25 years from now - Do you want to be a powerful person?

[DubStyle311]

Thats the question. How about it?

[Ego Tripping]

Well, can you define powerful? I find myself to already be a very powerful person because I feel a have a good deal of power within myself. I help a great many lives whom I hope I leave a positive impact on them. I have a solid understanding of my emotions and thus I can control my reactions to things rather than act out of impulse (most of the time, heh). I manage to balance a business, a close & communicative relationship with my lady and I have fun while doing it all.

Now if you are talking about the kind of 'power' that I would instead use to control other people...then no. That kind of power seems shortsighted and self-defeating in the long run and seems to crumble under it's own weight eventually.

Knowledge of self is the most powerful one can ever become.

[mizzwoozy]

hell naw cuz if u do then that attracts 2 much attention 2 urself and datz not good if u smoke weed or do anytin u dont want nobody 2 know bout if not den gone get it

[Ego Tripping]

^^

[my_scatterheart]

I want to be powerful in that I can inspire others. I do not wish to be powerful in the sense of dictating what others do.

edit: (Hadn't read responses) ..Same vein as Ego Tripping.

[The Rev]

I will be 67 in 25 years, which means I will be powerful (if genetics has any say) in the flatulence department.

As for the desire to control others, fuck that. I want just the opposite, to reduce the ability of others to have control over me. Live and let live, as they say.



The Rev

[Ego Tripping]

Originally Posted by The Rev

I want just the opposite, to reduce the ability of others to have control over me.

Fucking a', Rev.

[Canuck Wisdom]

It would be nice to gain influence and respect in society while aging. And if that involved money, reflecting that, then I guess you could say yes.

But as others have said, I want mostly to be powerful spiritually, able to deal with myself no matter what comes and be a positive influence on others around me, to help them out.

[SweetMattisGanj]

yes, I want the power. I trust myself not to start any bullshit wars for personal profit. I trust myself to aid those under my power when their entire city gets destroyed by a hurricane and bad levies. I trust myself to not let my morals and values be bought off by some fat cat with a big wallet.

I want power because I want to show people what true freedom is. The law would be "harm nobody lest ye invite harm unto yourself" (it has to sound piratey to get the point across) and that's it. I truly feel I'm destined for something huge and I've pondered whether or not it's leading. The way I see it there always has to be leaders and I'd love the opportunity to have the chance to truly help the people and give them what they've deserved for a long time, actual freedom.

[Ego Tripping]

Originally Posted by SweetMattisGanj

yes, I want the power. I trust myself not to start any bullshit wars for personal profit. I trust myself to aid those under my power when their entire city gets destroyed by a hurricane and bad levies. I trust myself to not let my morals and values be bought off by some fat cat with a big wallet.

I want power because I want to show people what true freedom is. The law would be "harm nobody lest ye invite harm unto yourself" (it has to sound piratey to get the point across) and that's it. I truly feel I'm destined for something huge and I've pondered whether or not it's leading. The way I see it there always has to be leaders and I'd love the opportunity to have the chance to truly help the people and give them what they've deserved for a long time, actual freedom.

That's noble, but you don't need any power to be a leader, especially to have a "let and let live" policy, you can do that starting now. I don't even see how power could mutually work with a "harm nobody lest ye invite harm unto yourself" law...how would you enforce it? What would you do with people that did harm others? The moment you punish them, you're abusing the power given to you.

[adventure]

I believe power can mean alot of things, of course controlling power, but also exposure and availablity. Being able to bring ideas and causes to the population is a much more comfortable idea of power. In that sense yes!

[SweetMattisGanj]

Originally Posted by Ego Tripping

That's noble, but you don't need any power to be a leader, especially to have a "let and let live" policy, you can do that starting now. I don't even see how power could mutually work with a "harm nobody lest ye invite harm unto yourself" law...how would you enforce it? What would you do with people that did harm others? The moment you punish them, you're abusing the power given to you.

I understand exactly what you're saying and I actually revise what I'd do with my power. I'd turn around instantly and distributed it to the people. Some say it'd never work or that somebody would come along to take advantage of it and yes, without the proper checks and balances that could happen, much like how America's govt has turned out. Historically, large amounts of power in one place have always eventually led to corruption. I think this could be avoided if everybody had the power. But then again, I'm sort of a cynic of that plan myself. Are people mature enough to handle the power? You've got extremists for every religion, political party, ethnicity, class and many more categories for extremists to get extreme for. A lot of people are brainwashed into believing religions that anybody with any logic could see are dead wrong. Now I may sound anti-religious but I'm not, I'm anti-religious people having power. A religious ruling class is one of the quickest paths of destruction and religious masses are easy to manipulate because of the bias and exclusivity most religions preach.

But alas, I've strayed far from the original topic and I'll have to apologize, once I get going it's hard to stop.

[Ego Tripping]

I see what you're saying as well, but its ironic because I think when Dub asked the question, he wasn't referring to the kind of power you give away to other people. The reason for that is exactly what you're talking about: it's been said that people can't handle it.

Personally, I think that's a bullshit copout story for people to stay in power. I think we can totally govern ourselves, that's how America was created. A group of people decided to govern themselves and get along, even devise an entire governmental system that would function in such a way where the people truly had freedom to do what they wanted, unless it infringed upon someone else's freedom.

Over time, people saw some holes in the system that they could exploit and abuse to gain more personal power, taking away from the majority of the populace. What we're seeing now is simply the re-merging of that power back to the people, only catch is, like before, we need to realize that people can absolutely handle that power and govern themselves.

Anyway, I apologize too.

/rant

[SweetMattisGanj]

Originally Posted by Ego Tripping

I see what you're saying as well, but its ironic because I think when Dub asked the question, he wasn't referring to the kind of power you give away to other people. The reason for that is exactly what you're talking about: it's been said that people can't handle it.

Personally, I think that's a bullshit copout story for people to stay in power. I think we can totally govern ourselves, that's how America was created. A group of people decided to govern themselves and get along, even devise an entire governmental system that would function in such a way where the people truly had freedom to do what they wanted, unless it infringed upon someone else's freedom.

Over time, people saw some holes in the system that they could exploit and abuse to gain more personal power, taking away from the majority of the populace. What we're seeing now is simply the re-merging of that power back to the people, only catch is, like before, we need to realize that people can absolutely handle that power and govern themselves.

Anyway, I apologize too.

/rant

You're probably right. I'm sure most of the people would just want to live and let live. I'd be perfectly happy with our government if we went back to what this country was supposed to be (minus the slavery and the idea that women were inferior to men). The main reason I've lost faith, at least in the American people, is the way the govt is being run right now. The Bush admin. has utterly ruined this country in just 8 years. I'm not saying they inherited the perfect country and turned it to shit over night, things were already in fairly bad shape. So along comes Bush, a low life with a rich and powerful dad, and he literally steals the election. We have absolutely no excuse for not kicking his ass out right then and there. Yet here we are, 8 years later and it's the end of his reign of evil aaand nobody has done shit about it. It frustrates me, partially because I personally want to do something about it but can't figure out how to get the people on my side because without them there's no chance of change. The powers that be have done an excellent job of making people simply not care. Whether it be fear, apathy or any number of reason people just don't seem to care enough to stop this tyrannical war monger. I could get in to what I think of McCain and Obama but this should probably already be on the politics board.

VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!!!

[Smaerd]

hahahahahahhahahahha haha, whats the point in being "powerful". define power, and you'll realize it's all tangible. Problem with this world is it's a game o' chess, but some are born with more valued pieces, however in the end they always have less pawns for end game.

If i amke it 25 years from now, then I hope by all emans I am weak and defenseless but knowledgeable and real. so fawk yo ideals and your little "real life" video game, simulation of ideals and falsified morals. While if I died tommarrow, I will know that everything I did was perfect and more reputable whether noted or not then 95% of this mess of the entwork I created in my head hahahaha

[Ego Tripping]

I heard an old story that I can't find the write up of, so I shall attempt to paraphrase:

A young boy was walking through Nazi germany when he was spotted by a local patrolman with no arm band. The Patrolman beat the young boy viciously, demanding he give in to the pain. The Nazi declared to him, "I have power over you, I can take your life right now if I so choose." The young jewish boy smiled and replied, "You may do so, but the power is within me, for I can still love you."

Cheesy but fucking a if that's not true power.

[SweetMattisGanj]

then the Jewish kid Krav Maga'd the shit outta that nazi douche nozzle. It may completely defeat the moral of the story but Krav Ma-fuckin-ga, am I right?

[GratefulDead]

I would like, but I couldn't help abusing the power...

Me+power= chaos