Power has always been based on perspective. When it comes down to it, people interpret power based on what they desire.

 According to the Merriam-webster dictionary, the denotative definition for power is “ possession of control, authority, or influence over others”. When looking at the definition, it can be broken down into a couple of parts, we can take a look at authority which is a big aspect of power. We could take a look at the influence part which also plays a huge role. But the one part of the definition that is the most open for discussion, perspective, and varying connotations, would be the possession of control.

Part of the possession of control could be described as having power over others, a twisted side of the word but still rather common use of it. The word in this case is used to signify oppression and dominance over others. This proves that the word can have a negative connotation to it, not because of “power” itself but rather the context. Power is interesting because the tone of the word varies with the context it is put in. power itself is a neutral word but can be twisted to fit different connotations. When used in negative contexts power seems oppressive and would be viewed as something bad. Growing up I hated the idea of power, in my mind the kids who were bigger and stronger used their power to hurt me mentally and physically. As I grew I strived for power because I began to look at it as something that I would need to protect myself and also stand beside everyone else. These varying experiences showed me the most common interpretation of it, power became a weapon. But maturity came with a realization, power isn’t simply one thing. I understood that it went deeper than that. 

For example, power can also be looked at differently in different contexts. The phrase “education is power” is also common. When used in this context it’s clearly shown that power symbolizes power over oneself. Power can be used in this way to essentially give it a positive connotation. The connotation then establishes a kind and uplifting tone. At first, when thinking of this I confused myself, can there be multiple definitions of power? Is power some abstract idea? Simple answer, no.  There is one theme that sticks to power, the theme that power is something you want to strive for or achieve. This can be used as an alternate and connotative way to define power as a whole regardless of context. Not just that but power demonstrates this theme in varieties of real-world examples. Through being used in propaganda, advertisements, and local magazines used to promote the general theme I discussed before. When talking about displaying power these ads display it as something everyone wants to achieve. It becomes clear very quickly that as a society it has always been the norm to push for power. Once we establish this mindset we can dive even deeper into how deeply rooted power is in today’s society. 

When we look at power as something people strive to achieve, we can describe it as motivation. A common experience among people of all walks of life is the incredible role motivation plays in solving even the simplest of tasks. We can break down these motivations into two categories, selfish and selfless or power and empowering respectively. Examples of motivations for “power” are wanting a well-paying job or wanting a high-standing political position, or even wanting to be a board member in one’s local HOA. These are all positions people take to achieve power. When I compare power to the word “selfish” it may seem as tho I’m demeaning these positions, but it’s quite the opposite. The striving for power for one’s own self is in no way a bad thing, it even can be noble and inspiring to have a dedication to yourself like that. Nevertheless, it is a strive for power, which is quite clearly on a different side of noble than empowering. We can take a look at the idea of empowering people who would decide to be teachers or volunteer at shelters, or people who build shelters for people in third world countries. Simply put it’s selfless and is a great motivation when it is genuinely intended to empower.   

The deep ways that power is influenced and interpreted in our society go to show the multiple walks of life people come from. Power isn’t something simple such as being strong or being the leader of a country. Power is something everyone has, something everyone gains, something everyone strives for. With people using their unique advantages in order to gain power the premise of it is the most deeply rooted in our world and proves that motivation and the seeking of power is simply human nature. The famous Abraham Lincoln once said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you really want to test a man’s character, give him power”. He demonstrates how power is universal but what you do with it is what truly defines you as a person. When viewed in a sense of all of its scope, power is entirely perspective.