Remember when Bill Clinton got caught lying about sex? In the wake of that, a whole bunch of stories appeared in the mainstream media explaining that, according to experts, lying is actually good — especially if it’s about sex.
The folks at the Associated Press apparently remembered how well that spin worked, and decided to try it again. In the wake of Clinton’s incredible display of petulance and temper — a display bordering on physical assault — on Fox News Sunday, the AP’s Jocelyn Noveck sought out an expert to explain that public anger is good, too:
… Can public anger — in politics, business and elsewhere — be a good thing? Is a little tantrum now and then just what’s called for?
Under the right circumstances, yes, say some analysts of social behavior.
"It’s more important than ever to cut through the clutter," says Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean at Yale’s School of Management. "All of us are so overmanaged these days. Public figures have platoons of protectors. It’s more important than ever to show authentic, real emotion."
Showing emotion has never been a problem for Bill Clinton. The man is completely ruled by his emotions. His reality is defined by his feelings.
As for the rest of us, I guess we’re supposed to stop condemning road rage and lack of self-control in general, and accept these things as healthy and positive. So, once again, Bill Clinton helps to define deviancy down.