Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Why? Power=Money=Power. The evidence is overwhelming.
Think politics. Politicians make me sick. Federal, state or local, it doesn’t matter. They all want power. Think politics on any level. Your career, your job. Local police, highway patrol. Think a lawyer or a team of lawyers sitting around a conference table devising a way to crush some individual person they perceive as a threat to a multi-billion dollar corporation. The corporation pays and therefore owns them, money/power. They have power and money. They will win.
We must speak truth to power. Now, think about Tiananmen Square… Think of the famous photo. The single, lowly person who stood in front of the tank at Tiananmen Square on that day, June 5th in 1989. I saw it on TV the day it happened. I’ll never forget the image. The ultimate challenge to power. That was courage. The only weapon that person had against power was – truth. Truth is kryptonite to power. If power comes from a place of truth, it has nothing to fear. From a place of corruption however, it becomes a snowball in hell. It launches with power. Melts with truth.
Most people in positions of power are completely drunk on power. Damn little in the world is about money initially. Money is secondary. The byproduct. A derivative of power. People think they want money? Most want power.
What does money ultimately give you? It gives you power to do as you please. Money is fine. You and I can do a lot of good and good things with money. On the face, the power/money/power dynamic is fine. There are many people with power and money that do good works in the world. Power is fine as long as you mind your own fucking business. Who am I to tell you what to do with your life. Fuck you – do as you please. As long as you don’t try to export your shit storm of power over me and into my life.
Pick your battles. A good run is better than a bad stand anytime. I’ve been there. Ask George Armstrong Custer, he was there too. Live to fight another day. Don’t pick fights you can’t win. Better yet, don’t pick fights at all. Avoid them.
But stand. Stand when you must. Stand when you have to. Be honest. Be patient. Wait. When you have truth on your side – you – have power.