Power. The idea that one person, or small group of people, can have control over the rights and position of another, without regard to their welfare.
We see it all around us. The designs of a single person, entity, or financier can turn the tables on the average person without thought.
The larger and bigger a company is, the more they try to exert their own opinions and agendas on the smaller entities. They hire people to sway the government – and the populace – to support them in whatever it is that is central to their business model, regardless of the impact on those who live in the area around them. They encourage their employees to reflect their corporate desires at the voting box
In the political sphere, we watch as a world leader demands certain actions by governments that are not their own. The overreach is incredible as these leaders enact media campaigns to sway their own agenda, deeming it “beneficial to their country and to the world at large”. Sometimes it is touted in the name of economic prosperity, for global peace, or even for the sake of the planet we live on.
None of these entities put the individual person, affected by these actions, as important enough to matter. It is for the bigger cause, the greater agenda that these powerful people are concerned.
In the end, those who have no say in the governance of such things end up suffering at the hand of those who seek to control.
The point is this…
When one person perceives their position as having more authority over others than they are allowed, there are consequences on the impact the people who don’t get a say in the matter. The decisions affect them. But no one seems to either notice or care. They are the casualties of wars – be it economic, spiritual, or physical – fought between leaders who have only given lip service to those they affect.
We are the root of change.
To change the tide on all of this, it behoves us, as among those individuals affected, to radically change ourselves and how we, individually, treat each other. Only those in the line of fire can uphold and support those who are victims caught in this power play.
It will not change from the top down. Every demise of political control has occurred from the grass roots.
And that change begins with us.
What do we do?
We learn to prioritize the most important things our lives. We must fix ourselves before we can fix the perceptions inherent in those around us. Then we can reach out to those around us and help them.
It begins with relationships. Our neighbors. Our families. Our friends. Our neighborhoods. It doesn’t matter if we like the person, but just recognizing them as fellow human beings is a start.
Then we create the atmosphere and encouragement to open that same opportunity of unity within our community and society at large.
We are the root of change. Not government. Not corporations. Not financiers. It begins within each of us.
Historical references…
There are many references showing similarities pf power plays through the eyes of history. For the sake of simplicity, three will be discussed here.
Roman Empire…
During the times of the Roman Empire around the year of 285, Emperor Diocletian knew that he had not enough resources or control over the regions far from his capital in Rome, and created a co-governance with Constantine in the East. It was a successful campaign, the east being ruled for 1100 more years while the western half eventually collapsed with the influence of the Franks.
Never having a say in the war, the Roman citizens had to endure the consequences.
Christianity…
There once existed 5 leaders, or Patriarchs of the early Christian religion. The first three, Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria, were established by Peter and Paul. later on adding Jerusalem and Constantinople apostolic sees, or juridical areas of governance.
Because of the influence of the Franks as well as the great distance between the Eastern Patriarchates and the Roman Western Patriarchate, there arose differences in views on governing the Christian communities. What was once united through Ecumenical Councils became a vying for complete control by the Western Patriarch around the year 900 A.D. Eventually, the outcome became a split between East and West, resulting in two vastly different ways of administration from the leaders to those who were under them.
Eventually this desire for global influence took hold in the West and has attempted to rule over both East and West, demanding obedience to a ruler who had no authority over any but their own territory.
Western Politics…
Similarly, we see this going on in the political sphere. A global superpower begins to assert influence over nations beyond its direct control. This includes the removal of legitimately elected leaders in favor of those more aligned with the regime, as well as efforts to influence agreements and outcomes related to internationally impacted conflicts.
A global superpower begins to assert influence over nations beyond its direct control…
Over the past 10 or more years, there has been a series of demands on eastern and oriental nations to declare deference to the will of an unnamed western leader. Ignoring the original cause of disagreements, the leader demanded compliance or reap punitive punishment. Influence on the minds of the leader’s populace used media blitz campaigns and compliant voices to declare the righteousness of their intention. And the people in their own nation, having listened to these resources, rallied behind him. And he took that as agreement and support of his decisions.
The point is…
None of these are a “left versus right” issue. Rather it is a discrete example of the desire to control those beyond their jurisdiction to comply to the will of another.
But is it justified?
It’s time for us to rethink where we stand. Everything going on outside of us starts with us.
In the overall picture, it is not justified. But it is the consequence of our broken human nature. The relentless lust for power never seems to diminish, be it in personal relationships, corporate management, or global politics.
It’s time for us to rethink where we stand. Everything going on outside of us starts with us. If we get a handle on ourselves—our anger, hatred, biases, how we see things—we can start to make a difference in the world around us.
And it all starts with each of us. When we change ourselves, we can then influence our families, neighborhoods, and even larger communities—things way beyond what we can control on our own.
Be the change you wish to see. And we’d love to hear how you’re making a positive impact on others’ lives. Your example can help all of us see the world through a different lens, and maybe even find new ways to work together towards a better shared future.