizenry is because the process itself is utterly without virtues. This is proved over and over again by issues such as Roe vs. Wade or Dread Scott or any other cockeyed supreme court ruling or piece of stupid legislation that is enacted.
Nov '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Bob Beckell actually has the right answer. NY loses 2 seats in the redistribution. One up-state and one down-state. He says they should just use Weiner's seat as the seat lost down-state.
Nov '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Actually a poll taken in his district after this all came out showed that he still had a fairly large majority support. Morality in his district must have a different measuring stick.
Oct '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
I thought the crime against public morality was the lying - the aggressive denials, the attacks on the press, the persistent and deliberate misleading of his colleagues and the people at large. That renders him unable to fulfill his public duties. If he'd said 'Yeah, I'm a sexter, get over it' he might have survived. If his private 'crime' had been maypole dancing or collecting bobblehead dolls of Nascar drivers and he'd tried a similarly duplicitous cover-up - and blown it - then he would be similarly unfit for office, having forfeited the trust of his colleagues and constituents.
Edited on Jun 17, 2011 at 8:38amMay '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
I disagree with you CC that the old morality envisioned a higher general standard but was more understanding of individual failing. Rather I believe the examples of JFK and Ike (and of course there are countless others) reflects the double-standard for the powerful and famous that seems to have also protected DSK for so long. It is a remnant of a more aristocratic time. Human beings may be no more or less flawed than they have ever been, but we certainly have a more egalitarian media environment and it is growing ever more so every day.
Weiner resigned from personal shame and because he had become a laughing stock and thus ineffective and perhaps for personal reasons we can't know. I see nothing unfair about it. Were he as skilled a politician he might have survived -- but he's not, so he didn't. I myself could never bear the scrutiny that comes from public life, but I can't really see any way around it.
May '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Stop diddling the maid Arnie, or being an electronic flasher Anthony, and at least man up to the truth and admit it when you are caught out.
Whilst it goes to the issue of character (deceiving those you assumedly love through adultery or Ethernet onanism); I would be relieved to know that these guys were not doing to the country, what they so obviously have done in their sordid, but hardly exceptional, private lives. Looking at their respective public records....
Edited on Jun 17, 2011 at 10:04amJul '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
Personally, I'd be happier if every member of Congress spent every last minute sexting instead of dreaming up new ways to snuff out liberty and pick my pocket.
May '10
Re: An Ode to Hypocrisy
I can't seem to quote as usual for some reason. I had wanted to quote Cas saying that the term "nonsense" has no place in this forum, so that I could say in reply, "Nonsense", or "Pish posh", if you prefer. Nothing impedes good, honest discussion like unwarranted demands that participants refrain from characterizing remarks forthrightly. I consider forthrightness a mark of courtesy. I'll take it any day over rhetorical punch-pulling to avoid unpleasantness. If any of you finds anything I write nonsensical, by all means, feel free to say so.