Removing ego from politics

In his book “Happiness,” Matthieu Ricard makes a good case that ego can cause numerous problems. He also describes times when letting go of ego can lead to happiness. For example, while reading this book I’ve found the perfect reason for giving it away. A dear friend is immensely unhappy, and I know it is up to him to climb out of his funk and find peace of mind. It is also certain that I cannot do that for him. But I am equally certain that Ricard’s book can teach him how and the cost to me in money is minuscule compared to my happiness that can be derived from the compassion of this gift.

I know many readers out there are having this same thought. Yes, you have read a good book that taught you so much that you just had to share it, either by recommending it, or simply buying a copy and giving it away. The lesson from “Happiness” is a sure-fire way to demonstrate compassion that comes directly from becoming egoless.

That is, the less we think of ourselves and ignore the demand or desires of ego, the more we gain compassion and earn happiness. Also, being egoless leads to being more productive. Consider a team leader who commends his members for any positive results,

Mull that over in your mind. Could we use less ego and more productivity in politics? Consider this simple step of political compassion the next time someone running for office says he will do such and such if you donate money to him.

then compare her to another team leader who gladly takes all credit regardless.

I recall a 300-game winning baseball pitcher, a future hall-of-famer, who was being honored at his retirement. He never once mentioned that he had done anything. Instead he consistently said “we” have had success and “we” thank you for this honor. When a star basketball player is interviewed after the game and asked how he did it, he will most often say it was a team effort.

Closer to home in House District 11, we commend our representative for appointing a member of the other party as assistant chair of their committee. That is egoless politics.

Mull that over in your mind. Could we use less ego and more productivity in politics? Consider this simple step of political compassion the next time someone running for office says he will do such and such if you donate money to him.

But there is always a but. Candidates for public office need to raise money to compete. Lincoln thought he had an agreement with his first opponent for a seat in the Illinois legislature to keep expenses down. Alas, he soon found campaign signs and banners everywhere across the state promoting that same opponent. So he was forced to join the fray.

We contributed money to a friend running for congress. Soon on a Friday afternoon he called me asking for more. He said it had become a chore that he’d relegated to the last hour of the workweek and he despised it. It’s a shame he lost because I know he understands what it could mean to set aside ego and do something worthwhile. We must get money out of politics.

Finally, when I worked in Washington, D.C., August was the favorite month of any year. Why? Because all politicians were out of town on vacation and no one was holding press conferences taking credit for anything. Your government kept rolling along because the people who did the work were still there, we just didn’t hold press conferences.