Presidential Imago

[Imago definition: An often idealized image of a person, often a parent, formed in childhood and persisting unconsciously into adulthood.]

What exactly does the public expect from a president? Or, for that matter, a Prime Minister, a King, or a Queen? Expectations are one thing, but objective reality is another entirely. Do most people realize that what they actually get is going to be different from what they imagine? If so, how much leeway are they willing to grant? And if they’re flexible, just how flexible is that? Do they expect their leader to “fake it,” to project an image that doesn’t align with who they are, just to keep the public satisfied? It’s a curious dance, this interplay between perception and performance, and it’s worth looking at how much of leadership is theatre versus substance.