Does power really corrupt?

[Osoroshii]

I believe power corrupts, though not immediately.

You may be the most pure and virtuous soul on the planet when you first come in to power and you use your new-found influence for the betterment of the people. They cheer for you, thank you, adore you. It will eventually go to your head because you're human, not perfect.

At some point, you will start making decisions that you think are in the best interest of the people, but in reality it only makes them miserable. You strip away freedoms they've enjoyed for years for security reasons because you want to protect them...but the people you rule see only a tyrant who has lost touch with his subjects. They voice their concerns and your first thought will be something like "they're just fools who don't understand my grand vision" or "they're troublemakers, looking to incite a rebellion" or something similar.

How do you respond? Do you take a step back, do some introspection, and see that they're right? Very doubtful; you're the king, you know what's best, and damn it, they have no right to question your wisdom! Haven't you always kept them safe? You're doing this all for them! But clearly, they are some problems that need to be dealt with to ensure the peace...they will need to be taken out.

What makes it worse is that you will inevitably be surrounded by assistants, some of whom will become corrupt themselves. They will support whatever mad idea you have, try and make you suspicious of the ones who still speak for the people, push you along your dark path. Why? Because the more power you have, the more power they have. Greedy, amoral yes-men are a dime a dozen and while some can be easy to spot at a glance, others simply start out trustworthy and then devolve into power-hungry dicks.

You may believe you're doing the right thing up until your dying breath, but you have become corrupted.

If you don't like the mantra of "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely," then I would instead offer "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain."

[bufferunderrun]

it's not the power itself is the entire bureaucratic infrastructure build to give and maintain that power that is a fertile terrain for corruption, no one is omniscient so no one can keep in check what other peoples do and when corruption is deep integrated in the infrastructure no one can eliminate it, on the contrary anyone who try will be eliminated.

[Trassk]

Power is like anything else. You can observe a child in how they act in relation to how adults would.
Take for example a 3 year old whose given a birthday present, and he decides instead of playing with it in the nice normal conservative way like they advertise children to do, the kid instead uses the toy (lets say a whack a mole set) to bash his sibling over the head with, before throwing the toy at the tv screen and breaking it, all while laughing because he enjoys the adrenaline rush of seeing people get hurt.

People are people, and in there mental state of mind view the world in there own standard, and if they get off on seeing other people suffer, if they are given the weapons or power to do so, they will do so. They were already corrupt, devious bastards beforehand, the power they are given is just a weapon for them.

Its also kind of like what we see of the internet, on forums and youtube comment sections and twitter, people show their truth vile nature without the constraints of the real world preventing them from talking exactly as they want, all without any hindrance.

People are more then often just rotten, power is just a weapon.

[Dezerte]

I would strive to maintain an utopia.

I don't think power inherently corrupts people, but rather the ambition and greed that often accompanies the people who seek it.

[Rocksteadee]

First reply wasn't "Absolutely". 1/10.

[muto]

Yes power corrupts. If you hand everyone on this forum for example a pistol, and told them they could off any one person with no repercussions (jail time/etc..), I'm willing to bet most of the people on here would already have a target in mind.

[Afrospinach]

Yes power corrupts. If you hand everyone on this forum for example a pistol, and told them they could off any one person with no repercussions (jail time/etc..), I'm willing to bet most of the people on here would already have a target in mind.

We have had just such a thread lol.

[Revi]

Uh. If I was the creator of such a universe, of course Utopia would be possible. Just remove most of human nature and instincts, and turn "people" into robots with no independent ambitions and zero interest in self-preservation.

Is it possible in reality? No
I assume there's people on earth that's not corruptible, but I don't believe a person with principles that strong would ever make it to a position of great power.

[Raeph]

Humans by nature are greedy, avaricious and self involved, by our very nature. It is the basis of the survival instinct, which is kept in check only by the influences of external forces, like collectively held societal belief systems, supported by force and penalty.

I don't want to see what would come of a single human having great amounts of power to exercise over others, regardless of motive or goal. That includes myself.

I can be caring and loving, but I can also be brutal, territorial and indifferent to the needs/wants/desires of others. Best case scenario I would be able to create a tyrannical style of society, where all are automatons bent to my will. Worst case scenario I would be able to create a chaotic realm where I would not exert any influence, due to boredom.

To get anything better, you would need a better version of me, a better human in general, to be the controlling force in such an example.

[nyc81991]

Power corrupts people who are weaker than the power available to them. They are consciously primitive people, which is why they give into greed, war and corruption.

We have a long way to go before the entire Human species is up to the level of consciousness required of a "Utopia".

[Deleted]

We are as likely to create a utopia as dogs are, we are the same animals as they are and our brain is hot-wired to do a lot of things (hint, corruption is one of them), and until our brains change it won't happen.

"Power does not corrupt, but to gain power you have to corrupt" - Some famous guy with "credibility" might have said that at some point

[Denpepe]

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.

This, the people that want power usually should not have it and vice versa.

[Themius]

Look at police officers... it sure corrupts a shit load of them.

[Independent voter]

I would kill all mosquitos and then do nothing else.

[bayushisan]

We're human beings, of course power is capable of corrupting us. The trick is remembering why a person wanted a role that put them in power in the first place and the second, sometimes, is getting someone who doesn't even want to have it. It's a basic psychology thing that tends to prove itself right in most instances.

The people who generally don't want power, tend to be the least likely to abuse it because that's exactly what they're afraid of doing. They tend to be more responsible about such things, because they don't want to go down darker paths.

[cFortyfive]

A human in control of an whole universe - that wouldn't end well.

[brimdog]

Upon realizing that: in a material universe comprised of atoms and molecules, and that there would be nothing else, for eternity, I would snap my fingers, sending everything back to non existence.

[Graeham]

Society is flawed in that there's often little accountability for those who hold a position of power and so they can often get away with abusing it. Furthermore the people who are genuine and kind are unfortunately not as likely to end up in a position of major power whilst those who lie, cheat and scam typically will.

[Rabka Uhalla]

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

No, power does not corrupt. The people that would have been "corrupted" by power were already corrupt. The power was just a tool to help them make use of their pre-existing corruption.

[OrcsRLame]

Power does not corrupt, it only reveals. If you want to learn the measure of a man, make him king of the world.