Power and Our True Selves

Many a revolution in the face of history has been a revolution for greater freedom of man. What is freedom really? Why do all people desire freedom? Freedom is the power to do whatever one wants, to be whatever one wants to be. Driven by our lifelong quest for pleasure(or happiness, whichever way you want to look at it), we all hold an ideal world in our minds, be it unrealistic or realistic, and subject to change every moment. Everything we do, we do to be closer to realizing our dream of this ideal world; Don't we all wish for the power to change the world? Do not be fooled though, for there are very different ways in which this power is derived.

Power from within, based solely on one's ability and one's will, contrasted with legitimate power, the power of the masses. Contrary to popular belief, the leader does not command the most power. The leader is granted power by the people, but the people can take it back in an instant. The leader thus must do everything he can to gain favor with the people. He will coerce the people with his words and actions, he will promise rewards in return for the power granted. He must do everything he can to keep the people ignorant, to make them believe that he knows best for the people, and does everything he can for the people. He must tread cautiously, so as not to invoke the wrath of the people, who will strip him of his title as they see fit. Ironic, for the leader is in fact dependent on the people for his power; no longer is the people his slave, but he is now slave to the people. It is power nonetheless, however it only shows how weak and dependent we truly are. Real power is strength from within, strength to overcome all boundaries, strength to create one's own purpose and beliefs, strength to know whatever what ones to knows, strength to build one's own ideal world, strength to destroy whatever stands in the way. This is ultimate freedom, this is the true self that we all desire, instead of the illusionary self that we are trying to achieve; the self-image that is dependent on how others' judge our appearances and actions.

Our illusionary self, the self molded by society, that which teaches us to love, be moral, to be just(by society's standards) and fair, only serves to deny us of our true selves. That which teaches us to think and act morally, to take others into consideration for our actions ,to do only 'good' and to avoid all that is 'bad', only confuses us. This difference between what we ought to do, and what we want to do causes us to double think all our actions, raising questions about ourselves. If we question ourselves, are we not doubting ourselves? Often we reminisce about our childhood, as it is during this phase where we had little doubts or worries. We gave little concern to how our thoughts or actions, to how others viewed us. It is during this phase where we were closest to our true selves. It is also during this phase when we were most free(but also most vulnerable to outside influences). When we were kids, we loved to think that we were all superheroes with superpowers. The adults, jealous, shrug it off as child's play. However is this not the makings of our true selves? The self that is free, that desires power, amoral yet innocent.
As we grow up, we find ourselves becoming more worrying, thus we feel weaker than when we were younger. We started to place blame on many external factors for our frustrations, to deny our sense of weakness. We find ourselves asserting that people who blames themselves are weak in an attempt to justify our ressentiment. In reality, the opposite is true, for individuals who constantly blames themselves are constantly growing stronger, because they acknowledge their weakness. They are honest; the truth is that all our frustrations can be attributed to ourselves, and ourselves only. Only by being aware of our weakness and ignorance will we push ourselves to seek greater power and wisdom.

You may agree or disagree with me, but in silent contemplation I found that I know(or attempted to know) more about you than you know yourself. For that you should be ashamed. It is not what we think about, but how we think that makes us unique.