Does power corrupt?

It is Christmas season now which means, Work Christmas Parties, which in Finland translates as: Drink as much free alcohol as possible, no matter how bad one feels. I have been to quite a few over the years and it never ceases to amaze me how much some people can drink without any regard to their behaviour.

There are many types of drinkers, when I drink for example, I get louder and laugh a bit more which means, essentially nothing changes otherwise. But there are the loud ones who become quiet, the quiet who become loud, the angry who become friendly, the friendly who become tyrants and the timid who become bold.

In my experience, once the alcohol starts to build in the system and tear down inhibitions, the filters are removed, the ability to control taken away and words and behaviours slip out before they can be caught at the gates. I think that more of the real person can be seen.

This is the reason why I don't think power corrupts. To me, the 'corruption' was present well before the power but as the power builds like alcohol in the system, it tears down the barriers and lets the saint or sinner out. The reason people thinks it does corrupt however is so many of the powerful wind up being corrupt and use their power in nefarious ways.

By my reasoning, why there is so much corruption in the power circles is it was the dormant corrupt who were seeking power and once in hand, they let it shine. I see this at many levels, whether it be in politics, a workplace, apartment body corporate or a clique of teenagers. Once a person with a predilection for corruption gets a taste, they take the ball and run with it. It isn't that power corrupts as much as the power hungry are corrupt to begin with.

I have seen this manifest in many different ways at Steemit as people looking to build community early on start to behave more like dictator the more support they get, Steemit marketers who become shameless self-promoters and attention seekers, big earners shitposting when they realise a wayward whale bot is following them, and vote sellers participating in all kinds of poor behaviours.

I don't think that these are crimes of opportunity, I think they were always present in the people yet, until they became large and obvious enough, the signs were ignored.

I have seen these people fall also as their auto-supporters were removed, they were called out, they were flagged or they were not receiving the attention they had become accustomed to. Often, they get more and more desperate to claw back their position of power and respect and will do all it takes, damage indiscriminately and hurt anyone who gets in their way to regain power lost, power they feel entitled to.

There are others with power however that are not like this at all, they are calm, even-handed and spend as much time listening as they do speaking. They are thoughtful and controlled and are willing to share disseminate power to those more capable than themselves in a particular area or, bring people into power positions even if they are not looking for it.

In my personal experiences, it is those who were not looking for power but found it who are most likely to be these types. Often, they have the view that their position is based on luck of circumstances and right place, at the right time, with the right resources, rather than a bending of situation to their will.

It is these people who are often very good at identifying the more toxic of the power hungry as they have seen so many try to get into their good graces to climb the ladder and had many attempt to chip away at the foundation in an attempt to cut them down to size.

I think that the hunger for power is as old as time itself as the survival of the fittest often supports it but, I think it is escalating. Society today encourages us to fight for our individual rights and the benefits on social platforms and in the workplace for those that are willing to trample others are high. They encourage competition, reward the victorious asymmetrically and continually inspire new contenders for the throne.

I don't think this is going to end anytime soon as corruption is inherent in the system and perhaps it is by design. For a social species, corruption raises community questions, brings to the fore behaviours we must face and deal with that almost all get overcome in time. It isn't always easy and can cost many greatly but, in the long-run as a species, here we are, still advancing.

Perhaps one day, will advance enough that we do not need the corrupt authorities as we will be smart enough to be better than harmfully self-serving. That is a long way off I figure unless something drastic happens. We shall see. For me at least, with any kind of power, I am much like I am when I drink, just a touch louder than normal. How about you?

Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]