Power Trippin'
A post over at one of my favs and some minor irritation going on in my life right now (all resolved) got me thinkin' about power trippin'. I made this comment on the prior post:
Unfortunately, "those without power" during my childhood seemed to be teachers. This caused a lot of issues with my education growing up. I wasn't much of a bad kid nor much of a student but it just seemed to my young brain that alot of teachers got a kick out of pushing kids around. I don't know, maybe it was the nature of the job - teaching the same thing year after year or maybe the job attracted those kinds. No matter the cause, the experience made me a little sensitive to those exercising power capriciously.
I saw similar behavior in college. Don't laugh - but I was a dorm security guard. I wore a bright red vest and carried around a 4 pound walkie-talkie to keep in touch with the cops and other security guards. My beat was one of the various dorms on campus. My shift was from 11:00 pm to 7:30 am.
My job was to make sure a long list of things didn't happen. Most of this list consisted of people doing things. And honestly, unless something was being destroyed...I could care less.
Someone drunk off their ass? As long as he's mellow, I could care less. I had studying to do.
A girl sneaking out of the men's dorm after hours? Whatever...
A couple screwing in the parking lot? Have fun.
For some reason, I kept catching guys exploring their gay side in the basement of DeHority Hall. The first time surprised me, but what am I going to say? "Hey guys, knock off the buggering." They were embarrased, I was embarrased. I just got out of there to let them finish (one of the regrets of my life, I'd say this happened 5-6 times and it was always guys - never lovely ladies. "God, why do you mock me?")
Anyway, most of my security guard colleagues were criminal justice majors trying to get something that looked remotely pertinent for the resume they would send to various police departments. Most of them really got off on rousting girls sneaking out of dorms or pounding on the car window of a couple making out. I'm afraid of what they must have done to the gay guys. I never understood why until I realized that they just didn't have any power. Over anybody, but mostly over themselves. And that not having any power over themselves was the cause of their problem. They were undisciplined and directed that outward.
I sometimes think this self-powerlessness is spreading. Especially in this country in this time, we have ultimate freedom to make our lives like we want them to be. But some just let that freedom flutter away from themselves. They don't take responsibility. They blame the government, or foreigners, or illegals, or globalization or poverty or society or whatever. While those things do affect us and may cause problems, they are no match for the determined human spirit. I hate to sound like a Tony Robbins commerical, but mastering power over yourselves is the ultimate power - now if I could just do it.
Go out there and do your thing.
Stay You.
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Those without power sometimes need to exercise some - however stupidly - just to get through the day.
Let them have their victory and keep on walking.
Unfortunately, "those without power" during my childhood seemed to be teachers. This caused a lot of issues with my education growing up. I wasn't much of a bad kid nor much of a student but it just seemed to my young brain that alot of teachers got a kick out of pushing kids around. I don't know, maybe it was the nature of the job - teaching the same thing year after year or maybe the job attracted those kinds. No matter the cause, the experience made me a little sensitive to those exercising power capriciously.
I saw similar behavior in college. Don't laugh - but I was a dorm security guard. I wore a bright red vest and carried around a 4 pound walkie-talkie to keep in touch with the cops and other security guards. My beat was one of the various dorms on campus. My shift was from 11:00 pm to 7:30 am.
My job was to make sure a long list of things didn't happen. Most of this list consisted of people doing things. And honestly, unless something was being destroyed...I could care less.
Someone drunk off their ass? As long as he's mellow, I could care less. I had studying to do.
A girl sneaking out of the men's dorm after hours? Whatever...
A couple screwing in the parking lot? Have fun.
For some reason, I kept catching guys exploring their gay side in the basement of DeHority Hall. The first time surprised me, but what am I going to say? "Hey guys, knock off the buggering." They were embarrased, I was embarrased. I just got out of there to let them finish (one of the regrets of my life, I'd say this happened 5-6 times and it was always guys - never lovely ladies. "God, why do you mock me?")
Anyway, most of my security guard colleagues were criminal justice majors trying to get something that looked remotely pertinent for the resume they would send to various police departments. Most of them really got off on rousting girls sneaking out of dorms or pounding on the car window of a couple making out. I'm afraid of what they must have done to the gay guys. I never understood why until I realized that they just didn't have any power. Over anybody, but mostly over themselves. And that not having any power over themselves was the cause of their problem. They were undisciplined and directed that outward.
I sometimes think this self-powerlessness is spreading. Especially in this country in this time, we have ultimate freedom to make our lives like we want them to be. But some just let that freedom flutter away from themselves. They don't take responsibility. They blame the government, or foreigners, or illegals, or globalization or poverty or society or whatever. While those things do affect us and may cause problems, they are no match for the determined human spirit. I hate to sound like a Tony Robbins commerical, but mastering power over yourselves is the ultimate power - now if I could just do it.
Go out there and do your thing.
Stay You.
Back to Main Page
posted by Howard McEwen, CFA at Wednesday, March 09, 2005
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