The Definition of Power: Controlling Behaviour and Reactions

Power is the ability to influence or control the behavior and reaction of a person or group of people to obey one's desire. From the inception of men to this day, power, and control have been dependent on the circumstances that form in an environment. Power is gained in different ways; in the government, it could be gain by overthrowing the former administration, it could be gain by affluence, Power could also be gained by being in leadership positions, etc. In a position of power, few leaders create a legacy by making life better for the people such as former President Obama who launched student loan reform, which radically expands students' access to affordable government loans and grants for college.

Unfortunately, more cases have been recorded for the abuse of power. Most leaders use power for their selfish interest, to control and lead people into fear and chaos. Some of the world's most powerful and influential leaders have caused devastating consequences to society such as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, etc.

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The novel 1984 by George Orwell shows a prediction of future events, how the world would look like if a totalitarian government was not opposed. 1984 also portrays the story of a man who tried to defy his government by having thoughts of his own, plotting against the government and the repercussions for disobeying Big Brother. Similarly, the movie V for Vendetta depicts the story of a man V who fights for the freedom of the people against the government. He fights for freedom and uses his power to bring a change against the totalitarian rule of Britain.

In the novel, 1984 written by George Orwell, he wrote the book to pass across a message to the west about what would happen if such abuse of power were to prevail. His novel written in 1949 perfectly portrays a totalitarian government, a modern government with absolute control of power in the near future. Although he had little or no idea how such a rule could be stopped, he did his best to enlighten the world. Such abuse of power was demonstrated early in the novel where the party slogan was "war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength." (Orwell). The government aimed to weaken the independence and strength of each individual, forcing them to live in a constant state of propaganda-induced fear. "The Party was able to force its subjects to accept its decrees, even if it is entirely illogical. For instance, the Ministry of Peace is in charge of waging war, the Ministry of Love is in charge of political torture, and the Ministry of Truth is in charge of doctoring history books to reflect the Party's ideology." (SparkNotes). This event , however, makes Big Brother; the head of the inner party rules the people by keeping them in check and constantly monitoring them. An example in the modern world is the government authorities blocking and censoring internet access in their country. Countries such as China and North Korea, have one of the largest populations of internet users. However, "China's internet censorship is extreme, with the government implementing more than 60 internet regulations. Authorities monitor internet access of individuals and block website content. Popular sites such as Google are blocked in China." (Minah). Likewise, in North Korea, permission with special authorization is needed mainly for government reasons. Thus, therefore, limits the amount of information they can access. The Government can control what they know and condition them to believe what they want them to believe. Furthermore, In Oceania, the citizens do not have or feel emotional attachment as they have been conditioned at an early age due to the power of Big Brother. "By careful early conditioning, by games and cold water, by the rubbish that was dinned into them at school and the spies and the youth league, by lectures, parades, songs, slogans, and martial music, the natural feeling had been driven out of them." (Orwell, p. 71). The government employs tactics of diversions, by labeling someone or something harmful to society. Big Brother was enabled to achieve that by saying "War is peace" therefore creating a common enemy for everyone to be against. He did not stop there, he insisted that "Freedom is slavery" because according to the inner party, anyone that is independent is doomed to failure. Any form of rebellion or threat trying to fight for justice is diminished to its bare minimum. V for Vendetta describes the story of a freedom fighter known by an alias V who schemes to overthrow an autocratic government. V for Vendetta is similar to 1984, one could just say it was an adaptation to the screen. The film begins when V blew up the London court to prove to the government that he also had power and he was ready to seek retribution and fight for the freedom of the people. V is an intellectual, his face was not seen throughout the movie, but his voice was heard and that brought the country to his will. He planned to fight evil with evil so that a new world free of dictators and bad leaders would not exist. "It is clear that this will oppose evil. It is far less clear that this will is not evil itself. Still, isn't there a pleasure in seeing evil overpowered?" (Umphrey). At first, people might ponder how V could potentially be a terrorist and also be good, this factor is what separates him from others, besides Britain at that particular time was so corrupt that, he judged fairly as a hero who fought for their freedom. In as much as Chancellor Sutler's had power and a large military force, he abuses his power and forced citizens to live with fear. He took away their privacy, freedom, and even choose what type of jobs they could get. The people were constantly monitored and controlled with the aid of technology. Chancellor Sutler's did unethical research on their citizens with the hope of using them as bioweapons, they treated them as lab rats, dumping the dead ones in a big hole without a proper burial. V was the only one to survive. As a result of what he went through, V killed the Chancellor Sutler and all the bad leaders behind all the corrupt activities the government did to the people. "In his plot to regain control on November 5th, he did make what could be his most important move. He gave a nationally broadcasted speech to the citizens of his country." (NewYork Essay). He reminded them that, this new life they had gotten used to was not the one that "England would prevail". "V has successfully turned the people against their government, helping them realize that the only way to stop the chaos is by doing something about it; in this case, rising against their government." (Bartleby). Martin Luther King is an example of a modern-day freedom fighter. He was a non-violent civil rights activist who believed in equality for all. He uses his knowledge, vision, and power to liberate people of African descent from oppression. He was best known for his "I have a dream" speech. Although he was assassinated, his impact on the world would forever be a legacy. Both Martin Luther King and V achieved their purpose of freeing the people from oppression. Although their methods contrast each other, they used their power to achieve the final goal. To conclude, the novel 1984 by George Orwell and the film V for Vendetta demonstrates how power is used by leaders. Power is mostly used to further one's interest either good or bad. Both stories give us an insight into how the world would be if an authoritarian rule could prevail, thanks to George Orwell for giving us a heads up about the future. V for vendetta inspires us to resist those who abuse power, although his methods are morally wrong, his idea and vision were of right intentions to see a better future. Having power is not a bad thing, but how it is being utilized determines how we can impact the lives of others either positively or negatively.