M. Scott Peck, in his book People of the Lie, discussed the evils of specialization in terms of groups. He said that specialization had led to the pass-the-buck mentality, freeing us from accountability, since we can always say, “orders from above”. He used the US military during the Vietnam War as an example.

He recounted that the anti-Vietnam War sentiment in the US began in 1965, but only began snowballing in 1969 onwards, when the draft became required. He said that the Americans at that time didn’t care about Vietnam and the war since it didn’t affect them directly. They had decided to form a specialized group – the military – to handle these things, without even thinking if it was doing things right. Peck said that the people only began to react when the issue hurt them directly.

He said:

For the reality is that it is not only possible but easy and even natural for a large group to commit evil without emotional involvement by turning loose its specialists.

The current perceived apathy in the so-called middle class jives nicely with what Peck had described. The apathetic middle class chose to be apathetic because the issue does not affect them. Also, since the issue is political, they leave the mess to the politicians, a specialized group of people to do specialized work – politics. So they say they don’t care about the mess, without even thinking if they are even responsible for the mess we are in. When the politicians lie, cheat, and steal, the people are not even outraged, precisely because they had made politics specialized.

We have made politics so specialized, that even Chino Roces once said that no honorable person will dabble in politics. Since we have failed to make our leaders accountable due to our apathy, politics has become a dishonorable profession that is best left for those who are inclined for it.

I think we are too lazy to even make our leaders accountable. And digging deeply, we don’t like to hold ourselves accountable. For in a democracy, we entered into a social contract, formed a government, and selected our leaders. These decisions and choices are ours; by refusing to hold them accountable, we are also refusing to hold ourselves accountable for our choices and decisions.

Peck also discussed the danger of a specialized group. Again, using the US military as an example, he posited that leaving the military to a specialized group is dangerous for various reasons. He began by describing the profile of a person who would likely volunteer into military service. The profile calls for a male who is somehow physically aggressive. So the person who fits the profile either joins the police force or the army. Since specialization calls for individuals inclined and has the skills to do the job, the military tends to get similar-minded persons.

At peacetime, a soldier is idle. He can only go far if he can prove his mettle. And he can only prove his mettle if there is a war. At peacetime, promotions are not that available, and sometimes soldiers got stuck with their ranks, with their payscale not moving up. So, a soldier at peacetime would consider war as a better alternative. If the generals who make policy think the same way, God knows what could happen next. And the people wouldn’t even care, since it doesn’t affect them.

Peck called for a draft army instead of a volunteer army so that this danger of specialization can be avoided. Specialization tends to foster exclusivity and thus prevents entry of fresh air. A draft army will get people who doesn’t fit the profile, brings in fresh air, and forces the people to care.

So the people say politics is dirty. It is dirty because we, the people, let the politicians make it dirty. It is high time we begin making it clean again.