Does power really corrupt?

[Yunru]

Try to keep religion out of this topic please .

Skip to 3.54 to get to the point.


Would it be realy posible to create a humanity with no corruption, greed and war and create a utopia in process?

And this is if you had a hand in it. If you were the creator of a simulated universe (like matrix for example), what rules would you set to the people (or humanioid creatures) who live in your simulated universe. Would you intervene if they started to fight? Would you make miracles? Or would you ignore your siblings? (like Black & White game)

So in other words. If you had a power (and touch), would you use it for good or evil?
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/...92/437/974.jpg

[Deleted]

I don't think I would be corruptible. If I had such power, I would be above personal harassment which is the only thing that would motivate me to abuse my power and remove the ones(s) getting on my nerves. Otherwise I'm pretty much neutral and wouldn't get involved in most cases. I would probably answer a few prayers though if they're selfless like healing people or making sure they get out of danger safely.

So no rules, do whatever you please. Free will and all that. If I felt like making miracles, it would be something just for display.. like turning the snow yellow or put my face on the moon.

[Daethz]

Good and bad is just a way of thinking.
I would inhibit many of Americas Founding fathers beliefs.
It is impossible to create a greedless, warless society.
To have no wars, you must rule with a iron hand, you must disarm the populations and rule with force, otherwise eventually a group of people will find issue with your rule and want a new rule that more closely relates with them, you cannot relate with everyone.
Humans are greedy, it is our nature, just like seeking food when your hungry, it is natural.

[Deleted]

Power doesn't corrupt, it gives people the means to manipulate and abuse in ways that they always had a tendency to do, they just never had the capability to do it. It's difficult to say how many people are innately abusive but it is an exceedingly common trait.

[Conspicuous Cultist]

Well what you may find as a utopia may be the other person's dystopia and would give people an urge to screw things up. If I had the power? I'd probably just let the status quo continue and let the silly mortals pit it out on their own.

Probably would just screw with some people though like get them abducted by unicorn aliens when no one is around and then drop them off a few minutes later after they get a good look at them.

Oh and I would get rid of all autism from all people on tumblr secretly - the ones that had them anyway.

In otherwords, I'd be the most useless person to be given "the power".

[Deleted]

In my virtuel universe, there wouldn't be such a thing as 'good' or evil', there would be laws of physics, and if for some reason consious beings would spawn in my universe, I will let them decide what is good or evil.

[Nelle]

Kill em, kill em ALL!

Unlimiiiited Pooooowaaaah!

[Curanhadin]

One of the main reason power corrupts is generally the type of people who strive for power are corruptible. Its not the power itself its the weak will of humanity.

[Afrospinach]

I think that quote from expendables has it about right: Money allows us to be the assholes we were destined to be

[Bytch]

Money - Humans are the only species paying to live on the planet.

[schwarzkopf]

No - power doesn't corrupt. Power and money give you the ability to exercise your free will.

Without power and/or money - your free will is just a dream.

So corrupt people with power and/or money will do corrupt stuff - corrupt people with nothing will do normal stuff.

If I had the power and/or money - I'd enforce THREE things on everyone ... descent HEALTH, descent EDUCATION and descent FOOD&SHELTER.

Once everyone lives with those - I'd expect the world would pretty much run itself well.

[Bytch]

No - power doesn't corrupt. Power and money give you the ability to exercise your free will.

Without power and/or money - your free will is just a dream.

So corrupt people with power and/or money will do corrupt stuff - corrupt people with nothing will do normal stuff.

If I had the power and/or money - I'd enforce THREE things on everyone ... descent HEALTH, descent EDUCATION and descent FOOD&SHELTER.

Once everyone lives with those - I'd expect the world would pretty much run itself well.

lol..education is always a good thing specially with 'decent' people.

[Deleted]

No - power doesn't corrupt. Power and money give you the ability to exercise your free will.

Without power and/or money - your free will is just a dream.

So corrupt people with power and/or money will do corrupt stuff - corrupt people with nothing will do normal stuff.

If I had the power and/or money - I'd enforce THREE things on everyone ... descent HEALTH, descent EDUCATION and descent FOOD&SHELTER.

Once everyone lives with those - I'd expect the world would pretty much run itself well.

But what if i were weapon industry lobbyist and told you were gonna cancel any and all funding if you're too peaceful. What if i gathered all military equipment makers and influential warmongers behind me and then told you to start a few wars?

Political campaigns are money sinks. If you wanted to continue in politics, with enough funding to achieve something, you would be our bitch more or less.

[Sadis]

Corruption is just a word. What people do, is just in their nature. If you take the notion of money, or power, or anything else out of the picture, people will still do what the majority considers the wrong thing. That's the beauty of humanity, if you will.

[schwarzkopf]

But what if i were weapon industry lobbyist and told you were gonna cancel any and all funding if you're too peaceful.

Notice - I did nothing within my power to touch industry - all I did was to individuals, so that in 50 years we have two generations of well educated, well fed and healthy people making decisions.

Tell me - if EVERYONE on the planet was well educated (science, reason, logic, compassion etc), well fed (housed, nutrition etc) and healthy (only sick of incurables) - then peace will come of its own accord.



Patience Luke

[Low Hanging Fruit]

If I was the 'god' of a universe the people in that universe would fight wars. Best way for talking monkeys like us humans to learn since the pressure of ones life being lost to another seems to be a strong motivator. Plus it would entertain me a lot more then people sitting around the camp fire not doing a damn thing.

If they learned to get along regardless then I would miss lead them with my godly powers into following different religions that interestingly enough all still just worship me. Just with some syntactical differences. After all I wouldn't want progress to be stalled out.

Then as you do this across billions if not trillions of worlds you watch them all meat each other in space and popcorn it up. If the balance tips to far snap out some super novas and black holes to even it out to continue the slaughter. Eventually when I got board with them I would just reveal my divine self to the whole of creation to unite them against my decree to destroy them all. Laugh at all their efforts and destroy the universe just fast enough that they are perfectly aware of what I am doing but still hopelessly unable to stop it.

Then sometimes after that when I get board again start them up again. On top of the ash and bones of the previous. Maybe give them some sort of sense of a legendary end of what was once great before them.

[Shalcker]

Basically, what corrupts people is lack of counterforce that could keep their desires at check.

Everyone too afraid to oppose you, not caring about your victims at all, or unable to truly influence you? Anything feels allowed then.

Good things that humans have many ways of influencing each other and true sociopaths are rare, but those mechanisms can break down if communication remains impersonal and abstract.

And idea in video of test checking subconsciousness while removing the very society that shaped what is allowed or not from person's mind is absurd.

[Blueobelisk]

If you gave me power I'd be corrupted in a second. I think I have a god complex.

Given enough power and security I don't see how anyone wouldn't abuse it, even a little.

[schwarzkopf]

Given enough power and security I don't see how anyone wouldn't abuse it, even a little.

Of course they would abuse it - the question is, would there intentions be good or evil, selfish or generous, constructive or destructive etc...

[Deleted]

People in power tend to be corrupt because you actively have to work for the 'power'. You're more likely to get the corrupt people willing to work for it than the non-corrupt.