2 minute speech on how lack of respect for authority figures is the cause of the biggest problems in our society.
Answers
Since its inception, mankind has been plagued by incompetent or corrupt leaders of all
nationalities and from all walks of life. To study the history of leadership in any population is to
study the mistakes people in positions of power have made. Although many explanations
abound as to why leadership failures occur, one of the core reasons is integrity. According to
Merriam-Webster, the definition of integrity is “firm adherence to a code of moral or especially
artistic values: incorruptibility.” Because of their lack of integrity, many leaders are quite
corruptible, and easily fall prey to temptation. Leaders who lack integrity suffer a lack of
support, are more easily corrupted, and as a result, miss out on making a lasting impact on those
they lead.
Someone who is willing to lead, but is not willing to play by the same rules that. others
are held to, will quickly fall. Unfortunately, the best examples of this are found in American
politics. Mere days ago, David Petraeus resigned as Director of the CIA and officially retired
from public life after reports of a scandal between him and his biographer were discovered in
probes of his e-mail account. Despite his popularity as director of the CIA and as a former
general, once knowledge of his affair became widespread he had little choice but to resign and
retire. Likewise, years ago Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives for
having an affair with an intern and lying to cover it up. Clinton had been a very popular
president, and although he remains popular and is still prominent in politics today, he lost much
of the support and respect he once had, and was never fully able to recover. In both cases, the
absence of integrity cost each man his reputation and much of the respect he once held.