Composition #6

Power Blind People

It is part of our history to fight for power, and wars are the perfect example of how men have done it for centuries. In the past we didn’t have the money that we use it today, so the commercial transactions were made through exchanges of different goods and even lands. A man to be considered powerful had to have properties, such as, land or animals. However, physical strength could also bring power because it was used as a threat when people refused to do was demanded of them. So kings, in order to keep their power, went to war; besides it was another way to expand their kingdom. During our history it is not surprising when we hear that some kings abused their power, torturing or killing anyone who was against them. Kings were like Gods because they were the highest representation of authority. Nowadays, it has not changed much. Politicians and police officers have used their authority for their own benefit, and the poor citizens are the ones who have suffered the most.

I have seen many injustices in my country, Brazil. I think because we are a third-world country, justice often doesn’t happen for the poor ones. So that’s why police officers have used their authority to humiliate people, get money or even sexually abuse women. The Brazilian government is always trying to create new transit laws, in order to collect more money from the citizens through tickets.

Once we had to have in the car a first aid kit with very specific items. One day, my father got stopped by a police officer who asked for the first aid kit, so my father showed the one he just had gotten a few days before. However, the police officer said that one item was missing, but my father didn’t know which one because he thought the kit was complete. So instead of giving a ticket to my father the police officer asked for some money. My father is an honest man, so he said the ticket would be better. Of course, the police officer wasn’t happy because he was expecting to get some money for his own pocket. I guess he wanted to show my father that next time it would be better for him just to give the money because the police officer gave two tickets to my father; the second one for no reason at all.

Power sometimes can blind people, making them selfish because they are focusing only on how to increase their power. They don’t see what is happening around them and abusing their authority becomes part of what they are. We cannot deny having power and seeing that people respect us for it brings a good feeling. However, the moment that people don’t want to be around us or fear us, I believe it is the moment the power we have is too much. We have seen in our past how bad it can get when people abuse their power; wars where many people died for one person’s ambition. I know it is hard not to get blind with power, but maybe it is part of our nature always looking for more. Although, I rather believe people can learn from their mistakes and, hopefully in the future we will be living in a better world.