On power

Power, it's a popular theme that comes up in the media and hollywood. There is almost always someone seeking power, a powerful item, or asking if something is powerful. My partner and I have very different opinions on power, so let me get your thoughts.

What does the word Power mean to you? Why is or isn't power important to a Jedi?

Power...

I use it to light my house, start and run my vehicle, cook my food (unless using the good ole grill outside), give me hot water via the hot water tank. It enables my computer to work so I can be typing this message. I use power, I seek knowledge. I seek understanding. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. I need no other power.

Power to me is something we need... but also something that can be tempting.

Yes, I could use power to help people. But many have fallen to corruption saying that exact same thing. It starts helping others, and then deviates.

So power, true power, is in balance. Not being afraid to take more power for yourself so you can better help others, but keeping yourself in check to ensure you don't fall into the hands of perverse power and lose your way.

As a Jedi, at least for me (a Potentium Jedi), I have all the power I will ever have access to within myself NOW, at this moment. I can do good or evil with it... or nothing. Its about finding balance within myself, ensuring I don't fall too far into restriction or monstrosity, yet allowing myself to use all my power whenever I need to.

In my eyes power is the ability to influance others to help with/support or enact change towards a goal that you hold. This is important to everyone because without power we get nowhere. How to ethically use that power is what we need to really worry about.

I reckon it has a relationship to time, being most tangibly freedom, eg if you have someone doing something for you, then you have freedom to do something else, which makes you more productive, potentially.

Such that to continue the example, if your wise with freedom then you create even more freedom!!! If your unwise, your happy with the freedom you've got and might call it power..... but IMO it is better defined as strength. As I'd say its the capacity to generate more freedom which is the actual power. But that is me defining 'strength as the amount of force something can exert against something else', and 'power as the use of strength over time to increase the force (of that strength)".

"Power" has been quite a popular topic in the overall jedi community as of late, so I've noticed. Like alot of things you have the passive side trying to absolves themselves from the sins of darkness, and the black sheep trying to show they can wield a mighty sword without cutting themselves and those attempting to play the middle ground...

But what exactly is "Power?" or rather.....which sort of "Power" are you/they/we specifically referring to?

Today I wielded a great deal of power. Due to my superior experience in Stocking and Truck Unloading at Target, I maneuvered my fellow workers from one end of the store to the other. I told them what to do and how to do and when to do it even though I, myself, am not a team leader and am just a lowly grunt like the rest of them.

The trick, however is not in one method or another. But in how we execute our chosen actions within the given moment In my example above I used a voice/tone of guidance rather than commands. I stopped to teach and guide when a fellow worker had questions. And I lead by example by ensuring every action was done with efficient, non stop, work ethics.

"Power" is simply an action that motivates a like reaction.

Like Reaction. is the response of those you influence.....be it positively or negatively.

The rest is just details

At least....In my own 2 cents

Dewy.Cosmos wrote:
What does the word Power mean to you? Why is or isn't power important to a Jedi?

Power = Work / Time.

In that equation, we know Time is preset for us. We all have the same 24 hours. Since it is impossible to predict when we will run out of time, Now is all we have.

What most people get lost on is the "Work" variable, and that's where Madhatter's comment comes in. What are you working towards.

There are essentially two kinds of power in this world.

Dynamic Power- the power that flows from within to accomplish one's will.

Authoritative Power- the power that is GIVEN by others to have over them.

Both can be used for good and evil. One can use inner power to fuel his warpath. Or he could to resolve conflicts. One could be a king or president and use that power to destroy the freedom of their people.

It's funny, I just said this in another topic, but it applies:

The only power any of us has is to be who we are.

Power is an illusion. We all come into this world kicking and screaming and trying to influence everyone with our cries so that we can get our needs met. But when it comes down to it, there is very little that we can actually control. As Streen says, the only power any of us has is over ourselves.