Posted by alexandra_k on June 5, 2020, at 19:26:53
In reply to Re: dismissive, posted by beckett2 on June 4, 2020, at 13:21:34
I just remember:
'Those who have power to do harm, who do none. They shall inherit the earth'.
From someplace in the Bible.
Some rulers are just. Benifecent. Kind. Some shepards. Some people who own animals. Some people who have children. Some teachers, police, doctors. Some people use their power to help -- not harm.
Not saying they are perfect. But refraining from overt cruelty is an obvious start.
There is something about how power corrupts. And about how absolute power corrupts absolutely.
But I don't see that that is inevitable.
It depends on the kind or nature of the power, perhaps.
It would be one thing being a judge in the welfare tribunal. Where you are dealing with 'they didn't give me a $20 food voucher when I needed one' kinds of claims that are small potatoes in the larger scheme of how much money there is set aside so that nobody needs to starve in this country...
Another thing entirely to be in the position of deciding whether or not to send in the troops (whether such intervention is likely to help more than harm on balance). I am not meaning to say that decisions such as those are not hard.
But things like... Refusing to give someone a Degree when they have met the criterion or conditions for that. Refusing to blind grade students work in order to ensure that the chosen white are provided with all the very best grades and training opportunities... Or the best stuck ups. Or the kids who you don't think can function independently from you. Or the kids who you think nobody else will want... Those kinds of things...
Strike me as overt cruelty.
I mean... Lots of people wouldn't even treat their dog like that.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:1110450
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20200409/msgs/1110502.html