My thoughts on power
Power. It can be held and displayed in many different ways. A parent has “power” over their children. A boss has “power” over their subordinates at work. A world leader has “power” over the country they serve and, in other leaders within their sphere of influence.
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" – Lord Action. I have heard the later part of this quote many times, but not the quote in its entirety until I looked it up today. I do think power tends to corrupt, However, it is hard to say if absolute power corrupts absolutely, because I don’t think anyone can have absolute power in today’s day and age. Not on a world scale. Not with the systems put in place. This is not to say, of course, that people cannot have too much power. It is also not to say people are not often put in positions to abuse their power, because they definitely are.
There is another idea out there. The idea that power doesn’t change people; it reveals them. It is like putting a magnifying glass on their flaws, strengths, and true goals. Did they seek a position of power to serve themselves first? To put themselves before the cause? Or are they a virtuous leader, prioritizing what is good for all? You see, I am more inclined to believe in this way of thinking. We can’t all be bad, right?
What determines if a leader will become corrupt, or if they will adopt the mentality of “what is good for the swarm is good for the bee” -Marcus Aurelious. Is a bad leader born a bad leader? Are they doomed from the start? Doomed to a dark pit of greed, with no way to crawl their way out of it? No, I don’t think so. I DO, however, think it is much more difficult to work on one’s character when they are already in a position of power.
So, what should we do? We must work on our character before being thrust into a position of power. The framework of being a virtuous person must already exist before power comes. Look inwards, work on yourself, become the best version of yourself you can be. I don’t think it is impossible for people to change. I DO think it is impossible for them to change by accident. If someone is not intentionally changing their ways, the change will not just happen. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks, it is just much more difficult.
It is impossible to always know when power will reach us in our lives, or on what scale that power will exist. Power could be having a positive influence on that gas station clerk we see each day, on our friends and families, or on our coworkers in a time of stress. If people get stressed or scared, and they look to you for guidance, you are now in a position of power, because what you do has a great impact on what they will do or feel. The time will come eventually, so be ready when it does.