BS: Power

Subject: BS: Power
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 May 07 - 04:42 PM

What is power? Do you have any? Do you act like you do? Are you comfortable with the concept of being a powerful person?

Why? Because it came up tangentially in an old thread I happened to see today, and I was wondering what y'all think when you hear that word, when you think about applying it to yourself, when you think about applying it to other people.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 May 07 - 04:47 PM

I don't think of myself as having power, except occasionally over myself (*g*) but in the sense that any one of us has influence over any one else we all have it, I guess.

I would imagine that what the concept of power means to us varies greatly, dependent on one's age, lifestyle and circumstance.

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Kim C
Date: 02 May 07 - 04:48 PM

It depends on the situation and the dynamics involved.

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:02 PM

Sure... say more.

What kinds of power are there?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: alanabit
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:09 PM

An observation, which I often make, is that people who wish for power over others often have too little power over themselves. I think one of the signs of maturity is that a person no longer desires the wrong sort of power. It would appear that we do not all get there!

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Kim C
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:10 PM

At work, my power is limited; for instance, I don't have the authorization to make certain decisions.

The stage and my kitchen are two domains where I am pretty much all-powerful, because the decisions are mine. Now, on stage, I do share the power with Mister, because he's my partner. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Bill D
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:13 PM

I have very little economic power or physical power.

I have a lot of emotional power in some areas with friends & family, so I need to exercise restraint.

I have a decent amount of respect in some quarters, which gets me some power to be listened to...so I need to be careful what I say...and how I say it.

any of that what you mean?
(hi, Susan)

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: AWG
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:17 PM

money = power, also the ability to influence people = power. There is also solar power, wind power, hydro electric power, and the power of love, and of course physical power, to name a few. Your position on the social, or corporate ladder may afford you some power, or your position in government or the financial markets may also give you some power. Some people say former Fed.Chairman Alan Greenspan was the most powerful man on earth (given his ability to move financial markets with just a few words). I always though Steve Austin was a pretty powerful man, even though Oscar Goldman was the guy with all the pull.

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:35 PM

(hi Bill)

Bill,

YES.

Keep 'em coming, folks.


Random thoughts (I'm rushing around today)--

In my experience, many distress experiences, especially those we endure as children, come with a recording built-in (whether it is clearly made a reality or hidden inside other confusions) that we have no power. When we are hurt, especially as children, it's communicated somehow that the adult has the power, the child has none. We learn that being hurt always involves powerlessness.

So, many restimulations of old distressing experiences carry that internal recording as well, even later in life when we do actually have some sort of power that we lacked as children. But we don't know it unless we LOOK at it.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 May 07 - 09:00 PM

As the book* says, "Power corrupts; absolute power is kinda neat."

At work I have, within the limits set by law, the power to hire, fire, buy, sell, direct, dictate, coach, pursuade, manage, sign checks, spend taxpayers' money, and so forth. And I am (besides to the prosecutors) answerable only to the Board of Trustees. The city has no say in how we spend the money as long as we don't exceed our budget.

Is this power? Yes.

How do I use it? Very very carefully and judiciously, if at all. And my staff knows that they can disagree with me and that I will change my mind if a good case is made.







*Furry Logic, which I highly recommend.

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 May 07 - 09:02 PM

Oh, yeah.

The staff gets the credit. After all, they do the work. I just sit in my office and post on Mudcat.

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 May 07 - 09:21 PM

The only true thing I feel I have power over is myself, but I always act like I have The Power....not (I hope) authoritarian, but perhaps,....not sure what word I want here. For instance:

You know my Mr is broke. He has/had student drivers who were scheduled for driving practice that needed to be cancelled. I had them all called but one and her line was busy, busy, busy, busy.....I did NOT plan to keep trying for hours til she decided to hang up, so.....

I called the Operator. Asked if she was still allowed to confirm and break into conversation on the line. She asked why, what number and whose it was. I told her. She said, hold please. She came back and said, that person is hanging up now so you may contact her.

Now, is that Power, networking, resoursefulness, or what?

I always say, I am nothing if not resourseful. I also call myself the Dragon Lady. You want to talk to HIM at 3 AM??? Or even at 10 AM if he has just hit the bed with no sleep for 2 days. You have to go through the Dragon Lady. Protection? Sure, but he does the same for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Dickey
Date: 02 May 07 - 09:49 PM

Got Pumpkin Power?

http://www.familyeducation.com/quiz/0,1399,1-3060,00.html

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: dianavan
Date: 03 May 07 - 03:25 AM

Rapaire -

I think what you are saying is that you have the authority to...

...but is power and authority the same thing?

I'm glad you started this thread, Susan, because I was thinking about arguments, disagreements, etc. between two people and decided that anger was the result of not getting your own way. If so, does that mean that when you get your own way, you have power?

I hope its not that simple because otherwise it would seem that the people with the most power are bullies or immature little babies. Then again, if you refuse to enter into a conflict, does that mean you are preserving your personal power?

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: GUEST,Forsythia Queen
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:21 AM

"I was thinking about arguments, disagreements, etc. between two people and decided that anger was the result of not getting your own way." Interesting and timely comment, so simple but exactly right.

Queenie

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:08 AM

Well, I can't have anyone summarily executed or imprisoned....

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Amos
Date: 03 May 07 - 10:08 AM

..but I am sure you have worked out compensatory schemes for that, amigo...

A

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: GUEST,Keinstein
Date: 03 May 07 - 10:23 AM

Power = force x distance moved / time taken = force x speed.

Power = volts x amps = volts squared / resistance = current squared x resistance.

Power is the rate of doing work, or conversely work is the rate of power being undone.

All power corrupts. Horsepower corrupts horses.

Subject: RE: BS: Power
From: Amos
Date: 03 May 07 - 10:26 AM

:D


A