Do our politicians suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder?

Attention Deficit Disorder has been a byword in US schools - any child not paying attention in school or is hyper active is immediately branded as having ADD. As if staying put in a small class was not enough ADD now empowers adults to pop pills into kids without the usual diatribe that follows a chemical experience. But ADD has cast its net wide and now grown ups in the US are also being diagnosed with ADD.

However keeping the Indian politician in mind I have tried to compare the characteristics of our politicians with those required for a child to be diagnosed with ADD.

In 1987 the American Psychiatric Association provided a list of characteristics that a child must display for 6 months or more, at least eight of the following characteristics prior to the age of 7 for the child to be diagnosed with ADD:

1. Fidgets, squirms or seem restless,

2. Has difficulty remaining seated,

3. Is easily distracted, has difficulty awaiting turn,

4. Blurts out answers, has difficulty following instructions,

5. Has difficulty sustaining attention,

6. Shifts from one uncompleted task to another,

7. Has difficulty playing quietly, talks excessively,

8. Interrupts or intrudes on others.

9. Does not seem to listen.

10. Often loses things necessary for tasks.

11. Frequently engages in dangerous actions.

And from these characteristics I can very safely argue that our politicians suffer from ADD

1. Fidgets, squirms or seems restless

This is noticeable especially before an election or when there is a reshuffling of cabinet seats. Politicians become restless and search for better opportunities else where.

2. Has difficulty remaining seated

Closely observed during parliamentary sessions when politicians keep getting up for incomprehensible reasons

3. Is easily distracted, has difficulty awaiting turn

A politician is easily distracted from his credo of ‘service to the electorate’ by the sudden appearance of money and personal profit. Also the politician’s use of revolving lights, security guards, and sirens indicates difficulty awaiting turn.

d. Blurts out answers, has difficulty following instructions

Seen most recently in the case of Arjun Singh, Jaswant Singh and George Fernandes.

4. Has difficulty sustaining attention

The researcher hasn’t yet found this characteristic in politicians. The researcher proposes a completely opposite characteristic – that of being able to sustain attention. For example the BJP still holds the attention of people with its Ram Card, the Congress speaks about Aam Admi, both play the religious and caste card. Infact all politicians plays these cards very well.

5. Shifts from one uncompleted task to another

Also explained as having a finger in more than one pie. Seen with the number of criminal cases these people have. Before they can be proved innocent/guilty in one case (and thus can pay for their crimes) they move on to another crime.

6. Has difficulty playing quietly, talks excessively

Blame game – the favourite sport of politicians happens in public and is never quite, it involves media spectacles and a lot of verbosity.

7. Interrupts or intrudes on others.

This characteristic is seen once again in Parliament where free speech implies shouting and other dignified political manners.

8. Does not seem to listen.

This should be elaborated to ‘does not seem to listen to constituency’. The condition of roads, services etc make a strong argument for this characteristic.

9. Often looses things necessary for tasks.

Memory – such an important thing for a politician is quite often lost. Seen most recently in the L K Advani cover up of his role in Kandahar.

10. Frequently engages in dangerous actions.

Speeches that generate hatred and social disharmony made by politicians, attempts to hand over agricultural land to business are but a few indications of another of the stated characteristics that point out that politicians are indeed afflicted with ADD.

The good thing is that ADD in politicians is not an incurable affliction nor does it need chemicals to deal with it. All we have to do is vote in better politicians in 2009.