Power

When my daughter was 5 years old, we had a discussion on power while we were heading to school. This was another chapter in a normal exchange between us, where she would ask me deep question about the world and life in general, and I would do my best explaining to her a view that could be as objective as possible. Sometimes my views were more subjective than objective, depending on the subject that we were talking about. On this particular day, it required a holistic approach, or at least the best that I could give. 

The conversation started out with questions related to government. Admittedly, I have slept a few times since then, so I cannot say that I remember the conversation completely. What I do remember was that the conversation took a turn toward what power can do to people. I remember telling my daughter that great old phrase from Uncle Ben: "With great power comes great responsibility." My daughter didn't quite understand it, so I explained it. 

I said, "People sometimes use power to make themselves more important. Sometimes they use it to get a better position." 

She seemed to understand a little better. I continued to say that there are sometimes that power is sought after, and people will do things that are not good in order to get power. It was then that my daughter gave me the best piece of advice that I think I have ever heard a kid say to date. 

"Don't fight for power. Power gets the worst of you." 

 I was reminded of this little nugget of wisdom on my Facebook page not too long ago. It was something that I posted because it was so profound. I thought at the time that it was so very true, it was scary.

So what does it mean?


Consider this...

Merriam-Webster defines power (in this particular context) as "the ability or right to control people or things." This can also mean political control. So, if we think about this first, when can power get the worst of you? When you fight for it of course!

Ok... sorry... I know some of you are now going "Thank you captain obvious." I couldn't help myself.

Let's see if we can add some substance. A good historical example would be Napoleon. As he moved up the ranks in the French military, he became more and more thirsty for the power that he could achieve. As he gained more territory and more power, he fought harder to obtain even more power. Perhaps you remember the story of when he crowned himself emperor of France so that he would basically not have to answer to anyone unless he wanted to. What about his march into Russia? For a great strategist as he was, that was probably one of his biggest blunders. Well, besides the ones that got him exiled. Twice.

Ok, I admit that I gave just a brief overview of his history, but it is a good way to see it. A bright and talented military strategist got more notoriety and more fame and more power as part of his abilities to lead the people of France, and he became a glutton of power.

Maybe you need a visual. Take a look at this video, found on YouTube on TheLotrTV page.

Notice what happens when she imagines what she could do with the One Ring? The great Ring of Power that Frodo was tasked to destroy? If you fight to quench your thirst for more power, you will ultimately succumb to that thirst, and you will drown in it. She decided not to fight for it.

Having power is a burden, kind of like success but not quite. Success is having achieved a goal or task, or maybe a string of tasks, and you becoming more known for your achievements. Power is when you take those achievements and add in control over others. Where success is just you having to deal with the burden of being known for what you achieved, power is a burden of maintaining a level of control over that which is wish to control while trying to obtain more control. As you obtain power, you take on the responsibilities that come with that power. Maybe you're a leader. The power that you receive requires that you maintain a certain level of happiness of the people, or perhaps you have to maintain a level of education that the people want. What about healthcare? Food? When you have power you have to stretch your limits to ensure that you are meeting the demand for you to keep your power. If you don't you are likely to lose the power.

If you lose power, you may do whatever it takes to maintain what you have left. You have to fight in order to keep the amount of power you have. Ok, perhaps you are no stranger to this because you have had to fight exhaustion, poor planning, and others who wanted to siphon the power away from you silently. At the end of the day, you still had to fight. That fight will take its toll on you, and you will eventually make a bad choice that could affect how much power you have on the other side.

So if we look at the saying again, what we can actually say is that over time, power is going to get the you that will be tired and mentally exhausted. You will not be able to make the same level of decisions that you were able to when you had a little bit of power. The things that you have to do as power grows require more and more work, just like raising a child. Soon enough the child outgrows your control, and you are forced to rethink how you are going to keep the child in the rules that you create for them. If you are unable to do this successfully, then power then leaves your control, and you are unable to maintain it anymore, thus losing power altogether as it dwindles like a fame with not enough fuel. In its place will grow power that is nourished by someone else, and can win the favor of all those that you controlled, or can destroy you to the point where you are no longer a threat.

There are many sayings around power. I find this saying and the one that Uncle Ben told Peter Parker the two that best describe what power is and how it works the best. Power can be a useful tool that one can use to organize things in the world to make a better situation. It can also be a drug that people become drunk upon, ultimately destroying not only those who have the power, but also those who were affected by it directly or indirectly. History has many examples of both situations. It is up to the person who has the power to realize a few things:

1. What were they like before they had the power?
2. What are the people around them like when the power is going to be used? 
3. Is the use of power for the benefit of the those that are affected by its use, or will it cause suffering?
4. Are the decisions that are being made to maintain the power oppressive, not only to those that the power is being used on, but also to the mental, emotional, and ethical state of the one who holds the power?

What would you do with power if you were given it? What would you like to have power over?

References:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/power
http://www.biography.com/people/napoleon-9420291