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In the spring, Sarah Wagenknecht announced that she would give up her position as head of state for exhaustion. In early summer, Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered several tremor attacks. And now, within a single day, two members of the Bundestag had to be treated for weaknesses.
Why is this apparent accumulation? Have the working conditions become more brutal due to the many unsuspected insults and threats in the social media? Is it the triumphant advance of parties that cultivate a venomous rhetoric of enmity from the margins? Or do we simply see more because of the ubiquity of smartphone cameras?
Great psychological resistance
Without question, work in politics has always required an enormous constitution. And it is also certain that those who persist permanently and without embittering have great psychological strength.
Especially people like Wolfgang Schäuble, who not only survived a serious assassination attempt, but then returned to the Bundestag and, in addition to the burden of the life-threatening event and the physical limitations continued to take this effort, deserve enormous respect.
Just like Angela Merkel, who, after questions about her constitution after the tremor, stated that she was trembling again because of the fear of trembling in public again. Which means that she was shaking because of the enormous mental pressure. Against the background of the violent attacks on her person - especially from the ranks of the AfD and its supporters - this openness testifies to great courage.
The double effect of digitization
This shows that digitization can do both: it creates more pressure, but it also allows new transparency and proximity. And with their open reactions Angela Merkel and others take on a role model role in dealing with psychological stress and stress under these new conditions. A role model that reaches far into society; which can encourage many people to speak openly about their own stress at an early stage and seek help before complications such as fatigue, hypertension or metabolic disorders occur.
The reactions to the open and public relations of politicians with their burdens and weaknesses is now also clear that Germany has not primarily a problem with substantively radical political positions, but with people whose bitter hatred and their hate poisoning togetherness ,
Nonetheless, the question of working conditions in politics should not stop at the extremes. The member of the Bundestag, Anke Domscheit-Berg, who in the SPIEGEL interview was very open about the burdens of her work, said shortly after taking up her mandate something very fundamental about her new working conditions: She was stressing at the work that "it's just deadlines barely has time to think about something in peace ".
Hardly questioned prejudice
In the heat of the social media debate, many often do not have the time to understand the pressures of everyday politics. How to find a consensus that is sustainable for all involved in many different positions. And what an effort it takes to be constantly under observation and to be afraid that a mistake will be exaggerated and threatens one's own existence through barely questioned public prejudices.
Perhaps that is why many a question, whether he should go with his sayings not to the pals in the pub, instead of the network publicly attacking and pressurizing those who take out of idealism to take office and face the public debate.