Power?

I recently read a note on facebook by someone who is studying at Columbia University. He had written about what he thinks power is. He mentions that he has never been in its presence. He had an idea about it, heard about it, but never really felt it until he got to Columbia. He says that being at Columbia means that he is in the presence of power explaining that just going into the Career Services office shows a person how powerful Columbia is when you look at the resources at its disposal and things like that.

"Interesting" is the first word that came to mind when I read that note. I guess we all have an abstract idea of what power really is but have never really thought about it until, like in the case of this individual, we think that we have come across it. Thinking about it, I realize that this is something that different individuals would see differently. Just like "justice" or "social responsibility". Abstract concepts that no one really thinks about until they stare you in the face.

So what really is power? I have no idea but I doubt Columbia has it. If it is being able to get things done because of access to resources, that makes Columbia resourceful. This makes me thinks of other things that we just accept. Things like America being the most powerful country in the world. No one disputes this, but what does it really mean? If it is so, why is Bin Laden still at large? Is it because he is more powerful than America? Again, conventional wisdom would dispute this.

Another thing widely stated is that the American President is the most powerful person in the world. Then why does he have trouble with the US Congress with regard to Iraq policy? That, I am told is all about the separation of powers, the great thing about the US. Then, the power is separated right?

Thinking about it, I don't think power in itself can be defined. I would suggest that it is a combination of a couple of concepts: reputation, resources, money, physical strength, intelligence, authority, control, capacity and influence; to name a few.

Its been a while...

I finally logged into my blogger account today and the first thing I saw up there displayed very prominently was "last post on April 22". I know! Its been a while.

I can honestly say that I have missed airing my views on cyberspace but a series of unfortunate events have kept me away from my niche longer than necessary. This has made me a little superstitious and I am wondering if not blogging on January 1st was a mistake. Anyway, I am back and feeling really good about it.

Whats been happening so far is that I have put an awful summer behind me and am back in school. Have been for about a month now and its just been one thing after another that's prevented me from posting.

Stuff happened over the summer that I don't want to go into. Suffice it to say however that my exposure to more of America was quite interesting and at times scary! I travelled by bus quite frequently and met the most random people. I like the public transport in Broward county and enjoyed most of the rides. One thing I noticed on the buses though was how they put up posters at the top near the hood. I saw quite a variety of them up there: advertisements, information about various things, articles, poems, drawings. One thing I noticed on most buses was this particualar poster educating gay men about safe sex. The thing about it that caught me was that they never used the word "gay" and the posters always had pictures of black men. I thought that might be just because the people who travelled on the bus mostly were immigrants from the Caribbean but still I thought that they gave the wrong impression. I for one know plenty of white gay men. So much for equality.

Right now what has my attention is Mr. Ahmedinejad. What a circus his trip has been turned into! We were discussing it in one of my classes the other day and the professor was telling us about how Americans play right into his hands by giving him so much attention. There were other world leaders who spoke at Columbia university, but does anyone know who they were? I for one have no idea. I guess it all fits nicely into what the politicians like to do to get votes, IE fear mongering. Especially given the frontloading with regard to primaries going on and the sheer number of contenders for the presidency, it makes sense. Every one wants to cash in on the fear being generated.

Finally, on a personal note, Philosophy sucks! I am doing the intro course this semester, just because it is a core requirement. I thought it might be interesting though and looked forward to studying it, until I actually got to class. Plato is one boring guy and I told my professor that. Well, not that exactly but in so many words. He got it though.