I was wondering about power today.
What gives a person power?
money,
education,
a title like doctor or dom (in Mozambique the only male I've heard with this title is the Anglican bishop, usually senhor is used).
having something someone else needs: water, food, fuel...
or something someone else wants: a beautiful cloth, an attractive body, fun music.
there are some nice words that rhyme with power: shower, flower, hour, cower, plower.
will this gem of a child ever have power? Does he need power? Does Jesus want him to have power? blessed are you meek ones.
Do I want power? Do you want power? why? why not?
6 comments:
Hi, Sara! I can feel that you really, really want to have power. I tend to forget to focus on my power. I am lazy, but as long as I am living, I want to use my power for something meaningful to me, which seems small and narrow, though. You are always inspiring me and encouraging me.
Please take care of yourself as well!!!
My academic (actually, my Foucauldian) answer is this: Power is not something that can be held or exchanged or even conceived in market terms. It is unhelpful to speak of power as a quantity that can simply be redistributed in order to get justice. Power is more ephemeral than that. It circulates in relational terms. It's neither here nor there, but is sort of ever-present. We are always acting in relation to power and to those who dominate us. Where people live in a state of complete insecurity and can barely act in response to power, we can call it something like "total domination." I should send you a copy of Discipline and Punish. :)
Okay, sorry for geeking out there. I actually think Foucault is very wise with regard to power. For a white European guy. Power is something I write and think about a lot. I think it can be dangerous to romanticize those we think of as "powerless" (I'm not saying you're doing that, of course.). But I do think we have to think about, analyze, and challenge power and how it "acts" on people in relationships. Foucault calls this "insurrections of local, suppressed knowledges"--that is, bringing unheard voices into the discussion, listening to them, giving them epistemic priority, challenging and subverting the dominant discourse. (These are the sorts of things that enable me to live with Philosophy.)
As for Jesus... I don't think he wants people to be powerless. I think he's all about subverting the dominant discourse, uprooting the status quo, turning things around, and... Showing compassion too.
A question: What is the context of the picture you put up? Who's the kid?
Anyway, I hope you're well. Take care of yourself.
P.S. Glad you like Patty Griffin. :)
Kristin- in response to your question, the boy is a preschooler. We were handing out cookies and cheetos that a church member had contributed. I think you're right, Jesus does want him to have power. And I guess that's what drives my work too, giving that kid power.
I like it when you respond to my blogs, then maybe I'll seem intelligent as well
Hi Sara,
I enjoy your blog. Very nice.
On nuclear, I tend to agree with your Engineer friend. With oil production peaking, nuclear may be our best option as oil prices rise. Nuclear power production is capital intensive possibly making it difficult for a developing country to use. Another great option is geothermal, where oil well drilling technology is used to drill a couple shafts 2 to 3 miles down. Water is pumped down one shaft and steam comes up the other and can be used to produce electricity. This could also be used for hydronic heating of homes, like Iceland. This system could produce electricity 24 hours a day, where as wind and solar can only produce power maybe 30% of the time.
Jon
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