One. Power Allowance is the privilege you enjoy based on how much power you have based on your position, looks (or lack thereof), and wealth (or lack thereof).
Two. Some important facts about Power Allowance:
1. Power Allowance is like the stock market; it fluctuates; to not know what your Power Allowance is during a given time results in the abuse or misuse of your Power Allowance. For example, the man who looked like Paul McCartney in his twenties enjoyed a lot of Power Allowance but in middle age his cheeks bloated and distorted and his resemblance to McCartney waned.
2. People new to power are more likely to abuse their Power Allowance.
3. People denied power all their lives and suddenly in possession of it are likely to abuse their Power Allowance.
4. People victimized by others in power are likely, when in possession of power, to behave like those who abused them.
5. People who are surrounded by butt-kissing sycophants lose contact with reality and are likely to abuse their Power Allowance.
6. People who are in charge of large groups of people and under stress are likely to abuse their Power Allowance.
7. People who exercise their power in wise, just, humble, and moderate ways tend to be rewarded with more power.
8. People who are so insecure that they feel compelled to rub other people’s faces in their power tend to be cut off from their power.
9. Teachers who have no talent in the classroom often compensate for their self-loathing and insecurity by abusing their power.
10. Some people abuse their power “just because,” which means they are sociopaths.
Three. Introducing an Essay for Chapter 6, Which Is About Obedience and the Abuse of Power
In a page write about a person—a boss, a police officer, an adult figure, or some other authority figure—who abused his or her Power Allowance over you or someone else.
Then write a transitional paragraph: Likewise, The Stanford Research Experiment renders the same abuse of power impelled by ______________________________, _____________________________, _________________________________, _________________________________, and ___________________________________.
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