This quote profoundly highlights a subtle but critical issue within governance and society: the normalization of corruption and the collective complacency towards it. It's not merely the nature of power or the inherent flaw in human character that leads to corrupt governance; rather, it is our societal conditioning to accept, or at least tolerate, such corruption without resistance. This conditioned tolerance creates a dangerous apathy, where citizens, perhaps overwhelmed or disillusioned by systemic problems, cease to hold their leaders responsible for unethical behavior.

What resonates strongly here is the implication that accountability is not just the responsibility of those in power, but of the governed as well. It suggests that meaningful change and integrity in government depend significantly on the active participation and vigilance of the populace. When society collectively lowers its expectations and stops demanding ethical conduct, it effectively grants impunity to corrupt officials, allowing malpractices to shape policies and erode democratic institutions.

This awakening to our own role in perpetuating corruption urges us to reflect deeply on civic engagement and public accountability. How often do we question our leaders? How actively do we seek transparency? It is a call to action, reminding us that tolerating corruption implicitly empowers it. Adopting a more critical and active stance toward governance is essential—not just to uproot corruption but to restore faith in the systems meant to serve the public's interest.

In short, this quote challenges the common simplistic narrative that power alone corrupts and instead shines a light on the complicity of societal inertia, urging citizens to reclaim the role of watchdogs in a functioning democracy.

---Michelle Templet---