I asked my colleagues and friends a common question.
"What would they do if they had power to be invisible for a day?"
Some of them said they would beat up the person (if not kill) whom they hate the most in this world. Some other said they would rob a bank. Others wanted to satisfy their sexual urge.
My survey involved only 20 people but their answers convinced me that if given an opportunity to be invisible for a day (which is like too much of power for any individual) one will fall for their anger, greed or lust.
Power is a dangerous weapon. It can destroy lives; but strangely it happens only after it has destroyed you from within. Anger, greed and lust are the three musketeers that all our holy books urge us to refrain from. Our Prophets and Saints have repeatedly warned us against them probably because they already knew what happens when power befalls upon a man. It only makes him hungry for more. The power takes a man away from the sole purpose for which power is bestowed upon him.
Power gives a man an infinite authority to decide (on his own) what is correct and what is wrong. Anna Hazare’s recent conduct has confirmed the same. The social activist had taken up the cause to eradicate corruption from the roots of the society. His modest Gandhian way convinced aam junta that he can bring "the change". And so they rendered their support to him.
They gave him power, an athourity to fight against corrupt bureaucrats and ministers. I supported him too because I was convinced he was not fighting against a person or a party but against the whole system.
They gave him power, an athourity to fight against corrupt bureaucrats and ministers. I supported him too because I was convinced he was not fighting against a person or a party but against the whole system.
But I was disappointed. And it happened when I saw him rallying against Congress in a recent election held in Hisar district of Haryana. His decision to stand against Congress in an election reaffirms how power can raze the intelligence of a man.
His claim that he stood against congress in the election to force them to bring out the Lokpal Bill sounded like utter rubbish to me. This is because his actions were preceded by a conflict with two senior ministers in the Congress party who had put charges against him and his team mates. It is an open fact that other than Congress, there are many other parties which are opposing the bill. To stand only against congress in specific, was purely an act of revenge (Just for the record Congress lost the election in Hisar constituency thanks to “ The Anna Effect”). Anna is a human being after all and so is falling victim to the irresistible power.
His claim that he stood against congress in the election to force them to bring out the Lokpal Bill sounded like utter rubbish to me. This is because his actions were preceded by a conflict with two senior ministers in the Congress party who had put charges against him and his team mates. It is an open fact that other than Congress, there are many other parties which are opposing the bill. To stand only against congress in specific, was purely an act of revenge (Just for the record Congress lost the election in Hisar constituency thanks to “ The Anna Effect”). Anna is a human being after all and so is falling victim to the irresistible power.
While Anna misused the power for vengeance, Ex-Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Madu Koda fell for greed.
A poor tribal farmer’s son, Madhu Koda, decided to join politics after experiencing corruption in iron industry where he worked. 9 years after he won his first assembly election seat, when CBI raided his house, he was found to have assets worth thousands of crores including mines in Liberia apart from hotels and 3 companies in Mumbai, properties in Kolkata and a hotel in Thailand!!! Needless to say, he had earned all these through unscrouplous means by abusing the power that people of Jharkhand had offered him. Madhu Koda who had entered politics to check greed of people in iron industry, himself fell prey to the same greed.
A poor tribal farmer’s son, Madhu Koda, decided to join politics after experiencing corruption in iron industry where he worked. 9 years after he won his first assembly election seat, when CBI raided his house, he was found to have assets worth thousands of crores including mines in Liberia apart from hotels and 3 companies in Mumbai, properties in Kolkata and a hotel in Thailand!!! Needless to say, he had earned all these through unscrouplous means by abusing the power that people of Jharkhand had offered him. Madhu Koda who had entered politics to check greed of people in iron industry, himself fell prey to the same greed.
Some fall for anger and some for greed but most of them fall for lust. When I look around in our society I see numerous examples to support my claim. Tiger Woods considered the best in the sport of Golf and considered one of the most influential person in the world by the Forbes magazine was caught cheating on his wife. As the story unfolded, it was revealed that the most powerful sportsman in the world was spending millions of dollars every night on woman. Wayne Rooney considered an idol by every English football fan of our generation had an extra marital affair. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger who after winning million hearts acting in films, went on to become the Governor of the most powerful state in USA, even he had a sexual relation with his own house maid!
It was the power of being at the top that gave these men liscence to satisfy their lust. For them there was nothing right or wrong, it was all about their power.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam considered by many (including me) as the wisest and the best president of India also fell prey to the influence of power once. He conducted himself in the highest manner for the entire term while he was the president. He was incorruptible almost till the end until....
When he was asked to stand as a presidential candidate for the second term, Dr Abdul Kalam put a condition. He said he would stand for the second term only if, the political party supporting him ensures that he wins the presidential post "at any cost". He must not loose.
When he was asked to stand as a presidential candidate for the second term, Dr Abdul Kalam put a condition. He said he would stand for the second term only if, the political party supporting him ensures that he wins the presidential post "at any cost". He must not loose.
While I was too young, I wondered why superheroes like Batman, Spiderman or Superman don’t have a girlfriend or a wife. They do fall in love, then why can’t they marry the girl they love? While I was in my teens I was told that superheroes were gays. But as I grew up, I realised the truth behind Uncle Ben’s words of wisdom to Spiderman: “With great power, comes greater responsibility”.
Superman and Spiderman are Super-humans because they don’t fall for anger, greed or lust and it reflects in their character. If you observe closely super hero never kills the villain of his story. Each of them live a simple life with no greed for money (Even Bruce Wayne aka Batman, takes a backseat and asks Mr. Fox to run his billion dollar Wayne Empire while he looks after the security of Gotham city). Lastly they are not gays, they consider their duty to be more important than their own selfish interests, lust for that matter. They have realise the sole purpose for which the power is bestowed upon them.
I feel the Almighty has not endowed any of us with that kind of power because we are incapable to handle so much. And even those of us who have it, very few utilize it for the real purpose. If someone like Dr. Kalam can fall prey, we would cause havoc if handed over so much of power.
It is good to be an ordinary person because 9.99 out of 10 times power will only distort you.
