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Post by bombmaniac on Jun 4, 2010 0:10:59 GMT -5
I would like to preface these thoughts with the following statement. This is not targeted at any specific member of the forum. Specifying individual people would fill up too many pages. This problem is rampant, and I am not specifying roles. This is not an admin matter. This is a general matter. So please do not get defensive on this thread. If you do, all it means is that this applies to you.
Abuse of power. It happens all the time. There is a famous quote by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”. While this quote is not necessarily true, there are exceptions that prove the rule. The heady sense of control is just too much to deny. After all, what is the purpose of power if it cannot be used? If power can never be used, then it is no power at all. Thus we establish that power, by definition, must be used. The question is how to use it?
As I said above power need not necessarily corrupt. Any form of power, even absolute, need not corrupt. It takes great fortitude, self control and moral fiber to be in a position of power and never abuse it, but it is possible. A major problem with power, is that the control it gives a person blinds him from the truth that what power essentially is, is not a tool for his amusement, but it is a responsibility for those that he has power over. The overwhelming majority of people in positions of power, while they know this to be true, disregard it completely. The leaders that history praises, the leaders that history commends as great, kind, and just leaders are the ones that realized that their power was not their plaything but their responsibility; their burden to bear if you will.
Government is not the only institution of power. Classes, chatrooms, forums, groups of friends, any body of people automatically has a distribution of power whether the people who are in power realize it or not. Whether they realize it or not they exercise some control over the people around them, and they are just as responsible for the people that follow them as the leader of a country. True, in the greater scheme of things a group of friends that has an abusive leader means nothing, but not to that group of friends. To them it means everything.
By now some of you are nodding your heads, and some of you are saying “seriously dude…lighten up”. In the case of the former, kudos. In the case of the latter, this is targeted at you. Everything a person does, sees, hears, or experiences affects him. Human beings, become jaded towards various things, it is human nature. A doctor becomes jaded toward gaping wounds, a homicide detective becomes jaded toward dead bodies, a torturer becomes jaded toward human suffering. Someone who has power and abuses becomes jaded toward his impact on others. To such a person the world becomes a constant power struggle. There is no longer any standard human interaction, there is just who can overpower whom.
Joseph Stalin, not a very nice person by any account. A power abuser by all accounts. Killing innocent people as he saw fit, starving his people, not a very good or just leader. What motivates a person to commit such atrocities? What motivates a person to commit such mass acts of terror? What turns a person into such a brutal animal? Simple really, power. He justified all his actions by saying the people he targeted were treasonous, anti government, inciters. Were they really? No, of course not. They simply wanted a fair and just system of government. Were they wrong? Did they deserve death for speaking out against wrongdoing? Of course not. Any sane person would tell you that not only were they well within their rights, but that they should be commended for their efforts. Why is it then, that so many people employ similar methods with their position of power?
The answer is simple. Nobody wants to imagine themselves as Joseph Stalin, who they see as a detestable creature. But are they really so different? Obviously the impact they have, and their actions have nowhere near the brutality or impact of Stalin, but are the motives any different?
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Post by Benyamin on Jun 4, 2010 0:16:17 GMT -5
I'm not sure i understand.
what power are these people abusing?
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Post by bombmaniac on Jun 4, 2010 0:22:03 GMT -5
this post is not specific.
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Post by zAkAtAk on Jun 4, 2010 7:50:35 GMT -5
then get specific.
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Post by Joey on Jun 4, 2010 9:24:15 GMT -5
Uhhhh, wait what? Dosen't really make sense if you dont specify. You shouldn't be afraid to point out something. It's free speech dude, say what you want if it is serious.
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Post by Ryan on Jun 4, 2010 9:35:44 GMT -5
Oh, the irony of discussing free speech in an abuse of power thread lol
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Post by Joey on Jun 4, 2010 9:38:06 GMT -5
Oh, the irony of discussing free speech in an abuse of power thread lol Like that quote so much
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Post by bombmaniac on Jun 4, 2010 10:57:56 GMT -5
no. being specific would turn this thread into either people being defensive, and others pointing fingers, or an admin bashing thread. that is not my intention. the people who this is targeted at know it is targeted at them, unless they're complete morons, or blind egotists. for the rest of you, feel free to post your thoughts, differences in opinion, or funny image macros
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Post by Breepop on Jun 4, 2010 11:20:45 GMT -5
Well, I know it's not me.
: D
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Post by bombmaniac on Jun 4, 2010 12:58:39 GMT -5
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2010 13:30:57 GMT -5
This problem is rampant, and I am not specifying roles. This is not an admin matter. This is a general matter. So please do not get defensive on this thread. If you do, all it means is that this applies to you. Translation:This problem is rampant, and I am not specifying roles because I am afraid I will be stabbed if I specify any. This is a general matter. So please don't get defensive in this thread. If you do, all it means is that this applies to you and that I managed to point out the abusive person I wanted without being in risk of suffering the consequences. I don't know who you're talking about... it's surely not me... Just kidding! ;D But seriously now... I think it depends of the people. Some people are more fit to obtain power than others (and ironically, those who want power are the ones who shouldn't have it xD ), I think it is well accepted in psychology, but don't quote me on it. Some people are easily corruptible. Some just don't know what is best for most people and do major screw ups. The few who actually know how to rule things properly normally don't want to. It's one of those strange things. In forums and communities we don't have much choice besides starting an (hopefully) fairer community. In democracies we need to educate the citizens on who is actually a proper person to government. This involves teaching people what do they need most... who offers it... and how not to fall into "sweet talks". In other forms of government, we need to make sure that: a) the king/dictator/whatever isn't a bad governor (it is possible to have good dictatures, but they are very hard, if not almost impossible). b) to get a good plan to get him out of the power without causing bloodshed if he is a bad dictator. What we need to find out now is how to make a system to discover who are the best candidates and the ones who will not abuse their power. One idea might be to get big companies to try to convince with bribes the candidates to do something (in the case of democracies) if they get elected and see who falls into it. Better debates would work to see if a candidate as a clear head and good ideas. Just my 2¢.
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Cortney
Star
[AWD:0c15]The Objectioner
The Bown
Posts: 885
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Post by Cortney on Jun 4, 2010 13:37:39 GMT -5
Just because someone doesn't share your viewpoint on abusing power doesn't mean that they themselves abuse power.
If this is an indirect attempt at attacking admins (or if they are one of the groups you're talking about), then all I can do is point to Erin's PogoTOK. If you have a problem with an admin, talk to them about it, not other people. The same concept applies to members as well.
However, if this was just an attempt to stir up drama, have fun.
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earth
Moon
the awesome
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Post by earth on Jun 4, 2010 14:30:00 GMT -5
what's the point of this whole thread?
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Post by bombmaniac on Jun 4, 2010 15:02:54 GMT -5
@radicallyblue, you got the point of this thread Cortney, it is in no way admin bashing, read my preface i am not trying to stir up drama at all. power abuse happens all over the forums and extensions of the tribe, but the point of this thread was not to point out specifics. pointing out specifics WOULD indeed create drama. no, there are people who know this is targeted at them specifically, but i will not list them or the reasons i am directing this at them. for the rest of you, the point of this is to bear this in mind as you go through your day. to bear all this in mind when you are in a position of power or influence. Cortney, i may have been a little ambiguous in my preface, but I'll explain in greater detail. the reason i said this is not an admin matter, is because i wanted to specifically do away with any possible admin related drama. i didn't want people bashing the admins or calling them out, i am not trying to start a fight with this. I want people to read the post, and internalize it. internalize the principles of it. i do not want them to wonder if it applies to them, as i said, the people who it applies to know it applies to them. this does not necessarily apply to power abuse everywhere, but i think on this forum, and extensions of the tribe (ie. projects, skype calls, chats, etc...) a major part of the power abuse stems from (in my opinion at least) a need for approval from their peers. a peer pressure of sorts, but not exactly. many times, being mean to one person, or abusing power in certain instances will grant you "cool points" with a certain group of your peers and that is why you may do it, but that is a separate issue for a different long winded post
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Post by Insane_Zang on Jun 4, 2010 15:12:57 GMT -5
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Post by VampiricPadraig on Jun 4, 2010 17:57:00 GMT -5
Heh. I approve of this thread
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Post by Johncoyne on Jun 4, 2010 18:11:27 GMT -5
This most likely isn't, but if anything is directed towards me, tell me politely and I will try to change my ways.
Sorry, whenever I see something directed towards somebody but it isn't specified who it's directed towards, I get worried that it's me automatically.
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