the inherent vice of politicians

After re-watching that Thomas Pynchon movie, I found myself considering the inherent vice in various items.

Inherent vice is a property of an object which could lead to its damage or destruction.

Eggs break. Chocolate melts. Glass shatters. Acid paper flakes. Whisky evaporates.

It made me wonder about the inherent vice of politicians.

Not the vices involving money and sleaze, but something inherent in the political system that creates a tipping point.

Red lines can't prevent it either. A red line could have been drawn to prevent something, but the strength to hold a line can becomes a weakness.

There's plenty of examples of inherent vice in politicians. Here's a few from some individuals that spring to mind.

• someone with their own mind who never takes advice.
• someone who adopts a slogan at a moment in time and then never once challenges it.
• someone who sounds sincere, but is simply regurgitating received sound bites.
• someone who steadfastly defends a position until they quietly drop it to defend an opposing viewpoint.
• someone who says they are listening but never carries forward what they have heard.
• someone who gains positional power, but uses it to destroy the thing they are supposed to safeguard.

I could go on but instead here's a useful tip:

Eggs that sink in cold water are good and those that float are off.

The ones that stand on end are at the tipping point.