The Power of Power

This weekend my family had the opportunity to travel to New York City. It was interesting reading everyone's idea of power in a different setting. Being out of Colorado gave me the chance to look at things through a slightly different lens.

We were taking a city tour of New York City, and our tour guide Heather was explaining that though New York City is capital of nothing, that it still is the center of the world. New York is a perfect example of power. The people who live on Fifth Avenue facing Central Park...they have immense economic power. As we explored neighborhoods where Katherine Hepburn and Yoko Ono lived, I thought about the political power that Yoko and her husband, John Lennon, had. Where did the power that there people have come from? What granted them the right to influence the world as they did? Is it because something about them was special, or is it just that the rest of us choose not to take the opportunity.


Target stores could easily be described as one of my favorite places in this world. I'm notorious for spending hours is Target spending more money than I have to be spending. But in the last election when Target Corporation gave $150,000 to MN Forward, an organization in Minnesota that is notorious for their public view on anti-gay behavior. This generous donation was given shortly after the United States Supreme Court overturned an law that originally had prohibited actions like these for the last 63 years. As hard as it was for me, I quit shopping at Target for over six months. As a YouTube video protesting the super-chain explained that because Target isn't a person, so why should they have the power or ability to influence our democracy? Was it right for the United States Government to give the power of our government to such a larger corporation who's interests didn't reflect those of most of their shoppers.

Power is everywhere around us. People seek out power. This country, among others, thrives on power. When did power become about sides, about personal agendas. As I had mentioned in my weekly response post, Power is a selfish, egotistical thing. On occassion, power can be sought for the better of a whole nation. I think that great political thinkers like Aristotle sought power truly to benefit all who lived in his community.


Target Video on YouTube:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FhMMmqzbD8

Article on Target's Contributions:

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/07/27/target-emmer-donate/