Ayush Chaurasia - Week 11 - The Pursuit of Power
As we finish our study of The Crucible in class, I am reminded of the power struggles that occurred throughout that play. Thomas Putnam made multiple accusations so he could buy the land of the people who were sentenced, Reverend Parris was most concerned about his reputation as a pastor, and Abigail and her peers accessed an unprecedented level of respect and authority in Salem by “exposing” the Devil’s servants. Just some Salem opportunists undertook a pursuit of power disguised as the witch trials, modern-day citizens are trapped aspiring for power, oftentimes unsuccessfully.
What is power, though?
In Salem, power was centered largely around religious authorities, which is partially why Reverend Parris was so concerned with maintaining his position. However, wealth and respect evidently carried some form of power in the Salem community—the Putnam family maintained some influence over the town’s affairs, and respected members of the community, such as Rebecca Nurse, were treated well by the townspeople (most of the time, at least).
Now, religious figures receive little true societal power outside of certain religious circumstances—the main sources of power in modern-day society are wealth and fame.
So how do people pursue these forms of power?
Naturally, the capitalist structure of American society means that the majority of our life is spent pursuing some form of wealth. As children, we learn how to read, write, and do math. We learn how to apply these skills to more complicated topics, like science or the humanities. We progress through twelve (or more) years of school to prepare ourselves for the intricacies of money-making. Whether it be a job or a business, we spend the first twenty years of our life preparing for a source of income, and the majority of the rest of our life working to maintain that income. Despite all these efforts, most people will never actually attain enough money to be “powerful” enough to have any form of influence in society—in fact, millions of Americans unfortunately cannot even attain enough money to improve their own living conditions.
Fame, however, has grown as a more accessible way for an individual to achieve power in modern-day society. Social media allows people to reach massive audiences of people quickly, enough that a couple viral videos could get a person enough followers to make them objectively “famous.” Large content creators on social media are able to influence trends and spread opinions to youth audiences more effectively than nearly any other authority—they arguably wield a large amount of power over what Americans see and think. The effects of this power can be seen in the movements that have erupted in favor of certain causes because of online activism.
Since so many Americans believe they need to have some power in order to be happy, they will continue the arduous process of acquiring wealth and influence, at times resorting to bitter competition. All we can hope is that humanity has learned from the consequences of our past power struggles.
What is power, though?
In Salem, power was centered largely around religious authorities, which is partially why Reverend Parris was so concerned with maintaining his position. However, wealth and respect evidently carried some form of power in the Salem community—the Putnam family maintained some influence over the town’s affairs, and respected members of the community, such as Rebecca Nurse, were treated well by the townspeople (most of the time, at least).
Now, religious figures receive little true societal power outside of certain religious circumstances—the main sources of power in modern-day society are wealth and fame.
So how do people pursue these forms of power?
Naturally, the capitalist structure of American society means that the majority of our life is spent pursuing some form of wealth. As children, we learn how to read, write, and do math. We learn how to apply these skills to more complicated topics, like science or the humanities. We progress through twelve (or more) years of school to prepare ourselves for the intricacies of money-making. Whether it be a job or a business, we spend the first twenty years of our life preparing for a source of income, and the majority of the rest of our life working to maintain that income. Despite all these efforts, most people will never actually attain enough money to be “powerful” enough to have any form of influence in society—in fact, millions of Americans unfortunately cannot even attain enough money to improve their own living conditions.
Fame, however, has grown as a more accessible way for an individual to achieve power in modern-day society. Social media allows people to reach massive audiences of people quickly, enough that a couple viral videos could get a person enough followers to make them objectively “famous.” Large content creators on social media are able to influence trends and spread opinions to youth audiences more effectively than nearly any other authority—they arguably wield a large amount of power over what Americans see and think. The effects of this power can be seen in the movements that have erupted in favor of certain causes because of online activism.
Since so many Americans believe they need to have some power in order to be happy, they will continue the arduous process of acquiring wealth and influence, at times resorting to bitter competition. All we can hope is that humanity has learned from the consequences of our past power struggles.
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| https://cdn.britannica.com/51/19151-050-4BEE998D/Witch-trial-lithograph-Salem-Massachusetts-George-H-1892.jpg |
Hi Ayush! Thank you for sharing this informative and engaging blog on the history and future of the pursuit of power. I was interested to learn just how much power has changed from the time of The Crucible, to our modern age. Your blog allowed me to gain a better understanding of this, as you provided a wide variety of examples and explained each succinctly. I especially enjoyed the rhetorical questions and short paragraphing that you employed, as that made it easy to remain engaged with the blog and also ensured that the blog never lost focus or went of on an unnecessary tangent. As you highlighted, in American society, there are certain definitions of power and a few ways to achieve it. I do, however, wonder how this definition changes for people across the world.
ReplyDeleteIn regions other than the United States, it may be possible that there are concerns for goals other than power or fame. It is also entirely possible that power and fame can meet different things in different cultures. After all, cultures and societies change whenever one travels, and even though social media and the digital age is "breaking borders" cultural distinctions still remain in our world. However, like you mentioned, social media may create a more universal understanding of fame. Rather than societies, which differ from place to place, social media and the mindset of becoming "viral" remains virtually the same no matter where one is. It will be interesting to see in the future how social media changes perceptions of fame, popularity, and power.
Thanks again for sharing this informative blog on this important subject. In the future, I am interested to see how the definitions of power evolve, as our understanding of the world is continuously changing as well. As we all become adult members of society, this aspect of life will be important in many spheres, ranging from career to family dynamics.
Hi Ayush! It was so intriguing to read about how the power demonstrated in the Salem witch trials still impacts our society today. In your blog, you constructed a thought-provoking introduction that highlighted the exigence of your discussion. To look at society as a competition for power indicates how little progress the world has made in the respect of power. You mentioned that in the Salem witch trials, power came from religious authorities, like Reverend Parris. However, I would like to add another layer to this discussion. I believe that the fundamental power that motivated almost every character in The Crucible was the fear of death and Hell. Religious fervor serves more as a platform in which this fear grips the entire community. The characters not only fall in line with the charade but also further their influence to save their lives. In this perspective, it signifies how John Proctor’s resolution was a triumph. Instead of fearing death, he went against the societal pressure and the fear of death, which enabled the corrupt to have power, losing his life but maintaining his dignity. I appreciate the lens of power you discussed from the witch trials, as it allowed for an interesting exploration of the connection to the present. For example, the influence of content creators thanks to the rise of the Digital Age uncannily resembles the power held by Abigail and her girls, and this was a point I would have never thought of myself.
ReplyDeleteHello Ayush! Power is a feature that all peole have wanted since the beginning of time. We humans have learned to go past our faults though not always. Power hungry individuals are willing to take enormous risks, pushing bounderies and causing a great deal of regret and pain later on in life. But that does not mean that power is not essential. The idea is power is what drives humans to achieve and reach something. Power is what we all want and by completing the smallest of tasks can we reach this goal. With correct detail and structure, can power be handled for the good. For examples, there have have been great monarches that have increased the productivity of people in their country and caused a lightened mood. No matter the type of government, splendidness is possible. For us Americans, demcracy seems to be the answer to many of our values, and as you mentioned, the goals that many of us use and face day to day. Ultimately, especially in our age, where power is seen by polticians everywhere and anywhere, it is keen to understand what power is just like you wrote here. Keep up the great work!
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