Power Positioning

Just over five years ago, I began attending the Self Realization Fellowship (SRF) in Hollywood, California. It is a non-denominational church that marries Eastern and Western teachings on the taming of the ego and how to obtain happiness. The deeper I delved into these studies, the more I realized what a problem we have with the types of leadership we are faced with in the world.

A fully enlightened man (or woman) has by definition tamed his or her ego. Our egos almost always [mis] lead us into selfish decision-making. In movies, we have all seen the inner thoughts of a character portrayed as a tiny devil on one shoulder, and a miniature angel on the other, each trying to convince the character in question of their point of view. This devil is most definitely the ego telling us nothing really matters unless “we’re” getting something out of it. As one of my friends used to say, “If you ain’t gettin’ yours it ain’t worth it!” This is of course the ego jockeying for position.

So here is where the problem arises. The enlightened man, devoid of a dominating ego, hungers to be of service, but has no desire to be a leader. He understands the seeds of wisdom only grow in a fertile mind. While he is eager to share in his wisdom, he has no desire to push his ideas on anyone. When the lines between right and wrong grow blurry and undefined, the enlightened man has the power in his arsenal of the most efficient spiritual compass. Even in storms of confusion and adversity, he comprehends how to locate the correct path. This, as we all know, is often not so easy.

So who then are our current world leaders? Are they enlightened men who have tamed their egos, or are they men ruled by the tiny devils whispering in their ears? When money, power and status are most important, how then can you truly be of service? How can you share in your wisdom if you have none to share?

A while ago, I read a book of case studies on serial killer profiling. Yes, it was quite morbid, but also fascinating (research for a story I was working on). There was a striking phenomenon that occurred in several of the profiles. The profiler stated that the suspects would have tried unsuccessfully to become police officers. As I read further, it was explained that some police officers chose the career in order to exercise control over others. This is precisely what serial killers seek to do. In one of the profiles, the author, who had been a profiler himself, went as far as to say the killer would be driving a Chevy Caprice because it would give him the feeling of being in a police cruiser. And strangely enough, when they finally caught the suspect, he had bought an actual police car that was retired from service. He even left the signature spotlight on it that many police cruisers have. I found it shocking to learn that such heinous criminals sought work in law enforcement. But it’s the seduction of having control over others that pushes that type of personality to do so.

I fear there is a similar dynamic in politics. Not that our leaders are serial killers, but certainly many of them are drawn into politics because of money, status and power. There is no desire in their hearts to improve the world for others. Instead, their egos push them to seek positions that offer privilege and entitlement. For a man with an ego, the perception of having power over others is seductive.

How do we proceed when this dynamic exists? Our job is to scrutinize our leaders and hold them to strict standards of service. But before we can do that, we will need our own spiritual compasses to be finely tuned. If our perceptions of right and wrong are unclear, how then can we hold our leaders to any kind of standard?