on power
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. ~ Abraham Lincoln Thanks to some stimulating conversation on Speculative Non-Buddhism , I have been thinking a lot about the subject of power. It seems to me there are three main takes on it. There are those who view power as intrinsically naughty, as a destructive drive or appetite that, like Nietzsche’s “will to power”, becomes blind and dangerous ambition when left to its own devices. On this view, power is apt to lead to the ruthless domination and subjugation of others unless it is curbed by an equal and opposing benevolent force like altruism or the “will to love” as in When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace (Jimi Hendrix). There are those who, on the contrary, view power as a rather “good” thing but something that, like a natural resource, should be equally apportioned to prevent it becoming concentrated in the...