Comments on: Question of the Week http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/04/25/question-of-the-week-15/ Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:09:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: maio http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/04/25/question-of-the-week-15/#comment-35885 maio Tue, 13 May 2008 18:06:06 +0000 http://paulocoelhoblog.com/?p=1153#comment-35885 Does man when given with absolute power becomes evil? Having absolute power is having great control over everything. Absolute power defines what God is. When God created the first human beings they were given powers to do anything in the Garden of Eden, except for one thing, not to eat the forbidden fruit. Their power was limited. Adam and Eve were tempted by the devil. They lost control over the situation and gave in to the temptation. They have misused their powers. God got angry but still love them. We are given free will; the will to choose between good and evil. Humans have the tendency to be good or evil depending on situations, norms and morality. We lose control when we are provoked, when we face fear & anxieties, when we’re in extreme situations that we can not rationalize. My answer to the question is both yes and no. Yes, because if man is given with absolute power and he can not control his power, he has the tendency to misuse this power and become evil. No, because man is created by God. Every thing that God created is GOOD. We are fundamentally good. It is in our actions that make us do evil things. Does man when given with absolute power becomes evil?

Having absolute power is having great control over everything.
Absolute power defines what God is.
When God created the first human beings they were given powers to do anything in the Garden of Eden, except for one thing, not to eat the forbidden fruit.
Their power was limited.
Adam and Eve were tempted by the devil.
They lost control over the situation and gave in to the temptation.
They have misused their powers.
God got angry but still love them.

We are given free will; the will to choose between good and evil.
Humans have the tendency to be good or evil depending on situations, norms and morality.
We lose control when we are provoked, when we face fear & anxieties, when we’re in extreme situations that we can not rationalize.

My answer to the question is both yes and no.

Yes, because if man is given with absolute power and he can not control his power, he has the tendency to misuse this power and become evil.
No, because man is created by God. Every thing that God created is GOOD.
We are fundamentally good. It is in our actions that make us do evil things.

]]> By: Liisa http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/04/25/question-of-the-week-15/#comment-35376 Liisa Sun, 04 May 2008 15:17:31 +0000 http://paulocoelhoblog.com/?p=1153#comment-35376 I recently read the Michael Foucault's essay "Panopticism" published in "Discipline and Punish" cos we did a project on surveillance, based on the essay, in college. It made me think that the whole essence of power is as follows: He who sees (observes) is in power of what he sees, because he has the power to use what he sees for and against that what he sees. As an example, I shall use Mr. Coelho here. To me, he seems like a rather powerful figure, people listen to what he has to say and take his advice. But when I broke this idea down, I noticed that when Paulo publishes a text, he alters himself to the power of the readers. We, readers, can decide, whether we like what he writes or not. We, as observers, have the power to agree or disagree with him. The more of us there is to like his texts (or the more intense the liking is), the more power he seems to have, but in fact, we are where that power lives, we are part of that power. That which I call power here, is an energy that he is a representative of, because he was the one to say that which we agree with (ie. share) out loud first. A man can only be a representative of the energy of power, when there is more people (more energy) either agreeing with him or passive (not taking action for or againts), than againts him. You asked if a man, given absolute power, is evil. Following the idea of power described above, absolute power is absolute vision over absolutely everything. Seeing everything, WITHOUT BEING SEEN. If the one in power was seen, he would be altered to other's power, and he would not have an absolute power anymore. So YES. It is possible, that under the circumstances that one cannot get caught, due to no one being aware of him or brave enough to be againts him, one can do anything he wishes, be it evil or not. And what's interesting is that often the reason people do not commit "bad things" is because they feel that there is an all seeing eye or God watching over all their actions, in order to judge them one day. They feel that they are being watched, whether they are or not. So... if the "good people" didn't believe in karma or judgement day, would they act differently...? Who knows... But as a conclusion I'd like to address the importance of being aware of what's around us, keeping our eyes open, cos someone in absolute power is only in absolute power, because the opposite is not aware of them. I recently read the Michael Foucault’s essay “Panopticism” published in “Discipline and Punish” cos we did a project on surveillance, based on the essay, in college.

It made me think that the whole essence of power is as follows:

He who sees (observes) is in power of what he sees, because he has the power to use what he sees for and against that what he sees.

As an example, I shall use Mr. Coelho here.

To me, he seems like a rather powerful figure, people listen to what he has to say and take his advice.

But when I broke this idea down, I noticed that when Paulo publishes a text, he alters himself to the power of the readers. We, readers, can decide, whether we like what he writes or not. We, as observers, have the power to agree or disagree with him. The more of us there is to like his texts (or the more intense the liking is), the more power he seems to have, but in fact, we are where that power lives, we are part of that power. That which I call power here, is an energy that he is a representative of, because he was the one to say that which we agree with (ie. share) out loud first.

A man can only be a representative of the energy of power, when there is more people (more energy) either agreeing with him or passive (not taking action for or againts), than againts him.

You asked if a man, given absolute power, is evil.

Following the idea of power described above, absolute power is absolute vision over absolutely everything. Seeing everything, WITHOUT BEING SEEN. If the one in power was seen, he would be altered to other’s power, and he would not have an absolute power anymore.

So YES. It is possible, that under the circumstances that one cannot get caught, due to no one being aware of him or brave enough to be againts him, one can do anything he wishes, be it evil or not.

And what’s interesting is that often the reason people do not commit “bad things” is because they feel that there is an all seeing eye or God watching over all their actions, in order to judge them one day. They feel that they are being watched, whether they are or not.

So… if the “good people” didn’t believe in karma or judgement day, would they act differently…? Who knows…

But as a conclusion I’d like to address the importance of being aware of what’s around us, keeping our eyes open, cos someone in absolute power is only in absolute power, because the opposite is not aware of them.

]]> By: Maria http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/04/25/question-of-the-week-15/#comment-34954 Maria Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:59:43 +0000 http://paulocoelhoblog.com/?p=1153#comment-34954 Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

]]> By: Maria http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/04/25/question-of-the-week-15/#comment-34943 Maria Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:31:08 +0000 http://paulocoelhoblog.com/?p=1153#comment-34943 The sword needs to be honored The sword needs to be honored

]]> By: Satora http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/04/25/question-of-the-week-15/#comment-34933 Satora Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:11:44 +0000 http://paulocoelhoblog.com/?p=1153#comment-34933 In the experiment there were two “good” prison guards, they never did anything to harm the” prisoners” but they also did nothing about the other guards misusing the power given to them over the prisoners. They did not have the courage to stop the hell. Do you have the courage to stop the daily hell millions of people are going thru each and every day? Maybe Lucifer is our middle name. Misuse of power does not only happen on the high level of the political, social and religious life of this planet – it happens in our daily life on the “small” scale and is just as hurtful. “Absolute” power is very subjective – any victim will see his/her attacker as having absolute power over him/her. (Bodily, spiritual or mental harm) Power is ruled by passion (lust) “Power is the great aphrodisiac”(Kissinger) Lots of crimes are committed by normal person, just like the person next door above all suspicion. What triggers the very moment the crime is committed – is a passion (7 vices) in one form or another….Anybody is capable of committing a crime (an act of misuse of power over another human being) – just what stops you from doing it is important. SO WHAT STOPS YOU??? In the experiment there were two “good” prison guards, they never did anything to harm the” prisoners” but they also did nothing about the other guards misusing the power given to them over the prisoners. They did not have the courage to stop the hell.

Do you have the courage to stop the daily hell millions of people are going thru each and every day? Maybe Lucifer is our middle name. Misuse of power does not only happen on the high level of the political, social and religious life of this planet – it happens in our daily life on the “small” scale and is just as hurtful. “Absolute” power is very subjective – any victim will see his/her attacker as having absolute power over him/her. (Bodily, spiritual or mental harm)

Power is ruled by passion (lust) “Power is the great aphrodisiac”(Kissinger) Lots of crimes are committed by normal person, just like the person next door above all suspicion. What triggers the very moment the crime is committed – is a passion (7 vices) in one form or another….Anybody is capable of committing a crime (an act of misuse of power over another human being) – just what stops you from doing it is important.
SO WHAT STOPS YOU???

]]> By: Carmen Larisa http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/04/25/question-of-the-week-15/#comment-34921 Carmen Larisa Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:13:23 +0000 http://paulocoelhoblog.com/?p=1153#comment-34921 Man is not evil at the core, I am convinced about that but the problems of the world we live in are the result of the problems we have inside, a reflection of human beings' stupidity... Speaking of experiments, I have read a very interesting article about a psychologist, dr. Haleakala Lew Len from Hawaii, who had accepted to be a doctor in the State Hospital of Hawaii about forty years ago, in a period when patients with mental problems who had committed horrible crimes were giving everyone a hard time. It is amazing that he never met his patients, he only wanted to have access to their files. In four years time the pavillion was closed because of the lack of violent patients! He declared that all he had to do was to work on his own interior problems. If you want to cure someone, including a patient with mental problems, you can do it by working upon your own problems. We create the world through our thoughts. All that we think is put into action into the physical world. Mind is like a garden and the seeds are the thoughs and desires. We have to be very careful about what we choose to plant because we will definitely harvest the effects of what we initially planted. Dr. Len considered that he was responsisble for his patients' well-being because their lives crossed with his life. If we judge a certain person, sooner or later that person will behave the way we thought about him or her, will have the tendency to be like we perceived him or her. When we use the incredible power of forgiveness, good is spreading very fast and problems disappear. It is important to have a real feeling of letting problems go, of forgiveness and then a sign of healing is obvious because an overwhelming feeling of love comes into our lives. He solved his patients problems by saying: "I am sorry for you, I forgive everything, please forgive me too" over and over again, with pure desire to help and to open minds and hearts. We can apply this method to everything with spectacular results when the wish to forgive is sincere! :-) It's about the revival of innocence, the state of conciousness when we don't seek our personal benefit, but the collective one, when we live joyfully, spontaneously and enthusiastically! I guess these words say it all. The only thing left is to put them in practice and just believe in the infinite potential of good! That's all, pretty simple, isn't it?... ;O) All the best in the whole world, lots of appreciation and respect! Many hugs from all my heart, Carmen Larisa Man is not evil at the core, I am convinced about that but the problems of the world we live in are the result of the problems we have inside, a reflection of human beings’ stupidity…
Speaking of experiments, I have read a very interesting article about a psychologist, dr. Haleakala Lew Len from Hawaii, who had accepted to be a doctor in the State Hospital of Hawaii about forty years ago, in a period when patients with mental problems who had committed horrible crimes were giving everyone a hard time. It is amazing that he never met his patients, he only wanted to have access to their files. In four years time the pavillion was closed because of the lack of violent patients! He declared that all he had to do was to work on his own interior problems. If you want to cure someone, including a patient with mental problems, you can do it by working upon your own problems. We create the world through our thoughts. All that we think is put into action into the physical world. Mind is like a garden and the seeds are the thoughs and desires. We have to be very careful about what we choose to plant because we will definitely harvest the effects of what we initially planted.
Dr. Len considered that he was responsisble for his patients’ well-being because their lives crossed with his life. If we judge a certain person, sooner or later that person will behave the way we thought about him or her, will have the tendency to be like we perceived him or her. When we use the incredible power of forgiveness, good is spreading very fast and problems disappear. It is important to have a real feeling of letting problems go, of forgiveness and then a sign of healing is obvious because an overwhelming feeling of love comes into our lives. He solved his patients problems by saying: “I am sorry for you, I forgive everything, please forgive me too” over and over again, with pure desire to help and to open minds and hearts. We can apply this method to everything with spectacular results when the wish to forgive is sincere! :-) It’s about the revival of innocence, the state of conciousness when we don’t seek our personal benefit, but the collective one, when we live joyfully, spontaneously and enthusiastically!
I guess these words say it all. The only thing left is to put them in practice and just believe in the infinite potential of good! That’s all, pretty simple, isn’t it?… ;O)

All the best in the whole world, lots of appreciation and respect!
Many hugs from all my heart,
Carmen Larisa

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