Understanding Pain.

"Pain is as diverse as man. One suffers as one can." ~ Victor Hugo.

What's the thing we hate the most about politicians? Is it the gray area of compromise they inhabit? Is it their knack, and habit, of saying some thing that really says nothing. Is it the belief they have that in order to make a difference they have to get elected and so their goal is to get (and stay) elected - rather than make a difference? It's probably a little of all of them but more than anything else I think the reason we hate politicians, and those who remind us of politicians, is:

They claim to understand our pain.

If you've ever started a business and held on during tough times does a person who hasn't done that understand? If you're a single parent who has persevered, put a child through college, and dealt with very personal challenges does someone who hasn't had exactly the same experiences understand? If you're a soldier who has carried the burden and horrors of war does someone who has not been in those boots understand? If you're a salesman who supports his family with the sales he makes. Who goes to work every day for straight commission, without a cent of salary to fall back on. Does the person who hasn't worked that way understand his pain?

Yet people say it every day don't they? A salesman says he understands the difficulties of running a business in order to build rapport with his prospect. A doctor says he understands the suffering of a patient diagnosed with cancer in order to comfort them. A civilian says he understands what our service men and women go through in time of war. An administrative assistant says she understands the salesman's challenges as she dismisses him. But do we really understand any of the pain these people go through if we haven't walked in their shoes? Hell no we don't. So why do we say we do?

Why do we have to be politicians? ~ Why don't we just listen?