Savile, Coulson and The Art of Seduction

I am frequently asked to carry out speaking engagements and do enjoy the challenge of exploring new topics that might be of interest to my diverse audience.

It was while carrying out research for my latest talk, ‘Politics and the Art of Seduction’, that the link between two of this week’s most disturbing incidents became apparent. I refer to the news of the horrendous, but not unexpected, scale of Jimmy Savile’s predatory behaviour, in addition to the conviction of Andy Coulson over the ‘conspiracy to hack voicemail’.

On the surface one might think that the two incidents are not linked, but given the scope and extent of the behaviour of these two men, their dirty deeds could not have been carried out without some degree of complicity and collusion on the part of those connected to them.

In both cases, and others like them, the key is the extent to which they were, over a period of some time, able to seduce colleagues and those in positions of influence, taking the term literally, by persuading them ‘to abandon, or betray, a commitment’. This was clearly entirely intentional.

With the anniversary of D-Day still fresh in our minds, there are some who may be offended by the analogy with Hitler, but it was he who, in its most extreme form, was able to seduce an entire population into believing his warped view of the world.

Both Savile and Coulson were able to achieve this, albeit in a different context, and thankfully, on a lesser scale.

The key here is the fact that both men were able to obtain such a high degree of influence and power over others, despite the warning signs that were all there; that they were able to put themselves into situations where the plausibility of their argument, and the extent of the trust they were able to enjoy, caused others to put aside the normal checks and balances that would have gone a long way towards sparing their victims.

In the case of Savile, who preyed on vulnerable adults and children, without discrimination it would seem, over a period of 50 years, what is being revealed now is that others had been aware of his inappropriate behaviour and had expressed misgivings; only to have their voices drowned out by those who wanted to curry favour with a national celebrity. It is the extent to which we have allowed ourselves to become blinded by the glitter and glitz of close contact with those who enjoy celebrity status, to bask in their glory, that we put all social mores aside. It is all the more worrying when those in a position of power, who should know better, and have a responsibility to protect the rest of us, are sufficiently naïve to fall for the ploy.

The art of seduction is well established in undermining and replacing established loyalties, and to substitute them for a different rule of conduct. In medieval times, this would have led to treason, but in modern Western societies we follow a looser moral path.

In the case of Coulson, despite warnings to the contrary, the PM was prepared to give him a ‘second chance’. There are many arguments for giving someone a second chance, but it is when we take such risks at such a high level, without due regard for the normal cautionary measures which must be in place to provide the necessary protection, that we open ourselves up to the most dangerous level of seduction. There can surely be no excuse for the failure, in both the Savile and Coulson cases, to carry out the very vetting procedures that were put in place to prevent what has occurred.

Loyalty plays a central part in our lives, and having been seduced, we assume that those to whom we are loyal will be loyal to us. There could not be a clearer example of this than the current focus on Jihadists, and their blind loyalty to a cause, with complete disregard for the consequences. 

As individuals we all have the potential to allow ourselves to be seduced into believing in the most dangerous predators, and persuaded to take decisions that deep down we know with have a negative outcome. How many times do women give their spouses or partners a second chance, willing and wanting to believe that they will not hit or abuse them again, only to regret it later. 

Incidents like the Savile and Coulson cases will only serve to make us all much less gullible and trusting. We will all be the poorer for it, but there can be no other option in the face of such betrayal of the moral values we strive so hard to uphold.