The illusion of power is when one is influenced to do
something based on a situation which is unreal. On the flip side of the coin,
it is when one believes one has control over someone or a certain situation.
‘To take command, one must first create the illusion that
command is already yours’ - Denise Domning.
Perhaps Denise is correct about how power is simply an illusion;
but we must take into account that illusion of power may lead to the creation
of real power.
From the beginning of time people were taught to depend on a
leader; the submissive mindset has been passed from generation to generation. People
today seem to be ruled by the media and government – but where do both these
parties get their power from? Is their power real or merely an illusion?
Whether this illusion of power is beneficial or not depends
on its outcomes; for instance, sometimes power urges people to take responsibility
for their actions. However, at other occasions, the perceived power can be
abused and this causes actual harm.
2 comments:
Very thoughtful response and I like the questions raised! I think that you're definitely right that the illusion of power can beget actual power. This can be seen in so many realms and a really obvious example is American "leadership" in the world. Many countries and people expect American leadership on issues - such as climate change, nuclear nonproliferation, etc. - and the U.S. is happy to project the illusion of power and control in these areas, which then does beget power and control. Often times, power really boils down to a chicken or egg scenario and its tough to distinguish which came first - the illusion of power, or power itself.
It is true that power is a mere 'illusion' in certain cases as mentioned earlier. However, we can not over look the fact that this self created illusion can not exist for long if it does not have a certain degree of legitimacy attached to it as power can be tested and experienced over time and that is when substantial power is identified.
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