Which corrupts more, power or powerlessness?

[zorro_]

Jealousy is caused by Envy, the longing of something others have. My previous point that people only want something so that they can improve their life still stands here as well. The object of Envy is now necessary to leave the current state of life. The same state of life that has become inferior to that of others. The fact that your life is now inferior puts it at risk and creates fear. Until the object of Envy is in your possession.

Almost any emotion can be connected to fear, so that is why I say that fear causes corruption. Or if not corruption exactly, the drive to improve your life through any means necessary.

The trouble is that just saying fear results in corruption does not prove that corruption is necessarily caused by fear. Also, fear can certainly cause corruption in a person, but undoubtedly there are cases of corruption where fear is not active. For instance, there could be a powerful politician who wishes to keep expanding his control through any means possible. You will argue that he fears the loss of this kind of life, but you haven't proven that at all. Again, I can argue that another emotion is at play here - for instance, arrogance.

Any attempt to explain a specific emotion as the primary cause of corruption falls victim to the same error of reasoning that I have outlined in my previous posts. This is because you are taking an empirical thing (a situation, derived from experience) and attempting to imbue into it universality (something that can never be derived from experience).

 

[RSGambler]

Power definitely is one of the source of corrupt. I can't agree more to it. Without power, you are really not in a position to corrupt anyone.

Good point here. i totally agree with you.People go blind with too much power

 

[Bac0n]

I think power corrupts more. Why? Because those in positions of high power are bent into corruption by choice. Those who are powerless do not have a choice and therefore their actions can't be entirely held against them. Regardless of the vulgar actions the powerless may commit, they are not truly corrupt, just bent by desperation.