Comments on: Powerful People, Powerful Ideas http://rationalphilosophy.net/index.php/main/powerful-people-powerful-ideas.html Using philosophy, reason and logic in life, to find meaning, purpose and peace. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:07:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Martin Walker http://rationalphilosophy.net/index.php/main/powerful-people-powerful-ideas.html#comment-123 Martin Walker Tue, 13 May 2008 12:01:51 +0000 http://rationalphilosophy.net/main/powerful-people-powerful-ideas/#comment-123 And, if this is the case, it provides further support for Plato's idea of the wise person who has power foisted on him or her, or the powerful person who has wisdom foisted on him or her -- self selection will otherwise leave us with the same sorry crop of those with something to prove and a stomach for the often nasty and silly games of politics. I'm still fascinated by how this relates to those who become powerful sideways -- the newly wealthy social philanthropists... More on that in coming posts. And, if this is the case, it provides further support for Plato’s idea of the wise person who has power foisted on him or her, or the powerful person who has wisdom foisted on him or her — self selection will otherwise leave us with the same sorry crop of those with something to prove and a stomach for the often nasty and silly games of politics.

I’m still fascinated by how this relates to those who become powerful sideways — the newly wealthy social philanthropists… More on that in coming posts.

]]> By: Valerie http://rationalphilosophy.net/index.php/main/powerful-people-powerful-ideas.html#comment-122 Valerie Tue, 13 May 2008 04:39:23 +0000 http://rationalphilosophy.net/main/powerful-people-powerful-ideas/#comment-122 There appears to be a link between feelings of powerlessness and esteem issues and the climb toward being powerful. Psychological studies of early family dynamics of politicians indicate that the higher they climb, the worse was their emotional relationships in the family of origin, particularly the absense, either physically or emotionally, of the father. This has a direct impact on their leadership capabilities - usually because they are trying to prove something to the parents. When I asked my prof., many years ago, why people who are intelligent, rational, and had good family relations don't go into politics, he told me that well-adjusted people don't have anything to prove to anybody, and they are way too intelligent to want to work with all the misfits in politics. There appears to be a link between feelings of powerlessness and esteem issues and the climb toward being powerful. Psychological studies of early family dynamics of politicians indicate that the higher they climb, the worse was their emotional relationships in the family of origin, particularly the absense, either physically or emotionally, of the father. This has a direct impact on their leadership capabilities - usually because they are trying to prove something to the parents. When I asked my prof., many years ago, why people who are intelligent, rational, and had good family relations don’t go into politics, he told me that well-adjusted people don’t have anything to prove to anybody, and they are way too intelligent to want to work with all the misfits in politics.

]]>