PAGE IN PROGRESS What you see here is a page of my hypertext book POWER of meanings // MEANINGS of power. Initially empty, this page will slowly be filled with thoughts, notes, and quotes. One day, I will use them to write a coherent entry, similar to these completed pages. Thank you for your interest and patience!
Nietzsche - will to power, driving force of all humans
This explains why people do many thing they do. Having power is pleasurable, perhaps because as a survival mechanism (having/using power is an essential aspect of being alive).
You may wonder why some people do things the way they do. Sometimes there seems to be no explanation, so the explanations that come to mind is that these people are just mean or stupid. But sometimes people can do things that bother or hurt others because the actors want to see their influence. Seeing your influence meaning feeling powerful. And if they are powerless in other situations, this may be the way to feel themselves powerful - by doing things that can have impact on people, sometimes negative impact.
connection to parenting: help your child see their influence and develop understanding of choice and awareness (intentionality) not seeing your power leads to feeling of powerlessness, which might lead to abusing power later in life
putting kids pictures up on walls
exhibition or screening after finishing big project at school
How to connect to the idea that using power is rewarding if going against the flow can be is some ways hard and unpleasant (making an effort is not always pleasant, going with the flow is more rewarding)
Power as influence - gratification you can see in people who can see their influence - having power is comforting, gratifying. Control over chaos (on/off power)
The importance of seeing your impact, power as influence: when a woman I knew told me that she thought about what told her about sun getting in the eye to feel better during the day
Having power is rewarding: that’s why you give kids a possibility to choose