East finds democracy as West loses it

WHEN we think of leadership, what comes to mind? The face of leadership in modern-day society is changing and it is not necessarily for the good.

A leader is someone who has the power to promote change, inspire and take charge. The realisation by many in the Middle East that the tyrants who rule are not serving the needs of their people is causing reform of leadership within their countries.

Muammar Gaddafi's regime in Libya is following the path of Hosni Mubarak's in Egypt, which is into the hands of the people. In the West we love to see the fall of tyrants and rise of democracy as the oppressed throw off the shackles of totalitarian governments.

Yet in many cases this is the direction Western culture is heading. In the West we have succumbed to the leadership of media idols, which raises questions about the people we elevate to leader status, and on what basis.

The media not only present to us relentlessly those they deem to be leaders, but those who they can profit from. The idea of leadership has become intertwined with the notion that to lead you must make money, as money, in many cases, is power.

We must question whether today's leaders really are the people we want to hold power and influence over so many.

I'm not talking about the Barack Obamas and John Keys, but the Oprah Winfreys and Lady Gagas who rule the networks and minds of millions.

With the endorsement of Oprah, a small family business can be turned into a multi-national corporation in a matter of weeks, while Gaga's YouTube clips never fall short of 50 million views.

Obama can only dream of his presidential addresses attaining such dizzying heights.

The sheep mentality, especially of youth, has always been around.

However, with the rapid growth of technology, in particular, constant connectivity, the icons of our era have turned into powerful forces that have the influence to lead the multitudes.

The blind support of those in power is no longer evident in the East but it is becoming prevalent in the West.

People are unquestioning of those who hold the real power in modern, connected society. Time's annual poll on the "world's most influential people" listed Lady Gaga, Kim Yu-Na and Jeff Bridges as the top three - two entertainers and a figure-skater.

The elected leaders of the world are are made to haggle over every decision they make. Yet the most influential often go without judgment.

It goes without saying that those who topped the influential lists also have amassed huge wealth. The definitions of money and influence have been blurred by modern society and the idea that the two go together is rife - that to have influence you need money, and influence is power.

Western society is at the forefront of research, development and the fight for human rights.

Yet the people we see as leaders are merely crowd-pleasers. Leaders should not be chosen lightly and history clearly shows us this with the rise of dictators and tyrants who were wrongly trusted with power.

The East is fixing the problems of its past and working towards the future. The West, however, is taking a backwards step in its approach to leadership.

William Law, Year 13, Sacred Heart College, Auckland