Moronic thirst for POWER

You read about the “Power 100” list or “Most powerful 40 under 40s” and numerous other power lists. Humankind is obsessed with power…

Power should come with responsibilities and the need to wield power responsibly. But we find ourselves in a reckless era, where people fail to see the end-point. You see many leaders ending up at The Hague or other International Criminal Courts or in their local prisons. Yet, none appear capable of learning. If we are such temporary creatures, clinging to power is never indefinite: you either succumb to age or the next upcoming power-hungry underling

Nothing wrong with wanting to rise to the top. But what happens when you get to the top? It will be temporary. Aspiring to be the best we can be, is a lot better. If you’re a doctor, be the best doctor, engineer, be the very best engineer…..

The folks who create those power lists believe that is the distinction that many crave. But what is power?

Having control over others (be it hiring and firing or just having authority to impact others significantly) is always temporary as we are all here for a temporary period of time. Even those who live to the ripe old age of 100+ years like Kirk Douglas, begin to lose control or have to cede some control from a certain age. Ultimately, we are as powerless as the next human being, when we are on our death-bed. It doesn’t matter at that point in time how powerful we used to be or how many lives we impacted or how many people we hired or fired. Rising to the top should only ever be about being the best we can each be at whatever we do and that should never include a moronic thirst for power or authority, as it is never indefinite

The world can easily create a new world order of tolerance for all, climate and social responsibility, indifference to differences (sex, religion, race, affluence etc.) and collective responsibility – where we make every location on earth conducive for those living there. Anything else is moronic. We’re all only here temporarily…..