However, this time things were squarely his fault. It has been reported (and admitted) that he has had an ongoing affair with a former staffer. A staffer that is now pregnant with his child, him having left his wife with whom he has 4 daughters (most of them grown up).
I don't want to put any more of Barnaby Joyce's affair under the microscope. The media and the Labor party are forcing that at the moment. What I want to think about is the how we view leaders in situations of moral failure, specifically sexual unfaithfulness in Australian culture. I think many of us feel upset with Mr Joyce and rightly so. However, I want explore are some much bigger issues within our culture that have created an odd whirlpool of expectations and traps for leaders and the general population.
N.B. I should also add, as far as I know, Mr Joyce doesn't identify himself as a committed Christian or Church goer. I'm not measuring him by Christian standards, rather just trying to understand the culture we live in via my own observations.
I've divided the issues into a number of headings as I see them. I hope you'll see the pattern I see in political (and community) circles.
1. Individualism VS responsibility to our community
Over the past century or so, western culture has shifted more and more to one havin a focus on the individual. That is to say that my life is, "All about me". Decisions I make about everything from breakfast cereal and coffee to world politics and the environment, invariable become individual decisions about my own priorities for the way I think my world should work. This is in constant flux just as I am. Standing against this is the a diminishing responsibility that most people feel toward the community. In generations past, people would willingly give up time, money, opportunity and limelight so that their community could survive and thrive. A good example of this is the difference between voluntary enlistment in WW1 against the problems with finding enough soldiers to fight in Vietnam. Both wars were about political ideologies in foreign countries, but by the time we get to the 1960's people are less interested in serving their country and more interested in expressing their own person beliefs. The point being, in the 21st century, even the leaders of our governments and community organizations are more effected by individualism than ever before. This is reflected in the 'election cycle' decision making we see constantly. Alongside this is the postmodern feeling that one is not answerable to the community for their lifestyle and decisions. What I decide to do is my right and others should not impinge on this. The recent same sex marriage movements are the keenest example of this. Of course, the problem with regarding your decisions to be only yours and not effecting others is short-sited at best, but it is firmly enculturated now in our society.
2. Sexual Freedom VS Marriage & Family
The other thing that has changed dramatically over the last century, but especially since 1960, is our view of sexual behavior. Where this time last century, sex was almost exclusively within marriage for the sake of family, now sex is considered a basic right and expression. To ask someone to limit their sexual expression (except at work) is considered oppressive and damaging. Sex is also largely disconnected from child bearing unless both parties willingly pursue it. Again, a huge change in culture. At the same time, there is another community dynamic that holds that people within marriages should not be unfaithful whilst still in the marriage. If divorce happens, any amount of sexual freedom is allowed, but while still married it is assumed both spouses will be faithful no matter the circumstances. One can see how this sexual dynamic flip flops between absolutism and nebulousness. In the once instance expecting monogamy and the next promoting open promiscuity.
3. Workaholism & Isolation leading to Self Medication or Escapism
Despite it's apathetic social and political culture, Australia has long had a strong relationship with work. As a country where opportunity abounds, hard work is seen as a good thing. In many sectors, doing excessive hours is seen as wholly positive thing. Above eighty hours a week is seen as normal by many high up in industry and government. It wouldn't surprise to know that Mr Joyce and his colleagues in cabinet were working more than a hundreds hours a week. By any measure of sensible lifestyles, this is workaholism pure and simple. Job pressures and fatigue create enormous stress and in many cases leads to people self medicating and or escapism in various ways. These may include caffeine, alcohol, recreational drugs and of course sexual conquests or pornography. Removing these people from their families and spouses for extended periods only exacerbates the problem and increases the chances of such issues.
4. Australian cultures bipolar relationship with leadership
Australia is a very odd country in many ways. Perhaps the most interesting of them is the absolutely flat hierarchy that many of us believe in. That is to say, 'every man is equal from the lowliest ditch digger right up to the prime minister'. It comes from the, "fair go for all", belief that the country has been built on. However it has a history, and a reactionary one at that. Australia was settled by a very class-ist Britain, steeped in a multilayered, complex hierarchy. It's easy to see how we swung right out the other direction rejecting class and hierarchies. Additionally, many people who moved to Australia such as the Irish, Italians and Vietnamese came from oppressed countries with little trust in recognized leadership. Accordingly, I have heard Australians actually say, "Leaders have to earn my respect", regardless of whether the leader has had an honorable past or not. So in the first place, we are suspect of leaders. In the second, we expect them to prove their worth well above the norm. The combination of this is a bipolar situation where leaders are on the back foot from the start, needing to look superhuman but wont to be shot down at the first small failure. This encourages would-be leaders to be slightly dishonest about their weaknesses but also shy about their strengths for fear of being taken as show-offs. And if they mess up, they are thrown out in short order. Peter Garrett is a good example of this. Mr Joyce has had a peculiar career in this respect, surviving where others had fallen by the wayside. The point of this being, all leadership is born into a toxic environment of mistrust and unrealistic expectations.
5. Privacy VS the Public World
There has been a great deal of discussion about what is 'private' given the situation of leadership in circumstances where leaders are guilty of sexual unfaithfulness. As discussed before, there is a double standard with regard to sexual freedom, but beyond that people seem happy with whatever happens, "between two consenting adults behind closed doors". The problem being, that the way our leaders live directly informs their policy and decisions. We wouldn't expect Penny Wong to back conservative evangelical positions any more than we'd expect Corey Bernardi to vote for extreme libertine positions. So while we want to accord people a life unfettered by prying and eyes and cameras, we still expect some level of demonstration in their own. I guess the question in many minds is, 'does a marriage destroyed by unfaithfulness constitute the betrayal of the lifestyle and community the MP is supposed to represent?' And the problem is, there isn't a clear answer to that question. We want to see the colour of their cards, but are asking them to show us their dirty linen too?
6. Counting the cost
Sexual unfaithfulness is terribly hurtful. To the aggrieved spouse or spouses, to any children of either party, to the extended family, friends, work mates and wider community. It's also painful to those guilty of it. One said to me, "I wake up every morning hating myself". I've lived through a number of situations of it in the recent and not so recent past. It has been extremely costly to me, even though I wasn't related to any of the parties in any of the situations. I find it nearly impossible to watch movies or TV shows portraying it, because I've seen the effects of it up close. It is ugly. People have a right to be angry with Mr Joyce and Ms Campion. He was right to publicly apologize. He was right to try and take responsibility for his actions. However, I also know my own capacity to do stupid things. Especially under stress or feeling like I need to escape. I wouldn't like to spend long days away from my wife and children under constant attack from the media and opposition. None of us is innocent. None of us is insulated from a world where we are told all consensual sex is a good way to have fun and blow off steam.
Our leaders are just people. What can we do to look after them better?
It's got me thinking...
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