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This is what power does to your brain and body

Discussion in 'Other health news and research' started by hinterland, Dec 17, 2017.

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  1. hinterland

    hinterland Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    From Science Alert: This is what power does to your brain and body.

     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2017
    hinterland, Dec 17, 2017
    #1
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  2. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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    Hi @hinterland , for copyright reasons, please could you edit the quoted part of your post down to, say, the first two paragraphs. Thanks in advance. :)
     
    Andy, Dec 17, 2017
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  3. Barry

    Barry Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Having skim-read the article (via the link), I'm sure much of this applies to the power-mongers manipulating the ME/CFS narrative.
     
    Barry, Dec 17, 2017
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  4. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

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    I read the first couple of paragraphs and gave up. It seems to me to have the argument backwards. They say it's being in power that makes people become less empathetic, more likely to be bullies etc. But I would argue that it is those very characteristics - lack of empathy, being bullies etc. that helped those people get into power in the first place. Which is cause, and which is effect?

    And there are lots of counterexamples of people who gained power but did not misuse it - Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, etc etc.
     
    Trish, Dec 17, 2017
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  5. hinterland

    hinterland Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    There were many similar comments on facebook. But I think this research still has something to tell us - it isn’t about excusing the actions of powerful men, but demonstrating the corrupting influence of power. I think it probably works both ways, amoral people might be attracted to power in the first place and then made worse by it.

    However, not all people will be corrupted. From the article:
     
    hinterland, Dec 17, 2017
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  6. hinterland

    hinterland Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I agree.
     
    hinterland, Dec 17, 2017
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  7. Barry

    Barry Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    There might even be a flip-flop characteristic involved, like balancing on a fence. If someone acquires power with insufficient maturity, then that power might take them one way or the other, and once tipped, reinforce that position they adopt.
     
    Barry, Dec 17, 2017
    #7
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