Harriet Harman's reaction to being asked on BBC Radio 4's "Any Questions" about her attitude to the use of mobile phones whilst driving a car has prompted me to reflect on the subject of character. This is a subject apparently of much interest to policy-makers at the present time.
My own experience - direct and indirect - leads me to suspect that what might be termed "the ruthless and manipulative personality" is currently the dominant one in British business and public life. The attributes of this personality are perhaps more feminine than masculine, although it is by no means exclusive to women, with many - perhaps the majority - of men in positions of authority displaying some or all of its qualities. I would, incidentally, classify both the Leader and Deputy Leaders of New Labour Party as ruthless and manipulative people.
Ms Harman is a particularly good example of this character type. She conducts herself in an aggressive manner, reflected in a number of convictions for driving offenses, but when challenged on her latest entanglement with traffic laws, is extremely defensive.
Readers may gather from my description that I do not regard people like Ms Harman as exemplars of good character, and they would be right. This is because I have had the good fortune, particularly in my early career, to encounter some "tough and fair" authority figures.
The tough and fair personality type is still to be found in business and public life, although I believe there are far fewer of such individuals at present than in earlier times, largely because the prevalence of ruthless and manipulative people tends to bring out these qualities in others, thereby perpetuating them. This is a real problem for society, as great, I would suggest, as any of the other problems which we currently face, because it is precisely these other problems that need tough but fair solutions.
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