TOEXPLAINWHEREIhavearrivedinmyunderstandingofpowerandloveandsocialchange,IhavetoexplainhowIstarted.
,asIwasfinishingmyundergraduatedegree,IattendedameetingofthePugwashConferenceonScienceandWorldAffairsinBanff,Alberta,whereIheardaspeechaboutthecrucialenergyandenvironmentalchallengesarisingoutoftheincre,andIwentontodoagraduatedegree,IworkedatavarietyofresearchinstitutionsinNorthAmerica,Europe,andAsia,andtheninthecorporateplanningdepartmentofPacificGasandElectricCompanyinSanFrancisco.
Myfatherhadtaughtmethevalueofindustriousness-ofdoingmyjobwell,,whohadlivedinthewoodsatWaldenPondandaftertwoyearshadeoutwithhisaxesharperthanwhenhehadgonein.
Iwasyoungandambitiousandkeentomakemymarkontheworld.
GENERATIVEPOWER
In1988,whenIwastwenty-sevenyearsold,ImovedfromSanFranciscotoLondontotakeajo:"ThegovernmentofC?ted'IvoirehasreiteratedtheirrequestthatwedesistfromreferringtothemastheIvoryCoast."Ioncegotamistakenphonecallaskingmewherea$'spracticalroleinprovidingtheworldwithenergy:thepanyinvestedhundredsofmillionsofdollarsayearinresearchanddevelopment,drilledforoilthousandsoffeetunderwater,
,theInterboomwasstarting,FrancisFukuyamahadpublished"TheEndofHistory,"TomWolfewaswritingaboutManhattanfinanciersas"MastersoftheUniverse,"andMargaretThatcherwaspronouncingthat"ThereIsNoAlternative",political,social,legal,international,intellectual-acontestamongpetingpowersproducedthebestoute.[11]FrommyofficeinaLondonskyscraper,itseemedtomethatifeverybodyjustdidtheirjobandpushedforwardtheirpart-engagedincivilized,manlyjostling-thewholewouldgrowandprosper.
MyexperienceatShell,andelsewhereintheworldofbusiness,wasofanalmostsingle-mindedemphasisonthepragmaticu:"Powerproperlyunderstoodisnothingbuttheabilitytoachievepurpose."[12]TheiractionsseemedtoaccordwithPaulTillich'sexplanationofpower'sgenerativeroot:"thedriveofeverythinglivingtorealizeitself,withincreasingintensityandextensity."Thisdrivecanbeseenintheforceofagrowingseed:theforcethat"guerrillagardeners"employtoturnvacanturbanlotsintoparks,whentheysurreptitiouslyplantseedsthatbreakthroughtheconcrete.
AtShellIcouldseehowmyowndriveforself-realization,alongwiththatofmycolleagues,,AriedeGeus,'slivingdriveforself-realization,alongwiththatofotherpanies,producedfuriouslypetitivemercialcreativityandgrowth.[13]
InallofthisIsawthegenerativeaspectofpower:theuniversaldriveto"getone'sjobdone."Powerexpressesourpurposefulness,wholeness,'sself,theeffectofpowergoesbeyondone';,nothingnewgrows.
AtShellIwasheadofthestrategygroupthatconstructedscenarios-plausiblealternativestories-ofsocial-,PieterleRoux,aprofessorattheleft-wingUniversityoftheWesternCapeinSouthAfrica,contactedmebecausehewantedtousetheShellmethodologytohelpagroupofSouthAfricanoppositionle,andthenegotiationsbetwe'sprojectsoundedinterestingandworthwhiletome,andmyShellbosseswerehappy,afteryearsofbeingvilifiedfornothavingdivestedfromSouthAfrica,fortheopportunitytorebuildthepany',ItraveledtoCapeTowntofacilitatethefirstworkshopofwhatbecameknownastheMontFleurScenarioExercise.[14]
WhatIfoundexhilaratinginmeetingtheseleaders-frompoliticalparties,tradeunions,munityanizations,universities,,fromtheirparticularidologicalandinstitutionalbase,SouthAfrica'stoughchallenges,andtheyhada,withsurpriseandpleasure,hisconversationswiththeblackleaderswhohadhithertobeenhisadversaries:"Thiswasnewtome,:'Look,thisishowitisgoingtobewhenwetakeoveroneday.'Theywerepreparedtosay:'Hey,howwoulditbe?Let'sdiscussit.'"[15]Ifeltexcitedtoplayapartinthisimportantsocialchangeprocess.
WhatIsawintheseworkshops,andthroughthewindowtheyprovidedmeontothedynamicsofSouthAfrica'sextraordinarytransition,,eveninthemostplex,conflictual,andchallengingofcontexts,
DEGENERATIVEPOWER
Howdoweetonoticesomethingthatwearenotnoticing?Iwasonceworkinginmyoffice,or,whenIheardasoundthatIcouldn',Iunconsciouslyfiledawaythfmysunglassesfallingoutofmypocketontotheclosetfloor.
DuringthefirstyearsafterIleftShellandstartedworkingasafacilitatorofsocialchangeteams,IkepthearingsoundsofasecondkindofpowerthatIdidn'tionthatIwasworkingfrom-wasthattheteamhaddecidedthattheirpower,theirdrivetorealizethemselvesasindividualsandasanation,couldmhedifferentwaysthefutureofthenationmightunfold:an"Ostrich"scenarioofwhitedenial,a"LameDuck"scenarioofanoverconstrainednewblackgovernment,an"Icarus"scenarioofthenewgovernmentflyingtoohightoofast,anda"Flamingos",oneoftheintellectualleadersoftheAfricanNationalCongress,heardthesescenariospresentedatapartymeeting,hethoughttheywereridiculouslyna?veabouttheessentiallyviolentdynamicsofpowerintheSouthAfricancontext."Whatisallthisaboutducksandflamingos?"heaskedincredulously."Theonlybirdsthatmatterherearehawksandsparrows!"
,andIhadencounteredSouthAfricaforthefirsttimein1991,oneyearafterthehopefultransitionalnegotiationshadstartedandseveralyearsafterthehopeless,viole,hadonlyj
NowIrealizedwhatIhadbeenhearing:,shadowsideispo:","[16]Power-overabusesforceandpulsiontosuppressoroppressordominateanother.
LikePalloJordan,mywifeDorothyisblackandgrewu,shenoticedsomethingthatIdidn't.ThepositionofaboriginalpeoplethereremindedherofblacksinSouthAfrica:,ortoseeherorhimasanonperson,istheextrememanifestationofpower-over.
,aprofessorofpoliticsandsociologyatNewYorkUniversity,wrotehisclassic1974bookPower:ARadicalView,,inthesecondedition,Lukesrevisedhisview:"Itwasamistaketodefinepowerbysayingthat'AexercisespoweroverBwhenAaffectsBinamannercontrarytoB'sinterests.'Powerasdominationisonlyonespeciesofpower."[17]Power-overisasubsetofpower-to.
rcisingyours,andifinthisconflictIhavethecapacitytoprevailoveryou,boveyours,andthenintobelievingarrogantlythatIammoredeservingofself-realization,andthenintoadvancingmyself-realizationevenifitimpedesyours.
ManywhitesinSouthAfricavaluedtheirself-realizationabovethatofothers,,theseductivelybeautifulfaceofpower-tomorphs,asinahorrormovie,intotheviciouslyterriblefaceofpower-over.
OnceIhadseenthetwosidesofpowerstarklyinSouthAfrica,,IconsultedtoseveralpaniesandbusinessassociationsinHouston,pendent,unregulated,ke"JohnSmithInterests,"whichIunderstoodtorepresentanunabashedcelebrationoftheadvancingofanindividual'sowninterestsandpower.
Thesesamebusinesspeoplewerealsoenthu,butastheresultoftheintentionaldecisionsmadebypeoplesuchasthemselves,ationinalignmentwithcollectiveself-realization.
Inthismunity,theveryepitomeofpower-towasKenLay,thefounderandchairmanofEnron,the$100billionnaturalgas,electricity,"America'sMostInnovativeCompany"byFortunemagazinesixyearsinarow,,youngstaffwhoconsideredthemselvestobesophisticatedstrategistswereinaweofEnron''sbiggestemployersandcharitabledonors,,oproducedbothprivatewealthandpublicgood.
In2001,IchairedaBusinessLeaders',whoincludedinternationalcorporate,government,tradeunion,andnonprofitleaders,,storiesaboutEnron'pulatedCalifornia'selectricitymarket,andCaliforniaattorneygeneralBillLockyerwascallingforLaytobeprosecuted.
Lay','sconclusionthatcorpo,withrighteousindignation,hetoldthestoryaboutLockyerhavingthreatenedhimbysaying,"IwouldlovetopersonallyescortLaytoan8-by-10cellthathecouldsharewithatattooeddudewhosays,'Hi,mynameisSpike,honey.'"[18]
Duringthesesessions,onlyoneotherparticipant,atradeunionist,,hedeservedtobelookedupto,andalsothatifIwaspolitetohim,Imightbenefitfromhislargesse.
OneyearaftertheAspenInstitutemeeting,Enrondeclaredbankruptcy,andfiveyearsAfter,'scollapsewipedoutmorethan$60billioninshareholderinvestmentand6,000employeejobs,andledtothedissolutionofArthurAndersen,itsauditor.
Exercisingcreative,entrepreneurial,profitablepower-toisnothardifyoupretend,andareallowedtopretend,,andindefraudingmillionsofpeople,theyseverelyunderminedthosepeople''semphaticrejectionofrulesthatgovernthecollective,asmanifestedinhisdisinterest(enabledbyourdeference)inthesmallmatterofourmeeting',illustratedhisdisconnected,degenerativepower-over.
Theirresponsiblepower-overexercis:"Weassumethattheindividualpursuinghisorherownbestinterestwillresultinthemaximumbenefitforsocietyasawhole-andthatcertainlyhastobequestionednow."[19]TheunderstandingthatIhadimbibedinLondontwentyyearsearlier-thatasystemdrivenbythepower-toofthepartswouldproduceab,however,Iwastohaveotherexperiencesthatledmetomycurrentunderstandingofdegenerativepower.
When,afterMontFleur,Ihadstartedworkingondifferenttoughchallengesindifferentcountries-power-overmanifestingininequityandinequality-IcarriedwithmeacertainconfidencethatIcamefromacountry,Canada,entofJusticeinOttawa,Ontario,listeningtoagroupofleadersofgovernment,business,andaboriginal(NativeorFirstNations)anizationstalkabouttheirencounterswiththerealitiesofaboriginalpeopleinCanada.
Aswewentaroundthetableandheardeachperson'sstory-ofextraordinarilyhighlevelsofpoverty,addiction,andsuicide;decadesofabuseby"well-intentioned"governmentsandchurches;conflictsovertheextractionofoilandothernaturalresources;thousandsofstucklandandtreatydisputes-itbecameobvioustomethatIenotsimplywhenweseetheworldanew,butspecificallywhenweseeourselves-andourroleincreatingtheworld-anew.[20]OnthatdayIsawthatIwaspartofasocietythatwasexercisingaterriblepower-over.
OneaspectofthisCanadiansituationwastheodelthataboriginalpeopleneededto"bedeveloped."Thismodelhadbeeninstitutionalizedin,amongotherpractices,apolicyofaggressiveassimilationthatsincethe1850shadtakenchildrenawayfromedhisapproachas"killtheIndianandsavetheman."[21]Residentialschoolingcreatedalegacyofphysical,emotional,sexual,,thispoweroveraboriginalpeoplehadbeenreplicatedfenerations.
AfterthismeetinginOttawa,Iandafewcolleaguesbeganworkingwithateamofnationalgovernmenboriginalyouth:,,,activistMichelGelobter,andhechidedme:"Whyareyousurprisedthatoppressedmunitiesexhibitseriousdys-functions?Thesedysfunctionshavetoberecognizedanddealtwith;theyreinforceandmaintainoppressionbydiminishingthecapacityofthesemunitiestoheal."Thedegenerativeimpactsofpower-overareresolutelypersistent.
Ialsonoticedthatwithinourmicrocosmicprojectteam,wesucceededinre-creatingthestuc"fix"'ization,(Onlylater,whentheserolesandpowerrelationswereforcefullyrestructuredandownershipoftheprojectwastakenoverbyalocalaboriginalmunity,didtheinitiativebegintomoveforward.)
InCanada,asinSouthAfricaandHouston,Ihadbeenabletorecognizethesoundofpower-tomoreeasilythanthesoundofpower-overbecalequityinlightofthejust-issuedSupremeCourtdecisionthatsharplylimitedaffirmativeaction.
,andontheplaneridehehad,inwhichheacknowledged,afractalofthelargerMuslim-Jewishconflict,butthencutshortourargumenttogetreadyfortheworkshop.
WiththisunresolvedtensionbetweenZaidandme,sintheUnitedStatesanddis'tthinkmyleadershipofthemeeting,withmywhiteandforeigncolleagues,waslegitimate,'twantedintheworkshopatall,andso,feelinghumiliated,
ndIcouldn'handgrenadeandblewmyselfupwithallofthem:,debilitatingfeelingofbeingonthereceivingendofpower-over.
By2008,myunderstandingofthedynamicso,,negotiations,invocations,lawsuits-toaddressthechallengesfacedbyhispeople,andspecificallyforhiseffortstoachievereconciliationbetweenaboriginalandnonab-originalAustralians.[22]Heknowshowharditistomoveforwardonthesechallengesandwasn'tsurprisedbythelackofprogressoftheeffortinCanadainwhichIhadbeeninvolved.
DodsonwantedmetocontributetoameetingthathewasconveningwithJohnSanderson,(includingconstitutionalamendments)thatwould,morethan220yearsafterthearrivalofthesettlersand15yearsaftertheHighCourtverdictthatoverruledterranullius,puttherelationshipbetweenthesetwopeoplesonanequalfooting.
Theeveningbeforeourmeetingsweretostart,,afilmaboutarcticwildlifeandthedangersitfacesfromglobalwarming.[23]ThesecondwasKanyini,aboutanAustralianaboriginalleadernamedBobRandall,amemberofthe"StolenGeneration"whoasachildhad(likemanyCanadianchildren)beentakenawayfromhisfamilybythegovernment.[24]InKanyini,Randallarguesthatthecrisisinaboriginalsocietyoriginatedintheirhavingbeendispossessedandestrangedfromthefouraspectsoflifethatareessentialtosurvival:theirbeliefsystemorlaw,theirlandorcountry,theirspirituality,andtheirfamilies."Thepurposeoflifeistobepartofeverythingthatis,"hesaysinthefilm."Youtakeawaymykanyini,myinterconnectedness,andI''mdead."IwasstruckthatRandall'syearningwasthesameasPaulTillich'slove:"thedrivetowardstheunityoftheseparated."
Inthejuxtapositionofthesetwofilms,owardsthedestructionoftheecosystemsonwhichalloursocieterunlikelypartnershipwithsocialactivistVanJones:":theideathatyou'vegotdisposablepeople,adisposablepla."[25]Ifwepushawayorabandonoursenseofconnectionwithothers-ouracknowledgment,oursensitivity,ourlove-thereisnolimittothesadness,terror,andpainthatouruncheckedpowercanproduce.
Wecanrecognizethisdegenerativephenomenonofpowerwithoutlovebecause,insomanycontextsandatsomanyscales,,anizations,munities,nations,,apopularAustralianaboriginalsportsmanwhohadwalkedfromMelboon:"Whereistheloveformypeople?"Weallfeeltheanguishthatresultsfromthedeficitoflove.
LOVEISWHATMAKESPOWERGENERATIVE
Basedontheseexperiences,then,,,orworse-whenweoverlookordenyorcutoffourloveandunity.