Although I am only one person out of 7.18 billion people, I believe that every individual has the ability to wield a great deal of power in society. Yes, even the band geek that nobody knows. Often, many people mistakenly regard power as brute force; however, power is the ability to act or produce an effect. Every day, I wake up. Change my clothes. Go downstairs. Eat my food. Brush my teeth. Walk outside. Go to school. Take a test. Take some notes. Stay awake. Take more notes. Go home. Do homework. Go to sleep. How do these actions contribute to an individual producing an effect, that is, wielding power?
Every now and then, we ask ourselves, "What can we do to make a difference in the world?" Every little action has the possibility of resulting in a larger reaction. From volunteering to supervise the children's playing area to wishing your teacher a good day, you produce a positive effect for that individual or group of individuals. Nonetheless, you also have the ability to ruin a person's day by posting hateful comments or on a larger scale, refusing to allow a human race to enjoy equal protection and man's inalienable rights.
With great power comes great responsibility, as Huckleberry Finn finds out in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Initially, Huck Finn has little power and individualism; as he progresses throughout the novel, his ability to influence others and produce an effect escalates. For once, he has the power to decide for another individual, leading to his moral dilemma of changing Tom's life by either helping his friend Jim escape slavery or returning Miss Watson's "runaway nigger" (Twain 216) to his rightful place.
On the contrary, the opposing view would believe that people have as much power as society gives to him/her, similar to the Declaration of Independence and how it affirms that the government has as much power as the people gives it. According to this viewpoint, community confines certain people to achieve great heights of power, whereas others wield little to no power. Tom Sawyer in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shows his power as the leader of the robber gang as well as leader of the plan to steal Jim. Even though Huck carries the most responsibility for Jim, he obeys all of Tom's orders regardless of its absurdity. Some would say that Tom originally carries this power to control Huck as well as Tom's fate because of his heritage and upbringing as a respectable middle-class boy. However, one individual's actions cannot possibly be confined to society's demands. Huck could have dissented Tom's ridiculous plan, but he does not express his conflicting ideas or feelings with conviction, and he continues to submit to Tom's silly ideas.
Every person is an individual with his/her own ideas and actions, which in then leads to an effect on other individuals. Whether an individual acts by thanking a stranger or sets a black slave free, he/she wields the power to create positive and negative effects. All individuals in this vast world have the capability to carry immense power for their every action.
Your title is a great representation of your blog. I like how you say that even though the individual is tiny in comparison in number to the rest of the world, they still have the power to truly make a mark on the world by affecting others with their own actions and ideas.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the butterfly effect, where a small flap of a butterfly's wing can cause a tornado somewhere else. I must question if my daily routine actually makes a difference somewhere: if they contribute to my power.
ReplyDeleteI, too, agree that each person can have a profound effect upon society; everyone has a significant amount of power. Every action and decision one makes affects countless others.
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