TOEXPLAINWHEREIhavearrivedinmyunderstandingofpowerandloveandsocialchange,IhavetoexplainhowIstarted.

,asIwasfinishingmyundergraduatedegree,IattendedameetingofthePugwashConferenceonScienceandWorldAffairsinBanff,Alberta,whereIheardaspeechaboutthecrucialenergyandenvironmentalchallengesarisingoutoftheincre,andIwentontodoagraduatedegree,IworkedatavarietyofresearchinstitutionsinNorthAmerica,Europe,andAsia,andtheninthecorporateplanningdepartmentofPacificGasandElectricCompanyinSanFrancisco.

Myfatherhadtaughtmethevalueofindustriousness-ofdoingmyjobwell,,whohadlivedinthewoodsatWaldenPondandaftertwoyearshadeoutwithhisaxesharperthanwhenhehadgonein.

Iwasyoungandambitiousandkeentomakemymarkontheworld.

GENERATIVEPOWER

In1988,whenIwastwenty-sevenyearsold,ImovedfromSanFranciscotoLondontotakeajo:"ThegovernmentofC?ted'IvoirehasreiteratedtheirrequestthatwedesistfromreferringtothemastheIvoryCoast."Ioncegotamistakenphonecallaskingmewherea$'spracticalroleinprovidingtheworldwithenergy:thepanyinvestedhundredsofmillionsofdollarsayearinresearchanddevelopment,drilledforoilthousandsoffeetunderwater,

,theInterboomwasstarting,FrancisFukuyamahadpublished"TheEndofHistory,"TomWolfewaswritingaboutManhattanfinanciersas"MastersoftheUniverse,"andMargaretThatcherwaspronouncingthat"ThereIsNoAlternative",political,social,legal,international,intellectual-acontestamongpetingpowersproducedthebestoute.[11]FrommyofficeinaLondonskyscraper,itseemedtomethatifeverybodyjustdidtheirjobandpushedforwardtheirpart-engagedincivilized,manlyjostling-thewholewouldgrowandprosper.

MyexperienceatShell,andelsewhereintheworldofbusiness,wasofanalmostsingle-mindedemphasisonthepragmaticu:"Powerproperlyunderstoodisnothingbuttheabilitytoachievepurpose."[12]TheiractionsseemedtoaccordwithPaulTillich'sexplanationofpower'sgenerativeroot:"thedriveofeverythinglivingtorealizeitself,withincreasingintensityandextensity."Thisdrivecanbeseenintheforceofagrowingseed:theforcethat"guerrillagardeners"employtoturnvacanturbanlotsintoparks,whentheysurreptitiouslyplantseedsthatbreakthroughtheconcrete.

AtShellIcouldseehowmyowndriveforself-realization,alongwiththatofmycolleagues,,AriedeGeus,'slivingdriveforself-realization,alongwiththatofotherpanies,producedfuriouslypetitivemercialcreativityandgrowth.[13]

InallofthisIsawthegenerativeaspectofpower:theuniversaldriveto"getone'sjobdone."Powerexpressesourpurposefulness,wholeness,'sself,theeffectofpowergoesbeyondone';,nothingnewgrows.

AtShellIwasheadofthestrategygroupthatconstructedscenarios-plausiblealternativestories-ofsocial-,PieterleRoux,aprofessorattheleft-wingUniversityoftheWesternCapeinSouthAfrica,contactedmebecausehewantedtousetheShellmethodologytohelpagroupofSouthAfricanoppositionle,andthenegotiationsbetwe'sprojectsoundedinterestingandworthwhiletome,andmyShellbosseswerehappy,afteryearsofbeingvilifiedfornothavingdivestedfromSouthAfrica,fortheopportunitytorebuildthepany',ItraveledtoCapeTowntofacilitatethefirstworkshopofwhatbecameknownastheMontFleurScenarioExercise.[14]

WhatIfoundexhilaratinginmeetingtheseleaders-frompoliticalparties,tradeunions,munityanizations,universities,,fromtheirparticularidologicalandinstitutionalbase,SouthAfrica'stoughchallenges,andtheyhada,withsurpriseandpleasure,hisconversationswiththeblackleaderswhohadhithertobeenhisadversaries:"Thiswasnewtome,:'Look,thisishowitisgoingtobewhenwetakeoveroneday.'Theywerepreparedtosay:'Hey,howwoulditbe?Let'sdiscussit.'"[15]Ifeltexcitedtoplayapartinthisimportantsocialchangeprocess.

WhatIsawintheseworkshops,andthroughthewindowtheyprovidedmeontothedynamicsofSouthAfrica'sextraordinarytransition,,eveninthemostplex,conflictual,andchallengingofcontexts,

DEGENERATIVEPOWER

Howdoweetonoticesomethingthatwearenotnoticing?Iwasonceworkinginmyoffice,or,whenIheardasoundthatIcouldn',Iunconsciouslyfiledawaythfmysunglassesfallingoutofmypocketontotheclosetfloor.

DuringthefirstyearsafterIleftShellandstartedworkingasafacilitatorofsocialchangeteams,IkepthearingsoundsofasecondkindofpowerthatIdidn'tionthatIwasworkingfrom-wasthattheteamhaddecidedthattheirpower,theirdrivetorealizethemselvesasindividualsandasanation,couldmhedifferentwaysthefutureofthenationmightunfold:an"Ostrich"scenarioofwhitedenial,a"LameDuck"scenarioofanoverconstrainednewblackgovernment,an"Icarus"scenarioofthenewgovernmentflyingtoohightoofast,anda"Flamingos",oneoftheintellectualleadersoftheAfricanNationalCongress,heardthesescenariospresentedatapartymeeting,hethoughttheywereridiculouslyna?veabouttheessentiallyviolentdynamicsofpowerintheSouthAfricancontext."Whatisallthisaboutducksandflamingos?"heaskedincredulously."Theonlybirdsthatmatterherearehawksandsparrows!"

,andIhadencounteredSouthAfricaforthefirsttimein1991,oneyearafterthehopefultransitionalnegotiationshadstartedandseveralyearsafterthehopeless,viole,hadonlyj

NowIrealizedwhatIhadbeenhearing:,shadowsideispo:","[16]Power-overabusesforceandpulsiontosuppressoroppressordominateanother.

LikePalloJordan,mywifeDorothyisblackandgrewu,shenoticedsomethingthatIdidn't.ThepositionofaboriginalpeoplethereremindedherofblacksinSouthAfrica:,ortoseeherorhimasanonperson,istheextrememanifestationofpower-over.

,aprofessorofpoliticsandsociologyatNewYorkUniversity,wrotehisclassic1974bookPower:ARadicalView,,inthesecondedition,Lukesrevisedhisview:"Itwasamistaketodefinepowerbysayingthat'AexercisespoweroverBwhenAaffectsBinamannercontrarytoB'sinterests.'Powerasdominationisonlyonespeciesofpower."[17]Power-overisasubsetofpower-to.

rcisingyours,andifinthisconflictIhavethecapacitytoprevailoveryou,boveyours,andthenintobelievingarrogantlythatIammoredeservingofself-realization,andthenintoadvancingmyself-realizationevenifitimpedesyours.

ManywhitesinSouthAfricavaluedtheirself-realizationabovethatofothers,,theseductivelybeautifulfaceofpower-tomorphs,asinahorrormovie,intotheviciouslyterriblefaceofpower-over.

OnceIhadseenthetwosidesofpowerstarklyinSouthAfrica,,IconsultedtoseveralpaniesandbusinessassociationsinHouston,pendent,unregulated,ke"JohnSmithInterests,"whichIunderstoodtorepresentanunabashedcelebrationoftheadvancingofanindividual'sowninterestsandpower.

Thesesamebusinesspeoplewerealsoenthu,butastheresultoftheintentionaldecisionsmadebypeoplesuchasthemselves,ationinalignmentwithcollectiveself-realization.

Inthismunity,theveryepitomeofpower-towasKenLay,thefounderandchairmanofEnron,the$100billionnaturalgas,electricity,"America'sMostInnovativeCompany"byFortunemagazinesixyearsinarow,,youngstaffwhoconsideredthemselvestobesophisticatedstrategistswereinaweofEnron''sbiggestemployersandcharitabledonors,,oproducedbothprivatewealthandpublicgood.

In2001,IchairedaBusinessLeaders',whoincludedinternationalcorporate,government,tradeunion,andnonprofitleaders,,storiesaboutEnron'pulatedCalifornia'selectricitymarket,andCaliforniaattorneygeneralBillLockyerwascallingforLaytobeprosecuted.

Lay','sconclusionthatcorpo,withrighteousindignation,hetoldthestoryaboutLockyerhavingthreatenedhimbysaying,"IwouldlovetopersonallyescortLaytoan8-by-10cellthathecouldsharewithatattooeddudewhosays,'Hi,mynameisSpike,honey.'"[18]

Duringthesesessions,onlyoneotherparticipant,atradeunionist,,hedeservedtobelookedupto,andalsothatifIwaspolitetohim,Imightbenefitfromhislargesse.

OneyearaftertheAspenInstitutemeeting,Enrondeclaredbankruptcy,andfiveyearsAfter,'scollapsewipedoutmorethan$60billioninshareholderinvestmentand6,000employeejobs,andledtothedissolutionofArthurAndersen,itsauditor.

Exercisingcreative,entrepreneurial,profitablepower-toisnothardifyoupretend,andareallowedtopretend,,andindefraudingmillionsofpeople,theyseverelyunderminedthosepeople''semphaticrejectionofrulesthatgovernthecollective,asmanifestedinhisdisinterest(enabledbyourdeference)inthesmallmatterofourmeeting',illustratedhisdisconnected,degenerativepower-over.

Theirresponsiblepower-overexercis:"Weassumethattheindividualpursuinghisorherownbestinterestwillresultinthemaximumbenefitforsocietyasawhole-andthatcertainlyhastobequestionednow."[19]TheunderstandingthatIhadimbibedinLondontwentyyearsearlier-thatasystemdrivenbythepower-toofthepartswouldproduceab,however,Iwastohaveotherexperiencesthatledmetomycurrentunderstandingofdegenerativepower.

When,afterMontFleur,Ihadstartedworkingondifferenttoughchallengesindifferentcountries-power-overmanifestingininequityandinequality-IcarriedwithmeacertainconfidencethatIcamefromacountry,Canada,entofJusticeinOttawa,Ontario,listeningtoagroupofleadersofgovernment,business,andaboriginal(NativeorFirstNations)anizationstalkabouttheirencounterswiththerealitiesofaboriginalpeopleinCanada.

Aswewentaroundthetableandheardeachperson'sstory-ofextraordinarilyhighlevelsofpoverty,addiction,andsuicide;decadesofabuseby"well-intentioned"governmentsandchurches;conflictsovertheextractionofoilandothernaturalresources;thousandsofstucklandandtreatydisputes-itbecameobvioustomethatIenotsimplywhenweseetheworldanew,butspecificallywhenweseeourselves-andourroleincreatingtheworld-anew.[20]OnthatdayIsawthatIwaspartofasocietythatwasexercisingaterriblepower-over.

OneaspectofthisCanadiansituationwastheodelthataboriginalpeopleneededto"bedeveloped."Thismodelhadbeeninstitutionalizedin,amongotherpractices,apolicyofaggressiveassimilationthatsincethe1850shadtakenchildrenawayfromedhisapproachas"killtheIndianandsavetheman."[21]Residentialschoolingcreatedalegacyofphysical,emotional,sexual,,thispoweroveraboriginalpeoplehadbeenreplicatedfenerations.

AfterthismeetinginOttawa,Iandafewcolleaguesbeganworkingwithateamofnationalgovernmenboriginalyouth:,,,activistMichelGelobter,andhechidedme:"Whyareyousurprisedthatoppressedmunitiesexhibitseriousdys-functions?Thesedysfunctionshavetoberecognizedanddealtwith;theyreinforceandmaintainoppressionbydiminishingthecapacityofthesemunitiestoheal."Thedegenerativeimpactsofpower-overareresolutelypersistent.

Ialsonoticedthatwithinourmicrocosmicprojectteam,wesucceededinre-creatingthestuc"fix"'ization,(Onlylater,whentheserolesandpowerrelationswereforcefullyrestructuredandownershipoftheprojectwastakenoverbyalocalaboriginalmunity,didtheinitiativebegintomoveforward.)

InCanada,asinSouthAfricaandHouston,Ihadbeenabletorecognizethesoundofpower-tomoreeasilythanthesoundofpower-overbecalequityinlightofthejust-issuedSupremeCourtdecisionthatsharplylimitedaffirmativeaction.

,andontheplaneridehehad,inwhichheacknowledged,afractalofthelargerMuslim-Jewishconflict,butthencutshortourargumenttogetreadyfortheworkshop.

WiththisunresolvedtensionbetweenZaidandme,sintheUnitedStatesanddis'tthinkmyleadershipofthemeeting,withmywhiteandforeigncolleagues,waslegitimate,'twantedintheworkshopatall,andso,feelinghumiliated,

ndIcouldn'handgrenadeandblewmyselfupwithallofthem:,debilitatingfeelingofbeingonthereceivingendofpower-over.

By2008,myunderstandingofthedynamicso,,negotiations,invocations,lawsuits-toaddressthechallengesfacedbyhispeople,andspecificallyforhiseffortstoachievereconciliationbetweenaboriginalandnonab-originalAustralians.[22]Heknowshowharditistomoveforwardonthesechallengesandwasn'tsurprisedbythelackofprogressoftheeffortinCanadainwhichIhadbeeninvolved.

DodsonwantedmetocontributetoameetingthathewasconveningwithJohnSanderson,(includingconstitutionalamendments)thatwould,morethan220yearsafterthearrivalofthesettlersand15yearsaftertheHighCourtverdictthatoverruledterranullius,puttherelationshipbetweenthesetwopeoplesonanequalfooting.

Theeveningbeforeourmeetingsweretostart,,afilmaboutarcticwildlifeandthedangersitfacesfromglobalwarming.[23]ThesecondwasKanyini,aboutanAustralianaboriginalleadernamedBobRandall,amemberofthe"StolenGeneration"whoasachildhad(likemanyCanadianchildren)beentakenawayfromhisfamilybythegovernment.[24]InKanyini,Randallarguesthatthecrisisinaboriginalsocietyoriginatedintheirhavingbeendispossessedandestrangedfromthefouraspectsoflifethatareessentialtosurvival:theirbeliefsystemorlaw,theirlandorcountry,theirspirituality,andtheirfamilies."Thepurposeoflifeistobepartofeverythingthatis,"hesaysinthefilm."Youtakeawaymykanyini,myinterconnectedness,andI''mdead."IwasstruckthatRandall'syearningwasthesameasPaulTillich'slove:"thedrivetowardstheunityoftheseparated."

Inthejuxtapositionofthesetwofilms,owardsthedestructionoftheecosystemsonwhichalloursocieterunlikelypartnershipwithsocialactivistVanJones:":theideathatyou'vegotdisposablepeople,adisposablepla."[25]Ifwepushawayorabandonoursenseofconnectionwithothers-ouracknowledgment,oursensitivity,ourlove-thereisnolimittothesadness,terror,andpainthatouruncheckedpowercanproduce.

Wecanrecognizethisdegenerativephenomenonofpowerwithoutlovebecause,insomanycontextsandatsomanyscales,,anizations,munities,nations,,apopularAustralianaboriginalsportsmanwhohadwalkedfromMelboon:"Whereistheloveformypeople?"Weallfeeltheanguishthatresultsfromthedeficitoflove.

LOVEISWHATMAKESPOWERGENERATIVE

Basedontheseexperiences,then,,,orworse-whenweoverlookordenyorcutoffourloveandunity.