Professor Bruce sat in the light of the courtyard, as if relaxing into a moment of inner self-reflection. Then he spoke as if half of him were lingering within some heavenly dream, "When campaigning or influencing for equal rights take care to note the number of power gradients acting on each speaker - real or fictional character. The empowerment of those with multiple power gradients acting against them is vital, yet societal progress may be quicker if they are partnered with 'ally' voices with little or no power gradients against them. Pragmatism with idealism can unlock empathy faster and with greater permenance."
A hand shot up, "How? How does that work?"
"Yes," said the Professor, "it's similar to the activation energies required for enzymes as a concept... we think of it as neurological activation energy... the more power gradients against a person the higher the energy required for the listeners brain to take their message in. The most basic example is of a woman speaking of women's rights, she is both a woman and the subject matter is about women, that's already a double gradient. Now, if she is a woman of colour, a lesbian, poor or with a low level of education, then we're magnifying the power gradient to a level that acts a societal trap. Yet if we bring in an ally who is male, white and priviledged to introduce her and back her speech, then the brains of the listener are more likely to absorb the truth of what she says and wish to support her. We want to empower her to speak for herself, yet maximise the take up of the message."
Power gradients either reduce the or increase the burden of evidence required to feel that an action can be 'justified' or will be supported in wider society. The steepness of the gradient varies according to many societal factors. Humans learn predominantly via role modelling - what we see and hear programs the brain for those actions regardless of our genetic inheritance. This can be healthy or unhealthy depending on what we witness. In essence, our cultures, our lore and our language either increases or decreased the effort required to travel neurological pathways - as with water, the flow will most readily move along the pathway of least resistance, of least energy required, to produce a result. In countenance to this the solution is reduction in stress and fear (to allow better use of the prefrontal cortex (rather than the primitive structures activated by fear) and changing our culture and lore toward empathy and cooperation (rather than survival of the fittest, fear and competition). Prejudice is a power gradient that produces the harm that prejudiced operators purport to be attempting to reduce.
The buzz from power is a lonely emotion when compared to the sense of responsibility that is born of loving protection.
For aspirations of power, empathy is a disadvantage, and thus the development of a healthy prefrontal cortex is adversely impacted. Moreover, as both the centres for empathy and logic are required to work cooperatively for sound decision making, the current power-based system (rather than a love-nexus system) can never deliver sound governance to Earth. Only a social evolution from the money-nexus into a love-nexus based in true public service can achieve the peace and sustainability that has eluded us thus far.
They say that, "With great power comes great responsibility," but the same is true of love, and love is an antidote to corruption.
I will take the power from the unworthy so that I can surrender it. I am the one who could hold the ring of power and let it fall into the fire of the volcano. For this is the power of love, the greatest power of them all. I find my strength, grow in confidence and dominance, not for the sake of ego though it may appear the same, but to take a grip on the tip of the power triangle and flip it right over. I will become the most powerful so that I can become the lease powerful and bring in a new era of service and fairness for every nation, to feed every child and bring the world to song, to dance, to joy and compassion. So surrender or be practice for my aim, the arrows are already made.
One tentacle of power is the insulation from risk, one becomes unaccustomed to safety and comfort, then as a child who has not felt the cold in a long time, the temptation grows to do anything to keep the self safe. Yet love is the opposite, the willingness to sacrifice, to walk out into the cold if that is what is necessary. So beware of the insulating, the comfort that is shackles as privilege yet heaven when it is a universal high standard for all.
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