Addiction: Pathology of power
By Dr Amin A. Muhammad Gadit
The term ‘addiction’ is a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in a specific activity, despite harmful consequences to the individual’s health, mental state or social life.
Though this term is reserved most often for drug addictions, it includes other compulsions like
gambling, eating, Internet surfing, usage of computers, sex/pornography, work or the lust for power.
Drug addiction has both psychological and physical connotations, but addiction to other types fall into the category of psychological undercurrents. The problem of addiction is not uncommon. Of late, a well-recognised yet uncategorised problem is being highlighted by the media, and that is “power addiction”. This is the type of addiction being observed at managerial positions, in political hierarchies and general positions of power.
A general view point is that this type of addiction reaches pathologic proportions at times; such a feeling is insatiable and leads the patient to go to any extent in order to satisfy his/her cravings. It could be dangerous and destructive in terms of ignorance towards the right of others. Such addicts have been known to secure their hold on power by violating rules, becoming unethical, offering perks, undue favours and bribes, and buying loyalties etc.
In a well known psychological experiment, college students were placed in a simulated prison to play the roles of prisoners and guards. The experiment was conducted to see how the students might behave in those roles and it was intended to continue for two weeks. All too soon, the ‘guards’ became verbally abusive to the ‘prisoners’ and in view of the possible risk of physical harm, the experiment was terminated. This was a good example of the addictive nature of power.
A group of young unemployed men were provided with guns by a political party in one of the developing countries in order to create a powerful impression on the public. Soon these men started looting, plundering, kidnapping for ransom and perpetrated a reign of terror.
The world has witnessed that people in the highest offices never want to abandon their power and do everything, right or wrong, under the sun to perpetuate their rule. There are a number of examples of such dictatorship rules both in the developed and the developing worlds. Some of these people accumulate tremendous wealth and worldly gains but power remains their major aim.
Even in organisations one comes across a hierarchy where the game of power is an obvious feature. Aggression, greed and lust are always found in human nature, but should we call it an addiction? If yes, can we then explain it in terms of the neurochemicals in the brain playing their role? Can this be explained on the basis of a ‘genetic model’ or are there issues found within the personality with a psychological susceptibility?
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/080203/dmag11.htm
February 03, 2008