Can You Spot a Highly Sensitive Politician?

Highly sensitive people and politics. Such a thing as a highly sensitive politician? It’s an unlikely blog post isn’t it? But I felt compelled to sit behind my computer after reading a thread in a highly sensitive people (HSP) group this morning.

Is Bernie Sanders a Highly Sensitive Person?

A video prompted a suggestion that Bernie Sanders may be highly sensitive. He shows a tremendous amount of empathy and instinctively ran to help someone in need. Can we spot politicians who are HSPs? Does it make them more likely to get the vote of a fellow HSP?

It’s an interesting thread. *Please note that this is not a debate on the nitty gritty politics, rather observations on the people and their traits behind the politics – I have seen some Facebook threads get ugly when politics are discussed and that isn’t happening here!*

Are Highly Sensitive People Drawn to Certain Politicians Because They Show Sensitive Traits?

It was suggested that UK politician Jeremy Corbyn is also a HSP. And maybe even President Obama too. Are highly sensitive people drawn to certain politicians because they show a sensitive side, may even be HSPs themselves? Obama certainly feels authentic to me; when he speaks he shows emotion and it feels like he cares. Or are good politicians good actors too?

It makes sense to me that a HSP can feel when a politician is genuine. HSPs like authentic. HSPs like truth. We see through fake, which let’s face it, is the essence of many a politician. If we feel something real and authentic when a politician speaks then it figures that they become an attractive option.

Maybe there has been a time when a politician appeals to you and you’re not sure why (aside from policies and ideology of course) – or the other way around and a politician makes your skin crawl but you can’t quite put your finger on why. A politician can certainly be likeable because of their traits even though their politics are not your flavour.

Do HSPS Make Great Politicians?

So, what do you think? Such a thing as a highly sensitive politician? Do HSPs make great politicians? My initial thought (having spent many an hour watching House of Cards recently) is that sensitivity and politics do not mix. There is no place for sensitive people at the politicians’ table. But actually that is not true. Highly sensitive people make great leaders. There are a number of HS traits that are just perfect traits for a politician:

• a desire to make the world a better place
• an innate sense of justice and fairness
• a desire for equality
• an awareness for subtleties
• observant
• well-tuned intuition
• sniffs out liars
• creative and imaginative
• great listener
• processes things deeply – a great basis for cultivating ideas
• prefers meaningful discussion over chit chat

There are, of course, also many HS traits which make politics a difficult career choice…….but for sure the politicians who show a sensitive side are great role models for our highly sensitive children.

Over to You

When you are heading for the ballot box do you look for a highly sensitive politician, one who displays HS traits? Can you spot the fake political figures in heartbeat? Or is this something you have never considered before? Which politicians do you think are HSPs?