Power can have amazing transforming effects on people. In fact, a person’s true grounding and essence of character can be judged as effectively in a position of power as under extreme hardship.
While holding power, one lives life with a new intensity and energy. Extreme adulation, the good life power brings in its wake and of course increased responsibility keep one highly energised and the atmosphere crackling. The energy and impatience a powerful man exudes can be an attractive force that not only feeds him but also touches and affects those around. Lesser mortals bask in its reflected glory and feel blessed.
Trapped in an energetic field that feeds on itself to create the aura they dwell within, powerful men are bound to get drunk on their own sense of importance. How else can you explain what Dominique Strauss Kahn landed himself into! Or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Or so many other powerful men, for that matter. Power acts as an extremely addictive drug that has strange effects on most. It makes people do the weirdest things, from lunging at room maids like sex maniacs to stalking unwilling colleagues, to indulging with interns behind closed Oval Office doors!
Closer home, we have all heard of the TV producer who flings mobile phones and worse at people’s heads. A CEO makes a habit of sitting with his feet propped on the conference table as he talks to colleagues, while another went a step further and used the time to cut his toenails while in a meeting. Some multitasking!
President Lyndon Johnson was known to call colleagues for a consultation while sitting on the toilet seat, while President Richard Nixon got himself into the Watergate Scandal by illegally tapping phones, believing, “When the President does it, it’s not illegal.”
Power grants privileges which can either be used or misused. More than that, it seems to envelop those that reside within its charmed precincts with an invincible haze that makes them take risks they wouldn’t dare think of otherwise. Social scientists at Stanford and UC Berkeley have established through research that power can indeed be a highly intoxicating elixir. As such it is absolutely possible for people to be “drunk on power.” Much like alcohol, power too lowers inhibitions , making people do things that would be highly uncharacteristic of them in normal times.
A freshly showered Kahn could have had many better and willing options than forcing himself on an unwilling hotel maid! Surely it was that haze of power that convinced him the maid would go along with him or at worst be a quiet, willing victim! No wonder poor wives are left swearing by the “innocence” of their husbands , unable to believe or accept the socially deviant, bordering-on-insane behaviour of men they would have sworn they knew exceedingly well. The bad behaviour associated with power can be attributed to this lowering of inhibitions when the true character or animal instincts show through.
And so you hear of stray incidents of a powerful bureaucrat beating his servant half to death, or the wife of a powerful man humiliating her maid in public. What else would you call these people but ‘drunk on power’ ?
Shifting power dynamics can also involve physiological changes, studies reveal powerful people experience a rush of adrenaline that gives them a feeling of supreme power. Research conducted on monkeys shows a change in their serotonin levels when they ‘move into the dominant alpha position.’ Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac, said Henry Kissinger. Indeed with pumping adrenaline and the lowering of inhibitions, powerful men are as close to animal behaviour as is conceivable for civilised society. Add to that the invincibility factor, where a sense of power fosters the belief that you are beyond harm and beyond the law, and you have Nixon-Clinton-Kahn-Schwarzenegger situations ready to detonate! Hence the saying, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely!
People in power do behave differently from others and more often than not, they behave badly! From mild eccentricities that may amuse or at worst be irritants, to hurting or harassing underlings , to invasion of privacy — powerful men are capable of all unless they learn and make a special attempt to stay grounded.
Opportunities to deviate from the norm are plenty. Even a brush with power leaves one feeling powerful for a while and that taste can be rather addictive! And so you have women swooning to meet powerful men, be it a visiting US President, top industrialists or successful cricketers and stars. And if the man is known to have a glad eye, women fall over themselves to be noticed. So you had a battery of women ready to kill just to get a glimpse of Bill Clinton every time he visited India, whether as President or later! He does arouse the hidden Monika Lewinsky in women! Does power have the same impact on women? To a certain extent , yes. But the saving grace for women is that even though powerful and rich men attract women, most feel diminished by a woman in such a position. And so the scope for being a Bad Girl lessens.
Meanwhile, powerful men just don’t seem to be learning. One would have thought after Tiger Woods they would have learnt to keep their zippers up even when pursued, forget about pouncing on unwilling victims! But it does seem they cannot help but give in to their base cravings, aided and abetted by the stimulation power gives them!
To take liberty with a friend’s Facebook status, Dominique’s is an example of what Power and Strauss Kahn do to you!
Like every Indian I am delighted the battle against corruption has been joined. Finally. How far it will go is tough to predict. But the cynical phase is over, for now. Inspired by Anna Hazare's campaign, an aggressive media baying for the blood of the corrupt, and a Supreme Court that means business, the people of India are finally ready to believe it's possible to fight corruption, and take out corrupt politicians, businessmen, Government servants. This is a definitive first step: Opening Nelson's eye. Unless the Government accepts it is corrupt, it can never bring about change.
The people who have been caught and jailed are not, as in the past, small time crooks. They are powerful and influential, capable of applying enormous political pressure. They did. They hired the nation's most expensive lawyers too, people who charge per hearing what we earn in a full year. Yet they were unable to escape public outrage and the long arm of the law. They are now languishing in Tihar, with the courts having refused them bail. If nothing else, it shows that when crooks go down, there's no one to offer a helping hand. Compare this with Binayak Sen's incarceration where not only thousands of Indians but Nobel Prize winners from all over the world came out in Sen's support. And Sen's alleged crime was far worse: Sedition.
The reason is simple: The world knows the difference between crooks and fall guys. Kalmadi never stood for Indian sport. He stood for corruption in Indian sport. Raja never stood for telecom. He stood for bribery in telecom. It's the same for the businessmen and Government servants in jail. They were all there for their dexterity in bending rules. Some, like VK Verma, had run-ins with the CBI in the past and were yet chosen. The reasons are obvious.
Many of them dared the media to do its worst. Others were confident they would be bailed out at the last minute. Middle class India thought so too. For we are accustomed to seeing corrupt and influential people get away without a scratch and sometimes even being rewarded with a Padma Bhushan as well. But this time it did not happen. With the exception of former Congress CM Ashok Chavan who seems to have quietly snaked his way into oblivion, the rest are cooling their heels in Tihar, like petty criminals. It's a good beginning and, if this national campaign against corruption continues, we can hope to see some real change.
But when fighting corruption we must be cautious. This is the precise opportunity Governments to try and subvert democratic institutions. And this is exactly what's happening. So, if you are not careful, you will see rampant phone tapping by State agencies who will claim they are doing it to catch tax evaders and corrupt officers. Ratan Tata was not much off the mark when he said we are becoming a banana republic. The way his private conversations with Niira Radia were tapped and released to the press shows a dangerous trend. Phone tapping is an extreme step to gather information. No civilized society, no democracy does it unless under severe compulsions. Here, it is easy and rampant. Any rogue policeman can order it and get away. So can any rogue tax officer. There are even businessmen who tap each other's phones by bribing the system. It's an old habit of ours begun by Governments in power. Even a moralist like VP Singh as prime minister tapped Chandra Shekhar's phone because he suspected Shekhar of plotting his ouster.
But tapping phones is old hat today. The Government is openly demanding from RIM that it must be allowed to tap into private Blackberry data. It's putting pressure on Google to allow it to read your and my emails, enter our chats, have access to everything we say, write, do. It wants open access to DMs on Twitter and privacy settings on Facebook. Trust me, this is not about national security. It's not about chasing corruption either. It's a wicked and dangerous subversion of democracy, a quick way to hunt down its critics, intimidate them. It's an easy route to embarrassing political opponents. A smart device to short circuit democratic norms, perpetuate the rule of those in power. The intent is to harass and blackmail. While you may enjoy the titillation of hearing Nira Radia chat with Ratan Tata about her couture and her cars, you must realise that taping such conversations is dangerous for you, and for every free citizen of India. Imagine the chaos when everyone's private chats become public news. Everyone's right to privacy will be compromised. Reputations will destroyed without reason or purpose.
Twitter and Facebook have help to bring despotic regimes under pressure in the Middle East. This was possible only because technology allows us the privacy to plot against the wicked in power. By allowing the State to subvert that privacy, destroy our freedoms we are compromising on all our rights. So fight corruption we must. But we must also protect our democracy at the same time.
Tarikh PRU-13: Najib-Muhyiddin tak sependapat?
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan timbalannya Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dilaporkan berselisih mengenai tarikh untuk mengumumkan pilihan raya umum ke-13, kata seorang pemimpin PKR, lapor TV Selangor.
Timbalan Pengerusi PKR Pahang Ahmad Nizam Hamid berkata perbalahan ini timbul kerana ada pergelutan kuasa dalam Umno.
"Ramai yang ramalkan PRU bulan Julai ini, saya ingin berkongsi, teman-teman saya di dalam Umno memberitahu apa yang berlaku ialah terdapat desakan daripada kumpulan pro-Muhyidin Yassin mendesak supaya Najib Razak istihar pilihan raya dan bubar parlimen dalam waktu terdekat.
"Kerana penguasaan, Muhyidin ingin berkuasa tetapi Najib masih berbelah-bagi, Namun kumpulan ini terus mendesak (mahukan PRU cepat)," kata Nizam pada cermahanya di Markas PAS Temerloh, malam semalam.
Muhyiddin dilaporkan mendesak Najib untuk mengadakan pilihan raya secepat mungkin walaupun presiden Umno itu menyedari langkah itu bakal mengundang padah berasaskan sentimen semasa pengundi.
Menurut beliau, kekalahan bagi Umno pada pilihan raya akan datang akan membuka laluan untuk Muhyiddin mencabar ketuanya pada pemilihan parti dan jika menang, Muhyiddin sekali gus akan menjadi perdana menteri menggantikan Najib.
Nizam berkata kumpulan pro-Muhyiddin menggunakan taktik yang sama untuk mengusir Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dari Putrajaya selepas beliau memanggil pilihan raya umum ke-12 pada Mac 2008 atas desakan pihak tertentu.
Keputusan itu berakhir dengan Umno-BN hilang majoriti dua pertiga di Parlimen.
Pada pilihan raya itu, Pakatan Rakyat yang mewakili PKR-PAS-DAP turut menawan Perak, Selangor, Pulau Pinang dan Kedah di samping mengekalkan Kelantan.
Tidak lama selepas itu, Muhyiddin dilaporkan antara pemimpin utama yang mendesak supaya Abdullah berundur "demi masa depan Umno."
Nizam berkata apa yang berlaku dalam Umno ketika itu adalah kes "kawan makan kawan" dan kini episod itu sedang berulang sekali lagi antara Muhyiddin dan Najib.
"Muhyidin mahu perangkap Najib agar nasib yang diterima oleh Abdullah Ahmad Badawi akan terjadi kepada Najib, sebab apa ia berlaku... dari maklumat yang kita terima Muhyidin mengesa anak buahnya kerana beliau sudah berumur berbanding Najib. Jadi sebab itu Muhyidin mahu jadi Perdana Menteri," katanya.
Hadir sama pada majlis itu adalah Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, ADUN Kuala Semantan, Syed Hamid Syed Mohamad dan Pengerusi Majlis Pimpinan Negeri Pahang, Fauzi Abd Rahman.
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan timbalannya Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dilaporkan berselisih mengenai tarikh untuk mengumumkan pilihan raya umum ke-13, kata seorang pemimpin PKR, lapor TV Selangor.
Timbalan Pengerusi PKR Pahang Ahmad Nizam Hamid berkata perbalahan ini timbul kerana ada pergelutan kuasa dalam Umno.
"Ramai yang ramalkan PRU bulan Julai ini, saya ingin berkongsi, teman-teman saya di dalam Umno memberitahu apa yang berlaku ialah terdapat desakan daripada kumpulan pro-Muhyidin Yassin mendesak supaya Najib Razak istihar pilihan raya dan bubar parlimen dalam waktu terdekat.
"Kerana penguasaan, Muhyidin ingin berkuasa tetapi Najib masih berbelah-bagi, Namun kumpulan ini terus mendesak (mahukan PRU cepat)," kata Nizam pada cermahanya di Markas PAS Temerloh, malam semalam.
Muhyiddin dilaporkan mendesak Najib untuk mengadakan pilihan raya secepat mungkin walaupun presiden Umno itu menyedari langkah itu bakal mengundang padah berasaskan sentimen semasa pengundi.
Menurut beliau, kekalahan bagi Umno pada pilihan raya akan datang akan membuka laluan untuk Muhyiddin mencabar ketuanya pada pemilihan parti dan jika menang, Muhyiddin sekali gus akan menjadi perdana menteri menggantikan Najib.
Nizam berkata kumpulan pro-Muhyiddin menggunakan taktik yang sama untuk mengusir Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dari Putrajaya selepas beliau memanggil pilihan raya umum ke-12 pada Mac 2008 atas desakan pihak tertentu.
Keputusan itu berakhir dengan Umno-BN hilang majoriti dua pertiga di Parlimen.
Pada pilihan raya itu, Pakatan Rakyat yang mewakili PKR-PAS-DAP turut menawan Perak, Selangor, Pulau Pinang dan Kedah di samping mengekalkan Kelantan.
Tidak lama selepas itu, Muhyiddin dilaporkan antara pemimpin utama yang mendesak supaya Abdullah berundur "demi masa depan Umno."
Nizam berkata apa yang berlaku dalam Umno ketika itu adalah kes "kawan makan kawan" dan kini episod itu sedang berulang sekali lagi antara Muhyiddin dan Najib.
"Muhyidin mahu perangkap Najib agar nasib yang diterima oleh Abdullah Ahmad Badawi akan terjadi kepada Najib, sebab apa ia berlaku... dari maklumat yang kita terima Muhyidin mengesa anak buahnya kerana beliau sudah berumur berbanding Najib. Jadi sebab itu Muhyidin mahu jadi Perdana Menteri," katanya.
Hadir sama pada majlis itu adalah Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, ADUN Kuala Semantan, Syed Hamid Syed Mohamad dan Pengerusi Majlis Pimpinan Negeri Pahang, Fauzi Abd Rahman.
Timbalan Pengerusi PKR Pahang Ahmad Nizam Hamid berkata perbalahan ini timbul kerana ada pergelutan kuasa dalam Umno."Ramai yang ramalkan PRU bulan Julai ini, saya ingin berkongsi, teman-teman saya di dalam Umno memberitahu apa yang berlaku ialah terdapat desakan daripada kumpulan pro-Muhyidin Yassin mendesak supaya Najib Razak istihar pilihan raya dan bubar parlimen dalam waktu terdekat.
"Kerana penguasaan, Muhyidin ingin berkuasa tetapi Najib masih berbelah-bagi, Namun kumpulan ini terus mendesak (mahukan PRU cepat)," kata Nizam pada cermahanya di Markas PAS Temerloh, malam semalam.
Muhyiddin dilaporkan mendesak Najib untuk mengadakan pilihan raya secepat mungkin walaupun presiden Umno itu menyedari langkah itu bakal mengundang padah berasaskan sentimen semasa pengundi.
Menurut beliau, kekalahan bagi Umno pada pilihan raya akan datang akan membuka laluan untuk Muhyiddin mencabar ketuanya pada pemilihan parti dan jika menang, Muhyiddin sekali gus akan menjadi perdana menteri menggantikan Najib.
Nizam berkata kumpulan pro-Muhyiddin menggunakan taktik yang sama untuk mengusir Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dari Putrajaya selepas beliau memanggil pilihan raya umum ke-12 pada Mac 2008 atas desakan pihak tertentu.Keputusan itu berakhir dengan Umno-BN hilang majoriti dua pertiga di Parlimen.
Pada pilihan raya itu, Pakatan Rakyat yang mewakili PKR-PAS-DAP turut menawan Perak, Selangor, Pulau Pinang dan Kedah di samping mengekalkan Kelantan.
Tidak lama selepas itu, Muhyiddin dilaporkan antara pemimpin utama yang mendesak supaya Abdullah berundur "demi masa depan Umno."
Nizam berkata apa yang berlaku dalam Umno ketika itu adalah kes "kawan makan kawan" dan kini episod itu sedang berulang sekali lagi antara Muhyiddin dan Najib.
"Muhyidin mahu perangkap Najib agar nasib yang diterima oleh Abdullah Ahmad Badawi akan terjadi kepada Najib, sebab apa ia berlaku... dari maklumat yang kita terima Muhyidin mengesa anak buahnya kerana beliau sudah berumur berbanding Najib. Jadi sebab itu Muhyidin mahu jadi Perdana Menteri," katanya.Hadir sama pada majlis itu adalah Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, ADUN Kuala Semantan, Syed Hamid Syed Mohamad dan Pengerusi Majlis Pimpinan Negeri Pahang, Fauzi Abd Rahman.
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