{"id":59243,"date":"2025-04-10T18:04:45","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T16:04:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=59243"},"modified":"2026-04-10T00:08:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T22:08:23","slug":"the-mistake-of-believing-that-bad-education-is-something-unimportant-in-a-politician","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2025\/04\/10\/the-mistake-of-believing-that-bad-education-is-something-unimportant-in-a-politician\/","title":{"rendered":"The mistake of believing that bad education is something unimportant in a politician"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the last few hours, I've read several comments on social media that have encouraged me to write this article about the political profession.<\/p>\n

Some useful tips for those parents who want to raise little monsters<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe risk of supporting unscrupulous people: in the end they always turn against their supporters<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

These comments convey the idea that a politician's bad behavior isn't important as long as they govern correctly. Obviously, there's a tendency everywhere to excuse all kinds of politicians, but where does the limit lie?<\/p>\n

Eleven years ago, I wrote an article on fair play in politics<\/a> in which I expressed the need for democratic regeneration<\/strong> in Spain, but pointed out that legislative measures alone are not enough. I said something back then that I still believe: if we don't see politicians as good people, we can't expect them to work for the benefit of the nation<\/strong>. Obviously, swearing doesn't make anyone a bad person, but the way a politician relates to others tells us a lot about them<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, recalling that article, I said here that to regenerate politics, politicians must set an example with their conduct, both inside and outside of institutions<\/strong>. It's not enough for these politicians to have good ideas: they must act with honor<\/strong>, with a spirit of service, and with respect for the citizens they serve. And that respect begins with good manners.<\/p>\n

To understand what good manners are, it's enough to review some words by the Spanish philosopher and jurist Antonio Escohotado (1941-2021)<\/strong> that I've quoted before on this blog:<\/p>\n

A country isn't rich because it has diamonds or oil. A country is rich because it has education. Education means that, even if you can steal, you don't steal.<\/strong> Education means that you're walking down the street, the sidewalk is narrow, and you get off and say: 'excuse me'. Education is that, even if you go to pay the bill at a store or a restaurant, you say 'thank you' when they bring it to you,<\/strong> you tip, and when they give you back the last of what they give you, you say thank you again. When a people have that, when a people have education, a people is rich.<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These words from Escohotado capture something my parents have insisted on throughout my life: the duty to treat others as I would like to be treated<\/strong>. In the public sphere, this duty implies a responsibility to all of society. As I've said a few times, I'm just a blogger, but on this blog I make it a rule not to publish profanity or insults<\/strong>, even though sometimes my heart urges me to. I do this for two reasons: the first is because there's already enough filth on the internet without adding any more, but the second is the most important: I have a responsibility to my readers, especially the younger ones<\/strong>, and I wouldn't want anyone to take this blog as a bad example.<\/p>\n

I think what we should expect from a simple blog should also be expected from a politician, with one very important difference: Politicians who hold elected office have much more public relevance than a blog<\/strong>, especially those who hold government positions. Therefore, they have a duty to set an example out of respect for citizens, especially the youngest<\/strong>. A politician who behaves rudely, insulting and threatening others and treating them humiliatingly, may have the best ideas in the world, but his behavior is dirtying them.<\/p>\n

Of course, this applies to politicians of any ideology<\/strong>, but I think we should demand it more from those politicians with whom we have an ideological closeness, because politicians are more than enough to demand things from their rivals. A society that has an educational crisis, as is the case with ours, cannot regenerate itself if politicians set a bad example<\/b>, if they exhibit harmful habits, transmitting to young people that this is the right thing to do.<\/p>\n

Obviously, good manners do not prevent one from being firm and even passionate in defending one's ideas<\/strong>. I consider myself a vehement person when defending mine (sometimes going too far, which I often regret). I would go further: Good manners do not mean lukewarmness in the defense of ideas<\/strong>, and in fact, when we speak of noble ideas that sustain belief in goodness, truth, and justice, Good manners are the best way to be consistent with those ideas<\/strong>, and they are also a method for limiting fanaticism.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Education is the process by which we learn to master our impulses<\/strong>, directing them toward good and establishing the necessary conditions for living in society. Considering good manners irrelevant in politics is a mistake<\/strong>, and in fact, it is one of the mistakes that has led us to the sad situation we have in some Western countries.<\/p>\n

---<\/p>\n

Image: Grok.<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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