Toddlers do not have to be taught to be selfish but they have to be taught to share. They do not have to be taught to react only to their own feelings but they have to be taught to think about others. Our base nature does not pursue personal power through the care of others. It is our highest nature, the nature that we achieve and direct and manage, that works for the benefit of as many people as possible.
Too often we confuse goodness with weak softness. It is too easy for good people to temporarily abandon what they believe is good when they need power. Our ethics are our guide for the direction we believe and act, but power is available to all of us without having to change our belief systems or ethics. The belief that goodness is dullness and weakness comes from how it works when we switch from selfish, manipulative, and dangerous to “good”. Whenever we have been practiced at one side of the spectrum and then switch directions we will first go through a place where the personal power we have had fades and new personal power has not yet been achieved on the other side of that spectrum yet. Since our world system thrives on physical gain as the primarily recognized personal power it is a system that allows selfishness, manipulation, and danger. In this breeding ground personal power too often is learned on that side instead of the other. More people then have seen the dullness as their personal power lessens when they become less jealous or more kind, etc.than have seen the strength that waits on the other side.
Wading into the shallows of less power scares people because there is no sign that if they keep moving power will ever be achieved again. This fear of vulnerability is strong enough to push us back the way we came. It is easier to keep what power we have worked at for ourselves than to look for power in a new place. This leaves the morally corrupt free to show off their power because most of us are too good to achieve power on that side of the spectrum and too afraid of the shallows to push to the other side. Most of the good people we see are shallows people. It is not that they could not be powerful but it is that they have only seen the power work on the darker side. They do not know how to live in their best self and be full of power. It is rare to see those people who have pushed the boundaries of goodness into personal power that manages and nurtures others and makes a powerful impact on the world. They are so rare we call them saints. If we believe they are special we are just excusing ourselves from becoming like them. Upon closer examination of their lives and ideas we see that it is their internal efforts and external efforts that make them great. It is just work anyone can do it.
The first place we will explore is in our will, the part where we choose and determine who we are. Our will is our thought patterns, our belief systems, and our behavior. We are going to look at our belief systems first. These systems are the foundation we have chosen for who we are determined to be or who we have drifted into being until we know how to manage them. Our beliefs are our working beliefs and our core beliefs and our ideals. Our ideals are the highest personality goals we treasure. Our ideals are our hopes, our sense of romance (the basis of pleasure in relationships- nostalgia, beauty, and sense of humor), and our virtues. Virtues are the restrictions and limitations we put on ourselves to increase the influence and power we have with others. This is the first place we will look at for personal power.
Virtues are about power not morality. They can be used to advance us up to greater levels of power on either side of the spectrum. In each place there is one side of virtue and the other. They are opposite of each other but either one will be used on the good or bad side of the personal power spectrum. On one side more of the positive side will be used and on the other more of the negative will be used. For sorting purposes we will call the positive side virtues and the negative side vices. But we have to remember that even the vices are good when used for good and only when necessary. In the same way dangerous and manipulative power will use virtues for its own gain as well.
The first section of virtues and vices are the stretching kind. As virtues they require our mind, will, and emotions to stretch to increase our influence and as vices they attempt to stretch how others perceive so we can influence how they perceive.
§ Honesty vs. delusion: Honesty is a virtue of transparency. Honesty is the disclosing of what is true to us. We can be honest and have no true facts in what we say and show. Honesty is not just in our words but in how we present ourselves and in our choices and actions. Honesty is powerful in keeping accusers from ambushing us with disclosure of our choices and actions. Delusion is a personal power when it is used to keep people looking away from where we are really working and achieving. It is the effort to control what others see. We can delude others as a camouflage and delude ourselves as well. A self-deluded person is very well insulated against the need for change.
§ Opened mindedness vs. arrogance: Open-mindedness is the strength to see and listen. We think of open-mindedness is the shallows as soft goodness like sunshine and daisies but the world changing power of open-mindedness is when it is strong enough to see the dark, the abuse, the horror and not be changed while still learning more. We cannot have the power to change or affect anything we refuse to see and analyze. Arrogance is never opening our thoughts to change. An arrogant person is so convinced that they are right they will not even consider alternative views or information. Arrogance is a personal power that builds a fortress around thoughts and feelings. New thoughts and feelings will never get in and the ones we already have are protected from being shaken. Because arrogance is absolutely without compromise it can bulldoze the will of others. Arrogance makes a battering ram of confidence that no amount of evidence will make waiver.
§ Humility vs. pride and lowliness: The strongest humility is seeing ourselves for what we really are at the time. Right now we may be the best for the task at hand. That is a humble stance if it is true. Humility is not strong when it only keeps us low. Humilities strength is in keeping our evaluation of ourselves fluid. Humility will give us the strength to move over when minutes later a better person comes along or to accept when we are needed. Pride as an attitude toward our behavior is not a vice. When we chose, act, and communicate well we can be proud of that. Here we are idealizing pride as a personal power. Pride gives strength when we use it to refuse to acknowledge what we don’t want to. The acceptance only of what we are proud of and the attempt to ignore or erase anything that will not be up to our standards of pride can be a very attractive force to those who want to be guided. We can see the rest of the world as lesser and there are a lot of people who will be channeled by that force alone. Some people like to put others above themselves to reaffirm that they are lowly. Lowliness has personal power because it pulls at other people. Lowliness looks for every opening to be dragged along with others’ successes and efforts. When we idealize lowliness we can be the permanent baby whom others nurture and are so very careful with for all of our lives. We can tell if we are really weak or being lowly when we are pushed to be stronger. The weak will try but the lowly will get angry and even aggressive.
§ Meekness vs. jealousy: Meekness is thought of as being little and mild, but as a personal power its strength is in being able to change roles quickly. A meek person will lead and follow, teach and be the student, help and be helped, be rewarded and punished, etc. If we are meek and not happy with our role we will learn how to be better at the role we wish we had, if it is a leading role. We will find someone to take our place as leader if we want a lesser role. Jealous feelings come from the emotions and we all feel jealous at times, but here we are looking at using jealousy as a personal power. Jealousy as a tool will tear at the reputation of whoever has the role or position or prestige we want. Jealousy will sabotage and will even destroy the prestige rather than let it go to someone else. Those of us who use jealousy as a weapon will steal the spotlight at every opportunity and try to make others seem unworthy or flawed whenever the spotlight is on them.
§ Discretion vs. obnoxiousness or impulsiveness: Virtues (and vices) have the most effect as a personal power when they are practiced fully and without restraint. Discretion is measuring every thought and action before it is said or done. When we practice discretion the extent of our power is measured out and used when and where it is most affective. Discretion very strong virtue when it is coupled with other virtues as a balance to that other virtue. Discretion allows everything we say to be fully honest and everything we do to be completely meek without saying too much or being treated like we are too low. Obnoxiousness is the balancer of vices. When arrogance, for example is practiced lightly it is not very overwhelming to others. But when it is practiced to the point of being a driving force it makes others have to deal with the arrogant person and usually on that person’s terms. Obnoxiousness pushes for the greatest impact with no regard for whether or not it will get us closer to any goals. That lack of goals makes it very annoying on its own and easily partnered with other vices. Obnoxiousness can be such a strong social bomb because it makes other people spend more time dealing with their anger and annoyance and less time working at pursuing their own goals. Impulsiveness is not as constant as obnoxiousness. Its power is making vices unpredictable as to when and how they will be used. Impulsive pride and arrogance makes them able to push through others defenses because it is hard to defend against the unpredictable.
Personal power is only going to prove itself to be power if we are determined to have it. If we are only going to allow ourselves to be lightly stretched we will have little power for good. If we are only willing to lightly stretch how others feel and perceive we will only be lightly bad. If we are selfish like a child we will be only as bad as a child. If we are self-managed like a child then we will only be as good as a child. Power is for adults. Adults are responsible for the world and the power in it. Adults are responsible for whether that power is for the good of most or for the good of self only.
The next two sets of virtues will be discussed in Part 2.
Questions:
· If vices can be used by virtuous people for the good of others then in what circumstances can the powers of jealousy, obnoxiousness, delusion, etc. be good?
· Vices are for the maneuvering of others. Can virtues be practiced without impacting and managing the relationship we have with others?
· Can shunning power be a responsible choice for a good person to make?
(This is a place for ideas. We will not be critics of spelling or grammar. Anyone leaving a comment has the responsibility of being as clear as they can be. Anyone reading a comment has the responsibility of understanding the message. The thought can be discussed but not typos or grammar. That's not a valid argument against thoughts anyway.)
