The current state of politics is precisely the result of the normalization of this sentence over the years.
The current state of politics in Turkey is not a coincidence. This picture is the result of an understanding that has been repeated and normalized for years, accepted without question and turned into a mentality over time.
“You are so honest, you are not a politician.”
That insidious sentence...
The first time it was said, it was a well-intentioned warning.
Then it became a recommendation.
Over time, it became an acceptance, and eventually an unwritten rule...
And unnoticed, this has been ingrained in the public mind:
Honesty is a disadvantage in politics, not an asset.
This is exactly where the rupture began.
Because this seemingly “innocent” sentence has changed over the years not only politics;
eroded social trust, the sense of justice and the will to live together.
It is easy to blame today's situation on one side, but it is incomplete.
The politician has stretched the principle to preserve power.
Society chose not to question the method for the sake of the result.
Thus, a mutually feeding order was established without being noticed:
Principle has been replaced by pragmatism, transparency by the cover-up reflex and accountability by party loyalty.
So it is not a one-sided deterioration;
is a system built together.
There is a defense that we often hear at this point:
“Politics is already a dirty field.”
This sentence, which seems realistic at first glance, is in fact the strongest armor of legitimacy for today's corruption.
Because there is a conscious distortion here:
It equates politics being difficult with the inevitability of it being dirty.
In strong and institutionalized systems, however, success comes not from flexibility but from adherence to rules.
So it is not because politics is dirty.
It is contaminated because it is accepted as such.
Today, when a corruption allegation is made, the reaction of the society clearly shows where the issue has broken down:
“Those who defend ”us"...
“Those who blame the ”other side"...
But very few people say this sentence:
“Whoever did wrong must be held accountable.”
Because it is no longer about finding the truth;
protecting the side.
What is more striking is this:
It is not the immorality that is being discussed, but its emergence.
And this shows us something very clear:
Before politics was corrupted, minds were formed that normalized that corruption.
But is a way out possible?
Yes, you can. But only if we start from the same place.
If a society starts saying this sentence again:
“I support him because he is honest”
that's when politics changes.
But this is not a responsibility that belongs only to society.
The duty of a politician is not to lean on the weakness of society,
the will to transform that weakness.
Real leadership is not about adapting to the existing ground;
is to move that ground up.
Where we are today is the realization of that insidious sentence:
“You are so honest, you are not a politician.”
No, no, no.
The real danger is this:
Accepting as normal a system in which honesty is penalized within the system.
Because from that point on, it's not just politics.
Society changes.
Conscience changes.
The perception of justice changes.
And in the end, this is what happens:
Honest people do not withdraw from politics...
Politics pushes honest people out of the system.
And when that day comes:
Politics will not improve.
Only the level of contamination increases.