A good video. One interesting thing for me is that whilst the US has no ‘safety net’ for those struggling in the way we have in the UK (however flawed) and so an emphasis on individuality, however BEING an individual is encouraged in the UK and social conformity encouraged in the US. Nike found trying to sell their wares as ‘this is THE item everyone is wearing’ used in the US flopped in the UK and they had to rebrand. I’ve noticed an erosion of this celebration of behaving as an individual with the growth of social media.
Yes thank you. I think we can all agree that the rise of social media has hurt our societies as a whole. With that said, I am grateful for all of you, who I met thru a social medium.
Very thought provoking Mark. I think there is a major difference between the US and UK and that is a state religion, ie. the church of England. I am a Roman Catholic but accept that the state religion is protestant. Until Catholic emancipation in the 19th century they where pretty hard done by but would always put the country first. Even in the reign of Elizabeth the first when Catholic Spain sent the armada English Catholics supported Elizabeth and would have died to protect the realm. It is ingrained in us that religion and the state are forever entwined. I think that's enough for most of, because it works!!
I have no scientific basis for this and I am generalising massively but I think American's tend to have a much more positive outlook. A sense that they can improve themselves through education, self-help, religion, therapy etc. In many ways this is a good thing but I think it can leave people open to the charismatic "leader" that offers "the answer" to whatever they are looking for. Brits, on the other hand, tend to be much more cynical and sceptical. If someone gave us something or offered us something we would want to know why and what's in it for them. It's really an extention of the reasons our humour is so different.
Mark. I think it's more that we in the UK have not grown up with the outward show of religiosity that is common in parts of the US. Our religion tends to be more low key & private. It's almost as if we are embarrassed to be overly religious, & much to polite to extol our beliefs to others. Our national Church of England is not one that openly promotes itself or proclaims a particular creed, but one can pretty much interpret the faith in any way you like, & for most people this is sufficient. We are essentially private people, who don't expect others to preach at us, nor do we like to pry into other people's personal lives. Our Religious affiliations, like our political allegiances, are considered our own private business, not for public debate or questioning, unless in specific circumstances, & most people would question anyone's right to enquire into them. The sort of TV religious broadcasting that you find in the US hardly occurs here, because most of us find it false, self promoting & tacky. Frankly it just doesn't work with the British sceptical mindset. The cults that have got a hold here, mostly it must be said the likes of the Mormons & Jehovah's Witnesses, have had to blend into our culture in a way, so they hardly make any impact. On the whole we Brits are much harder to persuade to try new things or new ideas. I think advertisers of new products have a harder time here than elsewhere. We seem to be far less gullable & set in our ways to become overly enthusiastic about anything. Then again we have a very long history, with many lessons learned over how to get involved in things & when it's best not to. Revolution has hardly been a thing here, but change has more often been slow & steady, with constant pressure forcing small significant change eventually leading to major reform. When 'revolution' has occurred, as with the English Civil Wars, or even the American Independence War, really another British factional dispute, this has been because hard factions, often quite low in number, on both sides of a, have refused to compromise, dragging all others with them into conflict. But notice how things were repaired pretty much with little recrimination fairly soon afterwards. We Britons tend to cooperation, it's how we have survived in these small islands, defending them against all aggressors, but not in a 'Communist' way, because we each are too independent & self assured than that. So we do not like to think that we are being told what to do or think, but retain a scepticism to those who try to do that. America from the start was the go to place for religious outsiders, some persecuted or otherwise not happy in their home societies. The free for all interpretation of Biblical & other texts through the Protestant rejection of Catholic regulation of belief, allowed for a multitude of individualistic breakaway groups, free to recruit others to themselves in a wide pen, dispersed, pioneer society. The individualism of the 'American Dream' lead to an extreme accent on a success culture, & the development of a celebrity obsession, made all the greater through Hollywood, & Television, & extending into Politics & religious groups. In Britain we tend to be much more sceptical of such stuff.
Hi Mark, I'm too much of a rebel to join anything but the closest I came to being in a cult was when was a school, the older kids listened to a band called the cult, some friends and I liked the music and we also liked some goth girls in the park, so we dressed like the band, sure enough the girls noticed and said sarcasticly ' o look , it's the cult ' then they laughed. So I've never joined anything again ! 😂
Hi Mark, interesting that you pointed out that following a sports team could be cultish. Here in the UK we might describe it as tribal, which is different as very few sports fans worship , say, a football manager (unless they are really successful😀). Your point about American not being uneducated may be valid however. Even channels like yours and certainly a great many other "American reacts" channels give the impression that the US education system is very light on information about anything outside the continental US. Often the reactors seem surprised about things in other countries (other than the UK) which seem obvious to a lot of Brits. Maybe that means that we here in the UK have more perspective, both from centuries of our own history and from what we know of the long histories of other countries. World history has many examples of toxic movements both political and religious to act as a warning.
LOL to be fair...There are videos and photos of Clinton, Obama and others doing similar type movements with their arms that I wouldn't hold a guy who is obviously socially awkward and on the spectrum to a higher standard. Did it look good...no.
I don't think it's anything to do with intelligence, it's more our respective demeanours. Americans are upbeat and optimistic, more likely to be looking to improve 'their lot' or to climb the ladder, either spiritually or financially. We, on the other hand - pessimistic and sceptical. Much more likely to be wary of anything that makes promises we don't think they can keep! Or maybe that's just me?! 😂🤗
The British welfare state, a very recent creation, is a 19th century development of Christian Socialism. According to the New Testament: A certain follower asked Jesus what he needed to do in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus answered "Sell everything you have and give the money to the poor." The man left very disappointed, he was very rich. Up until the Reformation, hospices, hospitals, leper houses and general care for the sick were very much in the hands of the church (nurses are still called 'sister' in many places still, and 'matron' had simply replaced the Mother Superior) and lots of our hospitals are known by their original religious dedication - St Bart's for example. I suspect a 21st century Jesus would have a rough time in the 21st US - the corporate medicine industry and wouldn't be too keen on miracles and the parable of The Good Samaritan sounds a bit 'socialist' don't yah think?
Very interesting video. Thanks Mark. I guess that members of cults just need somewhere to call home, and to belong to. There but for the grace of God I... And I am in no way going to cast the first stone.
Almost every town, and certainly every city in the US, has its share of looneys of one kind or another. If it isn't snake-kissing and moon-worship, it's a combination of both with some minute reference to an obscure piece of scripture that brings in the crowds and the dollars. I've yet to see a poor preacher or 'pastor' for that matter.
For what it's worth, I'm not being unkind, here (or not trying to be, anyway) but in 64 years of watching the USA from the outside, here are some thoughts. These are, of course, generalisations and may not apply to individual Americans. (PS I wrote this before watching the actual video) America always looks for a short cut to success. That attitude breeds susceptibility. Look at Trump's crypto coin and how many people have lost thousands and even millions of dollars on it in the last 7 days, and that is not the only one. I disagree that a political party is not a cult, by the way. It can well become one. Cults are defined by what they tell people {not just their members) to do. It's their actions and their response to objective facts and the world around them that shows you what a cult is. America is still a young country and there is a huge insecurity visible in many of its rituals and civic structures, as well as its paradoxes: *The unbelievable "reverence" for the flag, but people make bikinis out of it (and are deemed "patriotic" for wearing them) as well as the most outrageous junk on Amazon. And pledging allegiance to a flag makes the rest of the world laugh. That started in the 50's during the McCarthyist times, and America has never grown out of it. (As was "in God We Trust" on the money) * The conservative mindset is especially susceptible to cultish beliefs, simply because it relies on **beliefs** rather than facts, whereas progressives have actually made a difference to the daily lives of individuals for the better. * America looks to Europe with a barely concealed envy, it seems to me, regarding the history and the refined institutions they perceive, and so build up the reputations of and revere local institutions, beyond their actual merit. Yet they know, Harvard will never be Oxford or the Sorbonne, however many PhDs etc. it turns out. * The national anthem(s) being sung at every event is hugely indicative of social insecurity. America seems obsessed with success, to the point where anyone who has been vaguely successful at anything is seen as an oracle that must be emulated and elevated, and they largely measure success by amounts of money. I was struck dumb when I observed my first US election and the news was mainly about how much money they had raised. Why not report about what they're planning to do and analysing what that will mean? Don't listen to a sports person telling you how to invest your money. Do actual research to work it out. Americans are not well educated, especially about history or current events anywhere outside America. You console yourself that there were doctors who joined the cult and died at Jonestown but only 1 person was listed as a doctor in the US, with one lab tech also known as a barefoot doctor. (Side note: a significant number of people who died did not drink the poison but were injected against their will, including a 2 year old child - 310 who were age 17 or under i.e 33% of deaths, and 79 of them were 5 or under) The information is within your reach. Oligarchs don't want an educated populace. They want a compliant workforce that doesn't know enough to know how they are being screwed (I mean, people think a 12 hour shift for minimum wage is normal, FFS!) America has long had a love/hate relationship with education, particularly higher education. While conceding some is necessary (doctors, engineers etc), America celebrates the "entrepreneurs" who made it without going to college. Look at all the jokes about farmers getting the better of "college boys who don't know nuthin' about nuthin'". Look at all the fiasco about 'critical race theory' and most critics don't even know what it is. Education is seen as something that helps you make money but might give you crazy ideas that interfere with the beliefs of your parents and community (there's that word again). And, finally, there's religion. The plurality (perhaps even majority) of Americans are conditioned to think that religion (even those who have no particular religion) is hugely important and what the pastor tells them is important and right. That's a key factor in the susceptibility towards cults. As @catherinewilkins2760 says, Brits are a cynical lot, even about religion. America is in the downward spiral of a dying empire and I've said so since Reagan. I didn't think it would happen this quickly, to be honest, but the parallels with the Romans are staggering. They, too, had many cults spring up in their dying decades and they were disillusioned with their ruling class (as many Americans are) and looking for something to help them through the end times. America's biggest problem is that it thinks it can't fall, even as it descends the abyss. Cults are attractive because they offer "secret information" that isn't available to non-members, thereby making members special (and oh, Americans LOVE to be special!) and, so, immune to the fall. They're not. It's simply an anodyne, like valium, that helps them sleep at night.
Thank you and I appreciate your honesty. I knew that this video, even though you haven't watched yet, would generate some comments that I may or may not agree with. The America you describe here sounds like a terrible place to live. I would love to hear your thoughts on your own country.
@@MarkfromtheStates It has it's problems, some of which can be taken from my comment above as they may apply anywhere, but to a much lesser degree here. BUT (and this is a huge but) we don't pretend that they're not there. We don't pretend to the world that we're the greatest thing since sliced bread just because we're New Zealand. The rest of the world rates us highly as a good place to live, and it is. You could not pay me ready money to live in America. Between the guns and the corruption and the really bad racism (we have that too, but not nearly so bad) I'd go postal within a week.
Hi Mark , is'nt it fascinating how resonably intelligent people can get sucked into believing the weirdest stuff , even to the point of rejecting family members ,but i guess if your being brain washed on a daily bases then i can see how it can happen . 😊
Yeah maybe you got to church more but the oldest church in the uk is 1400 years old so think the uk has been worshipping much much longer....also the church leaders here don't have 8 million dollar private jets
Bearing in mind that prior to the alleged first contact with the inhabitants of an island in the Caribbean, back in 1492, there was neither Christianity nor any kind of church, your point is spot on. 8 million dollar private jets are a thing of the 80's, we are talking 100 million dollar private jets now, all for J*s*s, of course.....
Is Trump? Probably to some...maybe. Like Kamala and her supporters...you see this isn't a left/right issue. Politics has become very tribal. Clearly, Kamala wasn't qualified for the job but she was chosen without a single vote to be one of the options. People voted for whoever they wanted and, this is a big one, they have term limits.
We are a cynical lot. If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.
That was super interesting! Thank you! Hope you, and yours, are well, safe and happy. One love from Scotland. 💙
Hi stew how are you?
Glad you enjoyed it
@@CarolWoosey-ck2rg Hey Carol. I'm OK, rubbish Jan with illness. Seems to be everywhere. I hope I find you well and happy! 💙
I enjoyed this video very much - she made me think about this for the first time. Take care of yourself. Love from the UK
Glad you enjoyed it!
A good video. One interesting thing for me is that whilst the US has no ‘safety net’ for those struggling in the way we have in the UK (however flawed) and so an emphasis on individuality, however BEING an individual is encouraged in the UK and social conformity encouraged in the US. Nike found trying to sell their wares as ‘this is THE item everyone is wearing’ used in the US flopped in the UK and they had to rebrand. I’ve noticed an erosion of this celebration of behaving as an individual with the growth of social media.
Yes thank you. I think we can all agree that the rise of social media has hurt our societies as a whole. With that said, I am grateful for all of you, who I met thru a social medium.
@@MarkfromtheStatesbut used in the right context Mark- the last time I looked you weren't attempting to indoctrinate us😊
Very thought provoking Mark. I think there is a major difference between the US and UK and that is a state religion, ie. the church of England. I am a Roman Catholic but accept that the state religion is protestant. Until Catholic emancipation in the 19th century they where pretty hard done by but would always put the country first. Even in the reign of Elizabeth the first when Catholic Spain sent the armada English Catholics supported Elizabeth and would have died to protect the realm. It is ingrained in us that religion and the state are forever entwined. I think that's enough for most of, because it works!!
I have no scientific basis for this and I am generalising massively but I think American's tend to have a much more positive outlook. A sense that they can improve themselves through education, self-help, religion, therapy etc. In many ways this is a good thing but I think it can leave people open to the charismatic "leader" that offers "the answer" to whatever they are looking for. Brits, on the other hand, tend to be much more cynical and sceptical. If someone gave us something or offered us something we would want to know why and what's in it for them. It's really an extention of the reasons our humour is so different.
Well said...I would agree with this. I feel we as Americans can be gullible and blinded by the shinny object
Mark. I think it's more that we in the UK have not grown up with the outward show of religiosity that is common in parts of the US. Our religion tends to be more low key & private. It's almost as if we are embarrassed to be overly religious, & much to polite to extol our beliefs to others. Our national Church of England is not one that openly promotes itself or proclaims a particular creed, but one can pretty much interpret the faith in any way you like, & for most people this is sufficient. We are essentially private people, who don't expect others to preach at us, nor do we like to pry into other people's personal lives. Our Religious affiliations, like our political allegiances, are considered our own private business, not for public debate or questioning, unless in specific circumstances, & most people would question anyone's right to enquire into them. The sort of TV religious broadcasting that you find in the US hardly occurs here, because most of us find it false, self promoting & tacky. Frankly it just doesn't work with the British sceptical mindset. The cults that have got a hold here, mostly it must be said the likes of the Mormons & Jehovah's Witnesses, have had to blend into our culture in a way, so they hardly make any impact. On the whole we Brits are much harder to persuade to try new things or new ideas. I think advertisers of new products have a harder time here than elsewhere. We seem to be far less gullable & set in our ways to become overly enthusiastic about anything. Then again we have a very long history, with many lessons learned over how to get involved in things & when it's best not to. Revolution has hardly been a thing here, but change has more often been slow & steady, with constant pressure forcing small significant change eventually leading to major reform. When 'revolution' has occurred, as with the English Civil Wars, or even the American Independence War, really another British factional dispute, this has been because hard factions, often quite low in number, on both sides of a, have refused to compromise, dragging all others with them into conflict. But notice how things were repaired pretty much with little recrimination fairly soon afterwards. We Britons tend to cooperation, it's how we have survived in these small islands, defending them against all aggressors, but not in a 'Communist' way, because we each are too independent & self assured than that. So we do not like to think that we are being told what to do or think, but retain a scepticism to those who try to do that. America from the start was the go to place for religious outsiders, some persecuted or otherwise not happy in their home societies. The free for all interpretation of Biblical & other texts through the Protestant rejection of Catholic regulation of belief, allowed for a multitude of individualistic breakaway groups, free to recruit others to themselves in a wide pen, dispersed, pioneer society. The individualism of the 'American Dream' lead to an extreme accent on a success culture, & the development of a celebrity obsession, made all the greater through Hollywood, & Television, & extending into Politics & religious groups. In Britain we tend to be much more sceptical of such stuff.
Thank you Daniel. Interesting for sure.
And...in precis..? :-)
Hi Mark, I'm too much of a rebel to join anything but the closest I came to being in a cult was when was a school, the older kids listened to a band called the cult, some friends and I liked the music and we also liked some goth girls in the park, so we dressed like the band, sure enough the girls noticed and said sarcasticly ' o look , it's the cult ' then they laughed. So I've never joined anything again ! 😂
LOL very funny Smog. Well you had the last laugh...the Cult is awesome band.
Hi Mark, interesting that you pointed out that following a sports team could be cultish. Here in the UK we might describe it as tribal, which is different as very few sports fans worship , say, a football manager (unless they are really successful😀). Your point about American not being uneducated may be valid however. Even channels like yours and certainly a great many other "American reacts" channels give the impression that the US education system is very light on information about anything outside the continental US. Often the reactors seem surprised about things in other countries (other than the UK) which seem obvious to a lot of Brits. Maybe that means that we here in the UK have more perspective, both from centuries of our own history and from what we know of the long histories of other countries. World history has many examples of toxic movements both political and religious to act as a warning.
I'm sure there is some truth there...good points
Yes, Not Many Cult's in England but After Watching Elon Musk's Friendly Salute To President Trump, He May awaken some more Unfortunately
LOL to be fair...There are videos and photos of Clinton, Obama and others doing similar type movements with their arms that I wouldn't hold a guy who is obviously socially awkward and on the spectrum to a higher standard. Did it look good...no.
I don't think it's anything to do with intelligence, it's more our respective demeanours. Americans are upbeat and optimistic, more likely to be looking to improve 'their lot' or to climb the ladder, either spiritually or financially. We, on the other hand - pessimistic and sceptical. Much more likely to be wary of anything that makes promises we don't think they can keep! Or maybe that's just me?! 😂🤗
The British welfare state, a very recent creation, is a 19th century development of Christian Socialism.
According to the New Testament: A certain follower asked Jesus what he needed to do in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus answered "Sell everything you have and give the money to the poor."
The man left very disappointed, he was very rich.
Up until the Reformation, hospices, hospitals, leper houses and general care for the sick were very much in the hands of the church (nurses are still called 'sister' in many places still, and 'matron' had simply replaced the Mother Superior) and lots of our hospitals are known by their original religious dedication - St Bart's for example.
I suspect a 21st century Jesus would have a rough time in the 21st US - the corporate medicine industry and wouldn't be too keen on miracles and the parable of The Good Samaritan
sounds a bit 'socialist' don't yah think?
Well said ElleSee
@ Thank you Gordon. Definitely something to think about.
Very interesting video. Thanks Mark. I guess that members of cults just need somewhere to call home, and to belong to. There but for the grace of God I... And I am in no way going to cast the first stone.
Almost every town, and certainly every city in the US, has its share of looneys of one kind or another. If it isn't snake-kissing and moon-worship, it's a combination of both with some minute reference to an obscure piece of scripture that brings in the crowds and the dollars. I've yet to see a poor preacher or 'pastor' for that matter.
Haha good point
For what it's worth, I'm not being unkind, here (or not trying to be, anyway) but in 64 years of watching the USA from the outside, here are some thoughts. These are, of course, generalisations and may not apply to individual Americans. (PS I wrote this before watching the actual video)
America always looks for a short cut to success. That attitude breeds susceptibility. Look at Trump's crypto coin and how many people have lost thousands and even millions of dollars on it in the last 7 days, and that is not the only one. I disagree that a political party is not a cult, by the way. It can well become one. Cults are defined by what they tell people {not just their members) to do. It's their actions and their response to objective facts and the world around them that shows you what a cult is.
America is still a young country and there is a huge insecurity visible in many of its rituals and civic structures, as well as its paradoxes:
*The unbelievable "reverence" for the flag, but people make bikinis out of it (and are deemed "patriotic" for wearing them) as well as the most outrageous junk on Amazon. And pledging allegiance to a flag makes the rest of the world laugh. That started in the 50's during the McCarthyist times, and America has never grown out of it. (As was "in God We Trust" on the money)
* The conservative mindset is especially susceptible to cultish beliefs, simply because it relies on **beliefs** rather than facts, whereas progressives have actually made a difference to the daily lives of individuals for the better.
* America looks to Europe with a barely concealed envy, it seems to me, regarding the history and the refined institutions they perceive, and so build up the reputations of and revere local institutions, beyond their actual merit. Yet they know, Harvard will never be Oxford or the Sorbonne, however many PhDs etc. it turns out.
* The national anthem(s) being sung at every event is hugely indicative of social insecurity.
America seems obsessed with success, to the point where anyone who has been vaguely successful at anything is seen as an oracle that must be emulated and elevated, and they largely measure success by amounts of money. I was struck dumb when I observed my first US election and the news was mainly about how much money they had raised. Why not report about what they're planning to do and analysing what that will mean? Don't listen to a sports person telling you how to invest your money. Do actual research to work it out.
Americans are not well educated, especially about history or current events anywhere outside America. You console yourself that there were doctors who joined the cult and died at Jonestown but only 1 person was listed as a doctor in the US, with one lab tech also known as a barefoot doctor. (Side note: a significant number of people who died did not drink the poison but were injected against their will, including a 2 year old child - 310 who were age 17 or under i.e 33% of deaths, and 79 of them were 5 or under) The information is within your reach. Oligarchs don't want an educated populace. They want a compliant workforce that doesn't know enough to know how they are being screwed (I mean, people think a 12 hour shift for minimum wage is normal, FFS!)
America has long had a love/hate relationship with education, particularly higher education. While conceding some is necessary (doctors, engineers etc), America celebrates the "entrepreneurs" who made it without going to college. Look at all the jokes about farmers getting the better of "college boys who don't know nuthin' about nuthin'". Look at all the fiasco about 'critical race theory' and most critics don't even know what it is. Education is seen as something that helps you make money but might give you crazy ideas that interfere with the beliefs of your parents and community (there's that word again).
And, finally, there's religion. The plurality (perhaps even majority) of Americans are conditioned to think that religion (even those who have no particular religion) is hugely important and what the pastor tells them is important and right. That's a key factor in the susceptibility towards cults. As @catherinewilkins2760 says, Brits are a cynical lot, even about religion. America is in the downward spiral of a dying empire and I've said so since Reagan. I didn't think it would happen this quickly, to be honest, but the parallels with the Romans are staggering. They, too, had many cults spring up in their dying decades and they were disillusioned with their ruling class (as many Americans are) and looking for something to help them through the end times.
America's biggest problem is that it thinks it can't fall, even as it descends the abyss. Cults are attractive because they offer "secret information" that isn't available to non-members, thereby making members special (and oh, Americans LOVE to be special!) and, so, immune to the fall. They're not. It's simply an anodyne, like valium, that helps them sleep at night.
Thank you and I appreciate your honesty. I knew that this video, even though you haven't watched yet, would generate some comments that I may or may not agree with. The America you describe here sounds like a terrible place to live. I would love to hear your thoughts on your own country.
@@MarkfromtheStates It has it's problems, some of which can be taken from my comment above as they may apply anywhere, but to a much lesser degree here. BUT (and this is a huge but) we don't pretend that they're not there. We don't pretend to the world that we're the greatest thing since sliced bread just because we're New Zealand. The rest of the world rates us highly as a good place to live, and it is. You could not pay me ready money to live in America. Between the guns and the corruption and the really bad racism (we have that too, but not nearly so bad) I'd go postal within a week.
I don't know of any cults in the UK, except for the 20 in the Premier League. 😁 ⚽
I wish, we are 3rd from bottom in league 2!
LOL that's good
The greater good.....Sorry...the Gray-urr goode....
Haha love it
Hi Mark , is'nt it fascinating how resonably intelligent people can get sucked into believing the weirdest stuff , even to the point of rejecting family members ,but i guess if your being brain washed on a daily bases then i can see how it can happen . 😊
Yes Clare...the mind is an enigma.
Yeah maybe you got to church more but the oldest church in the uk is 1400 years old so think the uk has been worshipping much much longer....also the church leaders here don't have 8 million dollar private jets
very true
Bearing in mind that prior to the alleged first contact with the inhabitants of an island in the Caribbean, back in 1492, there was neither Christianity nor any kind of church, your point is spot on. 8 million dollar private jets are a thing of the 80's, we are talking 100 million dollar private jets now, all for J*s*s, of course.....
Kaylin filmed this video right after Tr**p’s reelection. Just saying…
Inspiration? Maybe
*Kalyn,
Interesting. Quetions: Is Trump a cult leader? Was Hitler a cult leader? Is Putin a cult leader?
Starma definately is 😊
Is Trump? Probably to some...maybe. Like Kamala and her supporters...you see this isn't a left/right issue. Politics has become very tribal. Clearly, Kamala wasn't qualified for the job but she was chosen without a single vote to be one of the options. People voted for whoever they wanted and, this is a big one, they have term limits.