This is the end!

I hope you folks are feeling as fufilled as I am and pleased with the course as promised in my journal I'd put my two power songs and embed them on the blog, without further ado...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlwVsUHahPw from Civ 4.

And now for something really obscure but hilarious in this courses context:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V7aUT13qtM The real power synopsis in this song doesn't start till about 25 seconds in :P.


And with that hvae a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Bob M

The Power Of Consciousness - Bruce Lipton

Here is a link to a video on power and our choices and being aware of it all. I cant take all the credit for this because I saw the link when Navrattan posted it on his facebook so I watched it and thought it would be good for the ol' blog. LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYYXq1Ox4sk

Kristen

Wrap Up

Hey classmates,
So just wanted to make a final post on here thanking everyone for their insights through the class on power. I certainly learned a lot from the course. Today I find that my life has become a bit simpler. I've slowed down and I recognize moments of power and I find myself actually pondering what matters and what's important. I don't lash out to create power dynamics as much anymore. It's really crazy to look back at my notes and see what we were all saying at the beginning of the course and how far we have come and how we see power and can reverse it to use it back against people or to neutralize it. Every time I watch movies now I am thinking of the power dynamics between characters (thanks Les) and analyzing everything. I was watching Law abiding Citizen the other day and that is some crazy power. Anyone who hasn't watched it should certainly take a night to watch it.

I wish everyone the best of luck in their relationships within their lives and I hope this course has helped everyone as it has helped me. If you ever have time to read Les's book I highly recommend it. I have started it and it's just elaborating on everything he's taught us throughout the course. Power will always be evident but it can be positive. I'm working to be a better person and less of a control freak.

Morgan

Music!!!!

Hola!
So on Monday the whole class I couldn't stop thinking of songs, even though I had already chosen my song for Wednesdays music day I had to re think my choice and finally picked one that I really love, but for reasons I can't even explain.. and there were others I thought would be good to share with the class... so here they are! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGZ0W5aw99A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WkXPPLiZOY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1WhcLDEEDQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPot2WhR0_Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT1yVXVgiHg&feature=fvst

... the last one, I dont particularly like the lyrics but I just really enjoy the music

Kristen M

Something Something Power.

Oh wow another post?

Ya sorry just this guy had really interesting views on power and the dynamics of what thoughts are its pretty awesome! The fellow also has a great view on music and you can feel the change with just slight alterations, its just really interesting!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcUaMo1DxkY

Bob

Loose Change

Hi folks just wanted to let you know those of us that attended Monday November 15ths movie night to check out "Loose Change" on Youtube, it is a very interesting look at Gov't manipulation during/after 911.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E3oIbO0AWE

- Bob

Oh right also wanted to show an example (current) of attempting to manipulate ideals in order to get more power with this:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/willheaven/100064280/mark-zuckerberg-is-a-mossad-agent-claims-crackpot-iranian-conspiracy-theory/

^^ Quite neat if I do say so myself.

Jane Elliot's Blue Eyes Brown Eyes Experiment

Hello Everyone,

I had briefly discussed this experiment the other day in class and feel it is worthwhile watching!

My analysis:

When an individual feels they have power they become invincible. The feeling they can do anything because they have the power or control. When you do not have power you feel vulnerable. Helpless, unsure how to change the situation or feel trapped.
When you have experienced both you begin to develop empathy.
I think once you have experienced something or have emotional intelligence, your actions and reactions are different.

If you were once bullied and know how it feels, why would you want to bully someone else?
You could choose to bully anyhow but if you think of how you felt, you will realize it is not worth it.

I think it is important to think about others... Reactions, feelings, thoughts etc.
We learn at a very early age -
* If you don't have anything nice to say, do not say it at all.
* Treat other's the way you want to be treated.

I hope you enjoy the video - A Class Divided

Website of the master mind behind this invigorating experiment Jane Elliot
http://www.janeelliott.com/


Videos

Clip 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BrFHq-t2VY

Clip 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UbNp15zDtE

Clip 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPIxU6_ClIM

Clip 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLEEJuHgnk4

Cheers,
Alexis
:)

Hey guys,
Since Les gave us his definition of power its pretty much all I look for... in movies, books, tv shows, songs, relationships, etc.. and over the past month I have been beginning to watch the show Dexter. Those who like the show as well might be interested in re-watching the 5th episode (I believe) in the second season.. the whole episode is basically Dexter shifting the power dynamic so he is in control of how the case pans out... definitely cool to see alongside this course :D

Kristen

"Power dynamics within relationships"

I was procrastinating doing homework this weekend and I decided I was going to google some things. I happened to come across this article on power within relationships. It's a man's view on women. I was reading it and I was surprised but then again not really surprised at this man's views on women in relationships today. Is this really what men think about us? This makes me think about my own relationship and past ones thinking about the power dynamics within and I see power on both ends of the spectrum not to this degree. It's very interesting seeing different opinions of people. Just Google "Power dynamics within relationships" and you will be surprised the different responses.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Power-Dynamics-in-Relationships&id=362658


Morgan

Amazing Book

Hey Power Mates!

Today in class Les mentioned that there is no opposite to life, and how death is the opposite of birth, not life... and it reminded me of an amazing book called Pilgrim by Timothy Findley. Its basically about a man who cannot die, and it goes through his life his bizarre relationship with Carl Jung.It has been a few years since I last read the book but from what I remember it had pretty interesting power dynamics :D... definitely a book to put on your "to read" list ;)

Kristen M

Choice and Anti-Choice

Hi All,

I figured I would get around to a blog post days to here I am. I wished to put out a really interesting story guised with many superheroes and villains from the DC universe (Batman/Superman etc.) and wanted to inform you all of a really neat event that took place some years ago; this has roots in power I promise! Anyway this event was called the Final Crisis a reordering of the comic DC universe itself where a few big name heroes actually ended up dying and breaking their one rule (not to kill) in order to combat a massive threat. This threat was the one and only Darkseid. Now obviously most of you likely do not know what this dude is all about; in summary he is pure unadulterated evil and as such is as close to a physical representation to power as I have ever seen; he thrives on corruption and his only goal is total domination and subjugation of the whole universe. Now this is where it becomes really interesting; you see he has always had a goal in life to find this mythical thing called the “Anti-Life” equation (based on the fact in this comic universe that there is a “Life” equation). Now one would assume that this equation would be some type of death beam or other type of weapon that is capable of obliterating life, well its not it actually obliterates the power of “Choice!”


Yes the ultimate power of the DC universe is Choice, Darkseid uses this equation to infect the Earth to the point where all who exist on the planet become an extension of his will. To me this means that he has the ultimate power, there is no choice, no happiness, no sadness, no power between individuals (if they can even be called that). As it says in the comics, when all is one in Darkseid, there is only peace, there is only order, but above all there is only Darkseid. –Wonder Woman (Leader of the Female Furies in Darkseids army).

To Summarize the Anti-Life equation was actually an Anti-Choice equation and basically its point was that if there was no choice in the universe there would be no life. I just thought the whole thing was interesting also Batman’s Finest hour is here, okay I think I’ve let my nerd show enough :P.

Oh here's Darkseids Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkseid
And an overveiw of Final Crisis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Crisis
If you want to read it in its entirety look at torrent sites.

Regards,
Bob

The Experiment

Hello All,

For the few of you that attended last nights movie the Experiment, someone mentioned that there was a 2010 version of the movie. Well I found the trailer, so check it out. You can notice some similarities but you can also tell the differences, it would be interesting to watch and see how the Power Dynamics have changed from version to version of the movie. Enjoy All.

Cassie

The Experiment 2010 Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHlIlo6Txpk

Wednesday was pretty interesting. I had no idea what this class was about when I registered but our first class was the best way my year could have started. I'm surprised no body else has posted a blog yet. Today is 9 years after 9/11 so I think a link to this film is appropriate. The film is called Zeitgeist, if any of you have seen it I would like you to post your comments about the film and the notions it expresses. For those who haven't seen it, please go watch it. I think your views on the event may broaden or change. The film shows power dynamics in a way that shows effect it can have on the lives of others. In this case thousands of lives were lost due to power.

Heres the link, enjoy! http://www.zeitgeistthefilm.com/

Hello to all you power mongers:)

Here is the link to a downloadable copy of my book - it will come as a pdf and take a few minutes to download but at least it's free....

Maybe not completely free...I would like anyone who reads it to post a critique here.

As I said it was scheduled to be published in April 08 - but as bad luck would have it the company closed.

Someone in class suggested that they would publish it...if you have a contact or can make it happen I am going to be open to this again starting this summer. Let me know...

Information is only valuable when it is shared:)

Best wishes to you all

Les


www.frankmaidens.com/RAIN/OHP2008guts_MARCH.pdf

Power

Mostly, Les, I appreciate the scrutiny of life in general. I have explored, questioned, and tried to understand power, where I stand, where I wish to stand....ultimately, I look to my internal power, my mind's perception of a situation and my ability to accept, dismiss or reject it on some level or another. We all give a little to get a little. We just need to decide where the line of giving is too much, when we have given too much of ourselves so we are now undiscerned from another. We give until we are no longer identifiable as an individual, but as a part of another, bigger picture that may contain parts we may not have agreed with but there it is, part of us now. Mmmm...got to go, but I still feel love is the greatest power and is simply not definable, not teachable, only something we experience and need to exist with any level of feeling of control or power.

Ellen

Power course

Hello Class and Les,

My first blog was lost in space that I wrote, and now this blog is nearing the end of a very enlightening semester. Thanks, Les, for your time and care in presenting power dynamics. I will read your book on my holidays...mainly because college profs keep me too busy for extracurricular reading!

I would like to say that the concept of power is exciting...disseminating it really made me think about my life, and the way I deal with people and situations. I do believe that love is not a mechanism of power but is the greatest power of all...mind you I missed the second half of class for a marketing team meeting...power struggle extreme! Perhaps, Les, you made it clear why love is a "mechanism" of power like money, etc. Perhaps the meaning of mechanism was not clear enough to me. Of all power, love is the most uncontrollable...as proven in your movie requirement "Love Naturally". We cannot figure out how why or how we react, it is physical, automatic, primal, and we make the conscious decision not to act on this primal physical draw because we have elevated our emotions above the raw animalistic reaction to simple desire.

Isn't love the ultimate example of power. We cannot escape the need for love. There is no growth, no development of humans without love, human affectionate contact. That is the ultimate power...the giving or the withdrawal of love.

Well, just a thought.

Ellen

Movie Suggestion

I wanted to suggest a movie for Monday night.
It is a sci-fi movie called "Dune" that's based on a book by Frank Herbert.
It has it all drugs, violence and a ton of power dynamics between the characters, not to mention an appearance by Sting (the musician).

Nada Isles

The Power of Money

Hello Friends,
For anyone who was in today's class (Wednesday March 10) I have a really good movie (in my opinion) That would really sum up what we talked about. That movie is called Into the Wild. I think we maybe watching that movie soon in class, but I am not positive.
This movie is all about a journey for something more. It definitely has a strong emphasis on the mechanics of money and how it plays in our society.
Enjoy,

-Paul E Emerson

The Power of Perception and Your Ego.

There is no such thing as an external enemy, no matter what that voice in your head is telling you. All perception of an enemy is a projection of the ego as the enemy. In that sense, you can say that 100% of our external enemies are of our own creation. Your greatest enemy is your own inner perception, your own ignorance, your own ego. At first its difficult for the mind to accept that there is something of greater value and greater capacity for discerning truth than itself.

Jeff Burton

Not sure if anyone has seen these video's before but they describe and break-down certain power sources perfectly. Also valuable insight if you are unsure on what has merit and what is trickery. Very interesting and informative.

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

Great information and opens your mind to an alternative view to the mass majority of society.

The Best Power Example I Know

Hi Guys,

This is my first time blogging, so I'm going to to keep it lite.

I wanted to share with you one of the best examples of power I could think of, and the example is: the 1960's television show "the Prisoner".

Concept:
A man who has recently resigned from a position in the government espionage division (think if James Bond quit), wakes up one day in his bed, in his apartment, and he opens the curtains to reveal that he is actually in a room designed to look like his. This room is in "The Village", a picturesque town thats built on a loop so no roads ever take you out, where people are not known by name but instead by number (our guy is number 6), and that the person who appears to be in charge is number 2. We soon learn "The Village" is a prison for people with valuable information, and that the reason for numbers is so that you aren't aware which people are fellow prisoners and which are parts of a clever plot to exert your ever-valuable information...

What to Expect to see:
A dated television show that you've already seen elements of in loads of other pop-culture; this show has it's influence everwhere... talk about power :)

One of the most original shows you've ever seen, especially the episode "Schizoid Man".

More examples of power dynamics including control than the Matrix.

Where to Find it:
For rent at "Have You Seen" on Aylmer st. in Peterborough

To avoid the risk of being called a spammer... you guys know how to use Google to find streaming & downloading sites already... go find one.

_____________________________________

So what is "The Village?"... Who wants this information, for what do they want it?... and just who is number 1?...

Tune in to find out,

Ryan Smith

The power is us.

Currently fellow, Power Course member we are in one of the largest power dynamics happening,we are the mesh in a possible labour dispute.We are smack dab and the middle of the union,teachers,the college,and of course the provincial government. The same part of the government that is funding most of us,so the union swings us out as the carrot at the end of the stick letting the government know that if the outcome is not in their favor,that they (the government) will have us to deal with.For those of us in our graduating semester this is oh my god time what will I do if I can't graduate I can't pay my loans (to the government)I can't find a job what will I do?
To be fair the teachers have given us assurances that everything will be done to allow for us to complete our courses.As good a gesture as this is there is still that feeling of uncertainty.OK so here's the next dynamic we are all voters in this province and you got to think that our government dose not want us to be unhappy with them ...again... so think about it we're just a big carrot out there swinging in the wind both sides hoping we can do something to swing the power their way..Ya this was a bit of a rant but I'm better now..till next time.
Russ Craggs.

Turned On Your Ear

As someone, somewhere once said (it may have been me just now)- power is insidious; power is present all around us. The dynamics of power exist in the minutae and the immaculate in everything in our society and in nature around us.

This example comes from a microeconomics lecture held in B519 today. It seems that RT enjoys tormenting his child in reprisal for himself being tormented- although RT puts on a valiant effort, it appears that he will never be dominant in the constant struggle for power between himself and his daughter. For instance, there was a case involving a talking dog- the event was peppered with wails from the daughter of 'daddy, I wanttttt thhhhattttttt!' repeatedly, in such a manner as to be draining on the mental and emotional faculties of RT, and anyone else in earshot.

Eventually, RT purchased the talking toy dog for his daughter in an attempt to make the wailing stop. This immediate goal was accomplished- and a day later, RT's daughter tired of the talking dog and became disinterested in its continued existence.

RT's response was to take the toy dog someplace remote... and batter it into submission with a hammer.

Score for this round? Daughter 2, RT 0.

Although, the judges did award a bonus point for the attempt to recoup power lost through the precise, calculated application of violence... against a toy dog. One can only hope that the batteries did not explode in the midst of the pummeling (some, though not I, may have called this karma).

-Paul Austin-Menear