Would you be corrupted by absolute power?

[Jakeyjakey]

There is an episode of the Twilight Zone called the Little People where a couple astronauts get stranded on a distant planet and while repairing their ship, they stumble upon a tiny civilization of intelligent, flea-sized people who are at least sophisticated enough to build houses, boats, trucks, cities. They appear to be identical to humans in all aspects except their size.

Still from episode:




As you can picture, what happens next is an alien version of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. One of the astronauts decides he’s going to be their god and begins to dominate the little people through fear and cruelty, based on no godly qualities except the advantage of having evolved to be massively bigger than them. It was a cool episode.

Anyway, what’s interesting (at least to me) is that I don’t think I’d act very differently from that guy in his circumstance. If I somehow came across a planet (or better yet, an island) of tiny little people that were the size of fleas or smaller to me, I could see myself immediately taking advantage of the fact that I would be a a giant to them. I would love the chance to be revered (and even feared) as a god. Furthermore the chance to have total control over the development of an entire society would greatly appeal to me. Why let them have self-determination if through sheer force, I could make them engineer their society in my own image?

In spite of what I’d do in the above situation, I wouldn’t consider myself to be an evil or bad guy. Far from it actually. I’m generally considered to be an all-around great guy by friends and coworkers. I volunteer as an EMT and coach track for no pay. And besides the fact that I have no problem stepping on bugs (which I'll admit to doing often), I'm great with animals.

How would you behave when in a situation where you gain absolute power over others? Would you be kind or cruel? Or would you walk away from the situation? Try to stay respectful of one another!

[Krakan]

I don't think it's the right question to ask as the answer is always yes.

The more introspective question to ask is " would you be destructive to others"

[Very Tired]

I never really liked the "absolute power corrupts absolutely" quote. It's entirely possible for someone to be given absolute power and not be a dick about it. Not entirely likely, but possible.

[Doctor Amadeus]

No, because I am already corrupt and have been for a long time, absolute power wouldn't change me

[PC2]

How would you behave when in a situation where you gain absolute power over others?

If I ruled Earth I would keep following my hobbies, I would continue society from where it is now so that it operates similarly and the economy and technology continues to advance. There's no ideology that I could implement that would quickly turn Earth into a utopia and thinking that is just magical thinking that's not based in reality.

In a sci-fi fantasy scenario I would terraform Mars or some other planet with advanced technology, rule it as my own planet with absolute power, then convert Earth into a self-governing democracy. Since ultimately what I would want is just freedom to build my own stuff and not to rule over anybody else.

Everything would have to be incremental though because sudden changes just wreak havoc on society.

[Zuben]

I'd probably first try to be benevolent, but there's no way I'd be able to keep it up. Favoring those dearer to me, punishments getting more and more disproportionate as my frustration with lesser beings grows etc. Even the starting point would be tough, since I am very much filled with disdain as is. Just looking at Twitter and wanting to blow up half the posters there is enough to say I wouldn't make a good god.

[Egomaniac]

No, because I am already corrupt and have been for a long time, absolute power wouldn't change me

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

[Orby]

Anyone given power can become corrupt no matter the best intentions, as the saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely

Given the power, you would have the ability to do good or bad, but in turn you are still using that power selfishly because you have been given it. Created by the fact that you would not have done so before, the power already corrupting you. No one gains ultimate power and then decides to live a life of peace in the woods for the rest of his life, course not.

'I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favourable presumption that they did no wrong. If there is any presumption it is the other way, against the holders of power, increasing as the power increases. Historic responsibility has to make up for the want of legal responsibility. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority, still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it'. - John Dalberg-Acton

[Felya]

Yes... and we would love it... with us in power, we will get the opportunity to be a billionaire. We’ll keep the people we don’t like from hurting us. They all tells us this, but we are honest about our corruption. We will do things that defy moral codes and society standards, to make us rich and safe. Something they are unwilling to do for us...

We would love it... they would pay...

[Shadowferal]

Your parameters for "absolute power" suggests limitations.
Worse, this pigeonhole of ruling the world, running everything...why? Why on earth would anyone want the responsibility?

Sit back and care for your own.

[Mihalik]

Yes.

Tho the saying "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" is somewhat misunderstood.

Power doesn't really corrupt. It just magnifies our already existing flaws.

Someone doesn't become corrupt or oppressive or violent or abusive because they have the power to be those things. They were always those things. Power just magnifies those flaws.

[Jonnusthegreat]

There is literally zero possible chance of ever knowing the answer to the question.

My beliefs would remain unchanged I'd like to think. The only thing that would change is my ability to enforce my beliefs. And I would. But that's not corrupt because that's how I currently think.

[Felya]

Your parameters for "absolute power" suggests limitations.
Worse, this pigeonhole of ruling the world, running everything...why? Why on earth would anyone want the responsibility?

Sit back and care for your own.

Hahaha!!! The bold is hilarious... Absolute power, means you have no responsibility, in the sense you are using it. There are infinite reasons, all of which hinge on absolute power, having no one to be responsible to.

[Fencers]

Yes, I would be a tyrant.

[Felya]

There is literally zero possible chance of ever knowing the answer to the question.

My beliefs would remain unchanged I'd like to think. The only thing that would change is my ability to enforce my beliefs. And I would. But that's not corrupt because that's how I currently think.

Because it’s really two different questions...

Would you consider your self corrupt, if the goal or even result, achieves a wholesome goal? What about the victims of the corruption, would they believe the achieved goal was wholesome?

[Draco-Onis]

Power does not corrupt it just exposes who you really are when you have no one holding you accountable.

[Shadowferal]

I’d be incredibly lonely and sad.

Yeah.
It'd seem like a rush at first, but then...it'd crash down.

[PC2]

Yes, I would be a tyrant.

If you already have absolute power over everything involving people then why would you act like a tyrant, just to get an ego boost? You also said you would murder millions of people if you had the power of Superman which is weird because that's like supporting the death penalty instead of rehabilitating people.

[Daedius]

We'd probably end up like that fella in Death Note... thinking they're doing good initially.

[Doctor Amadeus]

If you already have absolute power over everything involving people then why would you act like a tyrant, just to get an ego boost? You also said you would murder millions of people if you had the power of Superman which is weird because that's like supporting the death penalty instead of trying to rehabilitate people.

OR it simply realizations that some peoples beliefs deserve to be eradicated not, race, not gender, not something they had nothing to do with. No the world would be much better off without assholes PERIOD! She gave an honest answer, that many honestly might agree with.