(no subject)
My Mommy (I think) posted this comment to one of my LJ entrys and I really liked it, so here it is:
Do you think that maybe love is the opposite of "power-for-power's-sake"? Maybe the power of love is not what people think it is from song lyrics, but actually more a loving force to be reckoned with -- a strong power to make things better for the greater good?
The greater good does not rule out the benefits derived by the person acting from a loving position at all. Their personal benefit is part of the greater good. It just recognizes that there is abundance in the universe, and that everyone can enjoy the greatest good as much as their free will allows them to. This is a power of love and abundance. This is the "win-win" situation where everybody is made a little happier. Increases the love quotient.
Power-for-power's-sake is not just about the selfish benefit of the person acting from a power position, but it actually involves the willful knowledge/concept that "stuff" will be taken from others, leaving others with less (less anything -- it doesn't matter). This is a power of fear and lack. This would be more like an adversarial system, or a game where only one can win. Increases the fear quotient. (But has a lot more "game-play", with the adrenaline rush and all. That's why I think people choose it!)
I vote for everybody -- and I mean everybody -- to go out and act from a feeling of wanting *first*: the best for yourself, and *second*: the best for everybody else. The "game-play" for this scenario has to be one of self-competition; to see just how much of what you want that you can actually get. Instead of a quick adrenaline rush, you get a current of pleasure.
Do you think that maybe love is the opposite of "power-for-power's-sake"? Maybe the power of love is not what people think it is from song lyrics, but actually more a loving force to be reckoned with -- a strong power to make things better for the greater good?
The greater good does not rule out the benefits derived by the person acting from a loving position at all. Their personal benefit is part of the greater good. It just recognizes that there is abundance in the universe, and that everyone can enjoy the greatest good as much as their free will allows them to. This is a power of love and abundance. This is the "win-win" situation where everybody is made a little happier. Increases the love quotient.
Power-for-power's-sake is not just about the selfish benefit of the person acting from a power position, but it actually involves the willful knowledge/concept that "stuff" will be taken from others, leaving others with less (less anything -- it doesn't matter). This is a power of fear and lack. This would be more like an adversarial system, or a game where only one can win. Increases the fear quotient. (But has a lot more "game-play", with the adrenaline rush and all. That's why I think people choose it!)
I vote for everybody -- and I mean everybody -- to go out and act from a feeling of wanting *first*: the best for yourself, and *second*: the best for everybody else. The "game-play" for this scenario has to be one of self-competition; to see just how much of what you want that you can actually get. Instead of a quick adrenaline rush, you get a current of pleasure.