| | Is Power the Ultimate Motivation?At first, I was tempted to answer this question with a resounding yes. But that passed in a few microseconds. Why? Because the word ultimate suggests that it is at the very core of everything we do and all other reasons for our actions reduce themselves, in the end, to this one reason - power. I cannot accept that suggestion, because there are too many things that do not reduce themselves to either power in my view.
Love, for example. I do not fall in love so that I can exercise power over my lover, nor does genuine love result from any expectation of economic gain. I do not love my children because I can exercise power over them, and they are more of an economic liability than a gain, at least for the first 20 and some odd years of their lives. Oh, it is true that they or their children or their grandchildren may one day become an influential members of the community, but that is not why I have them. In most cases such influence will not transfer any power or glory to me.
And what about those who are motivated to self-sacrifice. A man on a battlefield will sometimes fall on a grenade and give his life to save the lives of his buddies. He can have no expectation of economic gain or acquisition of any power as a result of his action.
Fear also is a powerful motivator, even more so than power itself. Why, because when it comes to a man’s life, in almost every case, a man will give up power rather than die. His life becomes more important.
Hate, too, is a powerful motivator. A man may be so bent on revenge for some insult or injustice, that he will commit a murder before witnesses, knowing in advance that he will go to prison for life. Someone might argue that such a man is exercising power over his victim, and that is true as far as it goes. But the fact is that such an individual doesn’t care about the power he exercises over his victim. That is not his motivator. He only cares about seeing to it that his victim dies. His motive is revenge.
And let's not forget sex as a motivator. It can be used as a power weapon, but for most people it is either a selfish physical gratification, an expression of love, or a simple desire to please, more than power that drives people to it.
Power is a strong motivator, to be sure. And I suppose there are some people who seek power as it’s own reward. But more frequently, power is sought to achieve some other end, usually economic. Wealth! Greed! The lust to have things! These are the real motivators behind power.
We can argue that economic wealth is used to achieve power. We can also argue that power is used to achieve wealth. Which came first? They clearly work together, each chasing the other in a vicious circle, but my observation suggests that while some individuals are motivated by power alone, most are not, and neither are nations.
Individuals can pursue things for the pleasure of doing so. The world as a whole, however, is motivated by economics. If there isn't a dollar in it, it's not worth pursuing. People and Nations won't fight a war or explore new trade routes, etc., unless there is an economic advantage to doing so, because power without eonomic advantage has no value, unless survival itself is at stake. We don't empty our coffers; we seek to fill them.
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| | Posted 6/14/2006 12:00 AM - 15 comments
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