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"once they have power, they are likely be corrupted by it." I believe Robert Caro was more insightful than Lord Acton: Power doesn't corrupt; it reveals.

a1369209993 3y ago
> Power doesn't corrupt; it reveals. That's true, but it's easy to misrepresent if you don't include another important insight: "I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You're wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides." -- Lord Vetinari (by way of Terry Pratchett)
- dennis_jeeves1 3y ago
  That's a good way to put it. It's very accurate to the extent I understand most humans.
- rightbyte 3y ago
  Really? I call. There has to at least be a shade even though I think he was incorrect. Because otherwise all bosses would be equally shitty and you would not be able to foresee with uttermost certainty how bad people will become shitty bosses when promoted to power. It is equally obvious in the military how you know who will turn out to be really bad people once promoted to sergeants.
  - a1369209993 3y ago
    > would be equally shitty [emphasis added] It's "always bad", not "always equally bad". The upshot is that "Okay, we just need to find someone who power will reveal is not shitty." does not and cannot work in the general case (of amounts of power sufficently large to be worth abusing - your 'good' sergeants are still sergeants, not generals or absolute autocrats).
    - rightbyte 3y ago
      If everyone is "bad" the term losing its meaning. You could argue that with more power people will mess up more in absolute terms. If you are powerfully enough small misteps could crush people.
goodpoint 3y ago
Better: Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
vixen99 3y ago
Both.
bazoom42 3y ago
Yeah, did Hitler get corrupted by power? No, power just enabled him to realize the ideals he had held since he was a nobody.
- jacquesm 3y ago
  Hitlers 'ideals' (in so much as the label applies) and ideas developed considerably (as did has ambition) as he came into more and more power.
chasil 3y ago
It is a shame that Lincoln did not actually say these words that are attributed to him: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-abrahamlincoln-power/fact-check-test-a-mans-character-quote-misattributed-to-abraham-lincoln-idUSL1N2PA1V7 https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-abrahamlincoln-pow...

a1369209993 3y ago

> Power doesn't corrupt; it reveals. That's true, but it's easy to misrepresent if you don't include another important insight: "I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You're wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides." -- Lord Vetinari (by way of Terry Pratchett)

dennis_jeeves1 3y ago
That's a good way to put it. It's very accurate to the extent I understand most humans.
rightbyte 3y ago
Really? I call. There has to at least be a shade even though I think he was incorrect. Because otherwise all bosses would be equally shitty and you would not be able to foresee with uttermost certainty how bad people will become shitty bosses when promoted to power. It is equally obvious in the military how you know who will turn out to be really bad people once promoted to sergeants.
- a1369209993 3y ago
  > would be equally shitty [emphasis added] It's "always bad", not "always equally bad". The upshot is that "Okay, we just need to find someone who power will reveal is not shitty." does not and cannot work in the general case (of amounts of power sufficently large to be worth abusing - your 'good' sergeants are still sergeants, not generals or absolute autocrats).
  - rightbyte 3y ago
    If everyone is "bad" the term losing its meaning. You could argue that with more power people will mess up more in absolute terms. If you are powerfully enough small misteps could crush people.

goodpoint 3y ago

Better: Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

vixen99 3y ago

Both.

bazoom42 3y ago

Yeah, did Hitler get corrupted by power? No, power just enabled him to realize the ideals he had held since he was a nobody.

jacquesm 3y ago
Hitlers 'ideals' (in so much as the label applies) and ideas developed considerably (as did has ambition) as he came into more and more power.

chasil 3y ago

It is a shame that Lincoln did not actually say these words that are attributed to him: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-abrahamlincoln-power/fact-check-test-a-mans-character-quote-misattributed-to-abraham-lincoln-idUSL1N2PA1V7 https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-abrahamlincoln-pow...