Power

The Power to Dare

What is power? Oxford University defines powers as “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events” (Oxford Dictionary). How is power used to control people or situations? Some people are intimidated by power, while others use it to influence other people. Power is seen everywhere, from the highest peaks to the lowest valley’s to the deepest parts of the ocean. Throughout the world, the complexities of power are difficult to understand and convey. Everyone has their own definition of what power means to them, how they could use power to change things and what they would do with great power. According to Charles Caleb Colton “To know the pains of power, we must go to those who have it; to know its pleasures, we must go to those who are seeking it” (Colton). We all have the power to hope, dream, believe, and love, but we also have the power of evil. All throughout history, leaders have shown their different uses of power and how they were able to make a difference for better or for worse. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Gandhi all have similar strategies of using power, whereas Hitler created his own harmful leadership style.

Martin Luther King Jr. used his power of speech to give hope and to strive for change for equal rights. King had a dream, a dream where everyone was equal and had a chance to become anyone they wanted no matter their sex, race, or religion. He believed that the power of love is the most important part of practicing nonviolent acts. In 1963 King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of 250,000 civil right supporters. King told stories with his words instead of creating scars, but either way it’ll last forever. He states in his “I have a Dream” speech, “America has given the Negro’s a bad check; a check which has come back marked insufficient funds, but we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt” (King). Martin Luther King Jr. is describing...