In last Tuesday’s blog, I wrote that having power is a threatening aphrodisiac. The aphrodisiac part is about wanting more and more because we believe that more is better (my blogs). However, in accordance with the ordinal utility or Pareto ranking in micro-economics, each “more” yields less additional (or: marginal) satisfaction and creates more indifference.
The threatening part relates to the quotes by John Dalberg-Acton (1834-1902) in last Friday’s blog. Essentially, having power corrupts our soul. The 1971 Stanford prison experiment is an example. Wiki: “The Stanford prison experiment (SPE) was a social psychology experiment that attempted to investigate the psychological effects of perceived power, focusing on the struggle between prisoners and prison officers.”
I suppose that (having) Power appeals to our Dark Side. One could argue that the Stanford prison experiment points to the (very) same. The balance to Power isn’t found in Knowledge. If anything, Knowledge equals Power. Only Love will provide a balance to Knowledge and to Power. This is the essence of my concept of trialism versus dualism (my blogs).
In order to visualize the above, I have updated the diagram in my 2019 blog The 3 roads to Wisdom.
Corruption first causes a flattening of the triangle (= trialism) into a straight line (= dualism) and then a convergence to a focal point: either Knowledge or Power (= monism).
Temptation (my 2016 blog) seems to be the main driver for this corruption. Temptation always seems linked to our Dark Side. Also see my blogs of 2015 and 2016.
There are several songs about the Power of Love. These songs suggest that Love can also corrupt. However, its lyrics often contradict with the title (eg, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Huey Lewis, Jennifer Rush).
In my view, Love has no (corruptive) power. Love provides a (very) powerful feeling and is the only selfless belief of the 7 Belief systems. As often, semantics are important.
The Power of Love / Love Power (1991) by Luther Vandross (1951-2005)
artist, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2
You’ve got to believe in love
It’s a feeling that’s next to none
Can’t stop until we are one
With the power of love
Tell everyone to try
I promise you’ll reach the sky
One thing that we can’t deny
Is the power of love
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise.
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