We often misunderstand politics as a purely technical realm of making laws and allocating budgets. However, the essence of politics lies much deeper: in creating the “cultural air” of an era. A political leader is not merely a national manager, but a “cultural compass” who determines what a community yearns for and what it feels ashamed of. Depending on the cultural catalyst they provide, a society—even under the same conditions—can either enter a path of fortune or fall into a swamp of misfortune.
The Helmsman Shifting the Direction of Desire
The role of a political leader is to pivot the direction of “manufactured desire.”
When a leader presents “having more” as the measure of success, society becomes a hell of infinite competition. But when they establish “contributing meaningfully” as a cultural badge of honor, society gains the energy to transform technological abundance into public welfare. If causality is not predetermined—as Hume suggested—a leader is someone who can provide citizens with a new cultural experience proving that “affluence (cause) does not necessarily have to lead to greed (effect).”
Cultural Stimulation That Turns Misfortune into Fortune
When faced with the “misfortune” of a society lacking resources or lagging in productivity, a great leader uses cultural stimulation to turn it into a motor for “fortune.” They redefine deficiency not as despair, but as a “narrative of challenge.”
Conversely, even when holding the “fortune” of overwhelming productivity and wealth, if a leader keeps the citizens’ desires tethered to base conflicts and endless possessiveness, that society will inevitably face the “misfortune” of falling into an abyss of emptiness. In the AI era, where productivity runs rampant, the leader’s role is more crucial than ever because they must construct a cultural defensive line of “human value and dignity” that machines cannot fill.
How to Use the Shield of New-tro
The current, widespread phenomenon of “New-tro” can also change its character depending on a leader’s insight. If a leader utilizes it merely as retro marketing, it remains an escape to the past. However, if they elevate it into a policy vision of an “old future”—the values of a time when humanness and craftsmanship were alive—New-tro becomes a powerful cultural weapon to withstand the AI era.
A leader has the responsibility to sublimate the vague nostalgia felt by the public into a “philosophy for a new era.” This requires a sense of balance: allowing technology to advance exponentially while helping the human spirit maintain the depth of the classics. That is the leader’s cultural sculpture—the art of turning misfortune into fortune.
The Leader as the Director of an Era
Ultimately, politics is less about “what to do” and more about defining “who we are.”
A great leader provides citizens with a new “cultural lens.” Through that lens, people discover “sufficiency” amidst overproduced goods and feel the necessity of “solidarity” amidst the runaway speed of technology. A leader is one who fills the void of authority—shattered by Hume—not with dogmatic commands, but with a captivating culture that people want to follow voluntarily. Only when such a leader exists can we break free from the fake desires designed by the system and pioneer our own true fortune.
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