“Play with Fire and you risk getting Burnt: Why those in charge keep falling for the illusion of control.
During the second season of The Boys, Vought, a pharmaceutical company, collaborates with the superhero Storm-front, who employs racist tactics to boost sales of a product granting temporary superpowers. The company’s CEO, Stan Edgar, recognizes the danger in this alliance, especially with Stormfront’s intent to form a super-powered white supremacist army. Despite ethical concerns, he prioritizes profit over morality. Tying this back to the real world, there is no shortage of similar examples. Individuals engage in partnerships with unethical people all the time because they think they can profit while maintaining control of the situation.
What I particularly like about The Boys is there is no attempt to appeal to Stan’s better nature. Stan makes it very clear that his ultimate goal is to increase his power, ethics be damned. What gets him to change and turn on Stormfront in the end is a moment of self-awareness where he recognizes his grip on the situation is more tenuous than he would like. This is unfortunately not something we see often in the real world, as leaders often overestimate their ability to manage volatile people. What I find particularly interesting though is how people trick themselves into believing they can manage the situation in the first place. The purpose of the piece is to explore three different reasons why those in charge make such foolhardy choices. The hope is by being able to recognize the warning signs ahead of time, people will be able to intervene or at minimum better prepare for the inevitable blowback.
PFB a clip from the boys which illustrates the passage above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsCbv8bRHrY&t=125s (Watch from 1:00–2:30)
Keep in mind the following is all speculation. I can’t confirm the reasons they made the decision, but I feel my interpretation of the situation has merit.
Reason 1: They don’t know the Oven is hot and not to Touch:
I suspect in some cases, part of the reasons people play with fire is they simply haven’t been burnt before. Take Pat McAfee and his gamble with Aaron Rodgers on his show. It’s like inviting a firecracker to a party — you hope for some sparks but pray it doesn’t blow up the place. McAfee knew Rodgers had some out-there views, like his stance on vaccines and other conspiracy theories. But hey, controversy sells, right? So, Rodgers keeps getting invited, even gets paid for it. It’s a tightrope walk — Rodgers is edgy enough to pull in the crowds but hadn’t yet crossed that line into full-blown chaos. That is, until he did. The moment he threw out that wild accusation about Jimmy Kimmel and Jeffrey Epstein, things spiraled. You could practically see the color drain from McAfee’s face. His show, his domain, suddenly turned into uncharted territory. It’s like he never really thought that line would be crossed, that Rodgers would unleash a storm he couldn’t handle. That day, McAfee got a crash course in the unpredictability of volatile guests — something he probably hadn’t considered a real threat until it was too late.
Reason 2: They thought they could outsmart the Devil
Another reason I suspect people take the risk of partnering with volatile people is that they simply think the ROI is worth it and more importantly they are smart enough to handle the situation. Take the case of Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. He had a front-row view to how volatile Trump could be, yet he & others played along, thinking the rewards — like tax cuts, stacking the bench with judges, and all that — would outweigh the chaos. It’s like betting big on a hand because you think the return on investment (ROI) is worth it. But then, boom, January 6th happened. That day was like a wake-up call, shattering this illusion of control they thought they had. Suddenly, the scales tipped, and it seemed like Trump might cost them way more than what they initially thought they were winning. Now despite all his numerous court cases he still maintains a tight grip over the party with anyone unable to do anything such as offer an alternative candidate to run for office. It’s a classic case of miscalculating the risks when you think you’ve got control over a situation that’s a ticking time bomb.
Reason 3: It’s hard to view things objectively when emotions are in the way
A final reason why I suspect these situations occur is because people can’t see what is happening around them. Reflecting on the complexities of political relationships, Ezra Klein’s observation rings particularly true: “Sometimes, the inside of an institution can deceive you as to its true nature. It can lead you to explain away the compromises and abuses, to ignore the larger forces constraining decisions. When you work every day with individuals, when you hear their rationalizations and sympathize with their decisions, you can lose sight of the structures shaping their behavior.” This insight seems especially relevant when considering Joe Biden’s longstanding relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden, with a connection spanning over four decades with Netanyahu, may well believe in his unique ability to influence Israeli politics effectively. However, this perspective might be obscuring the actual forces driving Netanyahu’s actions. Netanyahu is not merely navigating political challenges; he’s fighting for his political life against a backdrop of corruption charges. His political maneuvers are less about diplomatic strategy and more about personal survival.
Biden’s deep-rooted connection to the history and narrative of Israel might be clouding his ability to fully grasp the current motivations and constraints shaping Israeli leadership. His personal history with Netanyahu could be acting as a blind spot, preventing him from seeing the situation with the necessary objectivity. The situation illustrates how personal relationships and long-standing connections can inadvertently mask the underlying dynamics and realities of political power and decision-making.
Well, that’s all I have for now. If you have any thoughts on what I have written, please reach out to me. I’d love to discuss
