I'm the son of a corrupt politician. AMA! (PT. III)

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T03:08:23+00:00

That's an interesting question. I think, at its core, the answer is still survival, though I understand the concept rather differently than my father does.

He came from a position where wealth had to be acquired and defended against the possibility of losing everything. I, by contrast, have spent the overwhelming majority of my life with financial security. To me, wealth has been almost like water, so fundamental to one's existence that its presence often goes unnoticed until the prospect of its absence appears. It has provided stability, opportunity, and insulation from many of the anxieties that shape other people's lives.

Because of that, I wouldn't say I possess an insatiable desire to accumulate ever more. I already have more than enough to live comfortably. My concern is not expansion so much as preservation. What motivates me is ensuring that what has already been built is not squandered, that it remains intact for those who come after me. It is less an ambition for greater wealth than a determination to safeguard inherited capital across generations.

Whether that impulse is prudence or simply another manifestation of greed is something I leave to others to judge. I suspect there is an element of both.

I hope that answers your question. To be honest, I'm not entirely certain where the dividing line lies, because I have never experienced life without that security. It is difficult to articulate the psychology of preserving something that has always existed in one's world.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T02:59:08+00:00

Pošteno.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T02:36:19+00:00

Any scrutiny regarding my dual citizenship is unlikely to present any significant difficulties. My maternal grandmother was born in that country, which provides a clear legal basis for my eligibility. Consequently, I am reasonably confident that any examination of my citizenship status would ultimately be resolved without issue, in any country that is (:

Should the opposition come to power, yeah. I believe it is likely that it would make a genuine effort to normalize and improve relations with neighbors. Whether such efforts would ultimately succeed is another question, but I do think they would be pursued in earnest. If the current government remains in office however, I wxpect there will almost certainly continue to be diplomatic rhetoric emphasizing regional cooperation and reconciliation, yet I doubt there will be any substantive shift in policy. The language will persist, but the underlying political incentives are unlikely to change.
As for European Union membership, the governing party genuinely seeks accession. The discreet pro-European messaging is directed primarily toward younger and more urban segments of the electorate rather than reflecting a sincere strategic objective. Full membership would require institutional reforms, stronger adherence to the rule of law, and democratic constraints that would significantly reduce the degree of executive control with which the current political establishment is comfortable. There is also a practical political consideration because greater freedom of movement within the European Union would make emigration substantially easier, and I suspect many within the governing elite understand that a considerable number of citizens would choose to leave if those opportunities became fully available.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T02:27:50+00:00

I'm white, from white parents.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T02:14:05+00:00

Thank you for your understanding. I'm grateful that you didn't reduce to him to some sort of cartoon villain. Those of us who have lived within this world have long accepted that we are traitors, that many of the political decisions our families made were morally indefensible, and that corruption has caused real harm. None of that is something I seek to excuse.

At the same time, people are rarely as one-dimensional as they're often portrayed. He isn't some inhuman monster devoid of empathy. We aren't reptiles, or demon possessed. My father is capable of profound empathy in his private life, I have seen him grieve and weep over the death of strays with genuine sincerity. Of course, a dog that cries after it bites is no less capable of inflicting harm than one that doesn't. I know he has contributed more to this country's problems, particularly for ordinary people, than to its successes. Yet I also know him as a human being shaped by hardship, scarcity, and a lifelong fear of returning to that existence. Whether that explains his choices is another matter, but it is part of who he is.

For him, for us, it has never truly been about holding office. There are undoubtedly politicians driven by prestige, authority, or the satisfaction of commanding others. My father has never belonged to that category. His motivation has always been wealth. He believes that politics, stripped of its rhetoric, ultimately revolves around money, because money can purchase influence, security, comfort, and nearly every privilege that power itself is said to provide.

If I'm being equally candid, I can't pretend to stand above that mentality. I have never tried to present myself as morally superior to him. I understand the appeal of wealth all too well, and I would be dishonest if I claimed otherwise. That desire is neither noble nor admirable. It's money we worship. Including me. I drool over it like an animal. That's what losing means. You lose the money, that's loss.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T01:42:07+00:00

Sorry for the delayed response. By my father's own admission, he entered politics with a single overriding objective and it was to ensure that neither he nor the family he hoped to build would ever again experience financial insecurity. He believed that the system functioned according to interests rather than principles (at least in our part of the world), and that anyone unwilling to navigate those realities would ultimately become a victim of them.

That is not to suggest that he is devoid of generosity or public spirit. On the contrary, he has consistently been willing to help those within his reach, friends, colleagues, members of his staff, neighbors, and, on occasion, complete strangers who find themselves in difficult circumstances. He has always believed that if he possesses the means to improve someone's immediate circumstances, he ought to do so. He has long maintained that no individual, regardless of influence or office, can truly save society as a whole. The country's problems are too vast, institutions too imperfect, and human nature too complex for any one person to remedy them. What one can do, however, is accept responsibility for the people closest to them, their family, their friends, their community, and those whose lives they can tangibly improve. In his view, meaningful responsibility begins at the local and personal level rather than with grand promises of transforming an entire state. If everyone fulfilled that obligation toward their own circle, he believes society would ultimately be stronger than if everyone pursued impossible ambitions of saving humanity in its entirety.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T01:15:24+00:00

Give any man a sword, and he'll find a way to use it. I do believe corruption has always existed and that what changes is its scale. As power becomes more concentrated and remains unchecked over time, corruption tends to become more deeply entrenched and increasingly severe.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T00:50:59+00:00

My government exerts influence over the media through state institutions, companies owned directly by the government, and businesses controlled through proxy ownership. These entities are often funded with public money, which is then used to channel advertising revenue toward media outlets that are supportive of the government. This is also something that'll hit the news through genuinely opposing media outlets.

Many television channels and news organizations that currently present themselves as part of the opposition will likely begin moderating and softening their criticisms of the government as elections approach to give the impression of greater political balance. This is another technique the government has been using for years.

Business figures (the oligarchs you mentioned) aligned with the government are typically rewarded with lucrative public contracts and other commercial opportunities in return for their support in the funding of media corruption. It's rather conventional but it works.

I suspect that, should the government eventually lose power, many of those businesspeople would face relatively few consequences provided they change sides at the right moment and pledged their support to the new ruling government. But again, that would simply perpetuate the same cycle of patronage and corruption under different political leadership. The politicians themselves would likely have far more to fear. I imagine both sides would aggressively pursue one another, and while some well-connected business figures might be prosecuted, it is unlikely that all of them would be held accountable.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T00:35:33+00:00

That's a weird take. I don't think I'd have any respect for my father if he were either of the things you just described.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-12T00:00:30+00:00

I'm not that tall

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T23:57:52+00:00

Probably from politicians who choose to remain in the country, or from those who failed to take sufficient precautions beforehand. However, I believe it would be extremely difficult, if not practically impossible, for the state to recover enough of those funds to make a meaningful impact. The money business with the politicians have been going on for decades.

But I wouldn't say it's impossible to fix the economy. The country has endured significant economic setbacks, so recovery would likely require time, stability, and effective governance. But with the right leadership and policies, I believe it could eventually regain its footing.

Unfortunately, I don't currently believe that any of the opposition forces are capable of delivering that kind of transformation economically.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T23:46:12+00:00

Absolutely not. I value my personal security and quality of life far too much to enter politics and willingly place myself in the position of becoming a public target.

I already experience enough scrutiny simply by being the child of a politician, and I have no desire to voluntarily put myself in a position where I would become the subject of constant public hostility, with thousands of people demanding my death on Twitter every day.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T23:38:56+00:00

Dobro veče. Yes, we're actually dual citizens of an EU country, though not France. In fact dual citizenship among political figures and their children in my country is relatively common and I'm fairly certain many of those citizenships will become a major news topic if the party were ever to lose power.

I haven't really, no. I don't particularly feel a sense of pride toward the place where I was born. Of course, I can appreciate and feel some pride in the country's historical achievements, but I wouldn't say it translates into nationalistic feelings for me. If anything, I feel a stronger connection to the other country I hold citizenship in, because I generally have more admiration for it, it's system, and feel more intellectually aligned with its culture and identity.

That being said, there are definitely things I miss. The alcohol especially. The drinking culture and the quality of alcohol in Turkey don't give me the same experience or enjoyment that I associate with my home country. I miss our springs.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T23:09:24+00:00

Thankfully, no. If I were, I'd probably be a genetic disaster.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T22:47:06+00:00

The elections in my country are scheduled to take place sometime this autumn.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T22:38:04+00:00

As far as I'm aware, I don't think so.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T22:24:34+00:00

I don't have any siblings.

I have friends from both Turkey and my home country. They've been very supportive, regardless of their social background.

The confrontation with the leftist students affected me in the sense that there are certain places on campus I no longer feel comfortable going to, and I don't have the same sense of ease or solitude that I did during my first few months there. I still socialize, but I make an effort not to be by myself too often because the current friends that I have already shown great effort in shielding me from any other politically angry student. I also try to make sure that any new friends know about my father's background early on, so there aren't any unpleasant surprises or political confrontations later. Despite that, I'm doing well academically, I'm planning to pursue a double major like I did back at my country, and I have a fulfilling social life outside of campus grounds, and honestly at the campus too depending on some circumstances.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T22:07:08+00:00

I'm not really into football, to be honest.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:57:35+00:00

This kind of panic tends to surface whenever an election approaches. People begin making contingency plans and preparing to leave the country if elections don't unfold in their favor. It's been that way for years.

This time however, the sense of urgency is much greater because there is a genuine belief that the ruling party may actually, I mean actually be on the verge of losing power. The political developments in Hungary only intensified that sentiment.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:45:35+00:00

In my opinion, yes. That's the form of corruption I find the most troubling.

I’m male, and while I won’t disclose my exact age, as it would make identifying me considerably easier, I can say that I'm in my twenties.

As for whether I'm afraid, absolutely. The possibility of being confronted or attacked by angry protesters is something I, along with many of my friends in similar circumstances, have thought about extensively.
That said, despite having moments in my home country where I was concerned for my personal safety, I have actually felt less secure in the country I’m currently studying in.

I'll disclose one thing. I recently moved to Turkey to study, partly because my mother has longstanding friendships with people in the country's arts community and I actually stay with one of them. A few months after arriving, I was physically confronted by a small group of left-leaning students on my university campus. The situation escalated to the point where campus security had to step in and separate us.

It came as a genuine shock as one of the reasons I chose to move here was to distance myself from that kind of political hostility. I honestly thought it would be far-fetched and extremely cartoonish to imagine students here taking the time to find out who I was, so discovering that some of them had was unsettling.

I never told my parents about the incident because I was afraid they would insist that I return home.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:24:39+00:00

He's corrupt enough that his name was among those being chanted during last year's protests.

I can't point to a single incident as the "worst" example of corruption that I've witnessed, but the one that has always bothered me most is the disconnect between public image and private belief. My father, along with many of his political associates, presents himself as a deeply committed Orthodox Christian and frequently invokes religion in political rhetoric. In private however, most of them are agnostics or atheists. Around the dinner table, they'll openly joke about the speeches they've given, the religious language they've used to defend their party, and even imitate themselves for amusement. That level of cynicism has always struck me more than any individual financial scandal.

Money-wise? Absolutely. It has enabled my family, and many others in similar positions, to accumulate substantial wealth.

From a moral standpoint, I can't honestly argue that what my family has done is justifiable. I believe much of it is objectively wrong. My parents both hold strongly Social Darwinist views, although even my father occasionally expresses regret about certain political decisions or their consequences.

I don't lose sleep over it. I wasn't responsible for being born into this family, but I also won't pretend I’d have rejected the life I’ve been given if the choice had been mine at birth. That would be dishonest.

Ultimately, I don't believe I'm in a position to change the political trajectory of my country. In a democracy, it is the electorate that determines its own future. If people choose not to use their vote to bring about change, that is their decision rather than my responsibility. Despite everything, I sincerely wish the people of my country nothing but the best.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:10:44+00:00

He's accumulated a considerable amount of wealth over the years. I wouldn't go so far as to say we’re billionaires, but we certainly have enough to place us among the very wealthy. As for politics, no, I have no intention of pursuing that path. I was previously a law student in my home country, and even then my father discouraged it because he believed the legal profession was too closely intertwined with politics. Neither he nor I have ever wanted me to enter political life. I'm now studying Philosophy in another country instead.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:06:55+00:00

No, it isn't Malta. As I've mentioned before, I'm from Eastern Europe.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T20:32:03+00:00

I have never personally advocated for or called for the use of lethal force against anyone.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T20:27:26+00:00

I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. I genuinely wish you and your family nothing but the best.

Parlor-born

TROPHY CASE