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Do we need Charisma in Irish Politics

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  • 17-02-2010 4:38pm
    #1
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,072 ✭✭✭✭


    This post got me thinking - Is charisma essential to be a politician in Ireland? Do we really need it? Can a politician be a good politician but have no charisma? Does political leadership necessitate charisma?

    Wikipedia describes
    Charisma (Greek "kharisma," meaning "gift," "of/from/favored by God/the divine") is a trait found in persons whose personalities are characterized by a personal charm and magnetism (attractiveness), along with innate and powerfully sophisticated abilities of interpersonal communication and persuasion. One who is charismatic is said to be capable of using their personal being, rather than just speech or logic alone, to interface with other human beings in a personal and direct manner, and effectively communicate an argument or concept to them.

    My own personal opinion is that a politician who lacks charisma is not able to communicate well with the electorate and that this hampers them. I think that intellectual people, people with ideas, people who get things done can be good politicians - I don't think that a politician needs to have charisma to be a good politician

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



Comments

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    #2
    nyarlothothep
    Registered Users Posts: 5,177 ✭✭✭nyarlothothep


    I think it helps, given that politicking is a people type job you need to persuade and get people to join you. However I think charisma is subjective, a very "charismatic" person could seem fake to me. I prefer substance over style every time though.


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    #3
    Liam Byrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    We apparently had "charisma", and look where it got us by some people falling for it......although I have to say that I neither saw nor fell for it myself, seeing it as fake like nyarlothothep did.

    It's handy, but competence, willingness and ethics are all more important than it.

    If we manage to get any TDs with those 3, then I'll consider adding charisma to my checklist.


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    #4
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    nyarlothothep wrote: »
    ... However I think charisma is subjective, a very "charismatic" person could seem fake to me...

    I tend to agree. Many people considered Bertie to be charismatic, but I never found him so.

    It's not that simple, though. A politician also needs to be "electable". A candidate might be electable in his or her own constituency for local reasons, but might not have the broader appeal that would make him or her a convincing prospect for the office of Taoiseach. That's the problem that besets Enda Kenny, and possibly damages his party's prospects a bit.


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