Thursday, December 11, 2014

Baa Baa

The history of Jewish leadership usually involves sheep. The patriarchs, Moshe, Dovid—they all spent a good chunk of their lives as shepherds. The reasoning is this: There is no job training for ultimate power like being a caretaker of rams, ewes, and lambs.

http://ifcamedia.org/fireinmybones/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ShepherdLeader.jpg

This explanation became more tangible to me as I read "Powerful and Coldhearted" by 
Psychological research suggests the answer is no. Studies have repeatedly shown that participants who are in high positions of power (or who are temporarily induced to feel powerful) are less able to adopt the visual, cognitive or emotional perspective of other people, compared to participants who are powerless (or are made to feel so).
Interesting. The prevailing theory has been that the higher one gets the less one needs others, and so casts aside any sort of kindness for humankind. But that doesn't sound right to me. Are people only nice because they need something? Earthlings are benevolent, every day, and they know they won't receive anything in return. 

Instead, the authors posit that once the brain is drunk on power, it begins to rewire itself; the sympathetic neurons quit. 


2 comments:

Mighty Garnel Ironheart said...

This is all inevitable.
Politics is a snake pit. The king viper rules.
Business is built on amibition. The most ruthless guy rules.

Princess Lea said...

Tell that to the touchie-feelie Starbucks CEO.