Power, Wisdom, and Will

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Wouldn’t it be great if the wisest among us were the ones in power? Sadly, though, that’s not the case. And wouldn’t it be great if the wisest among us were also the ones with the strongest will? Then the will to power would be informed by deep and reflective wisdom. But that’s not the case either. There appears to be no positive correlation between wisdom and strength of will, and the correlation may even be a negative one. In fact, if Socrates was correct, and "the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing,” then the wisest among us may deem themselves unworthy of leading!

Might this explain the federal government we presently have in the United States? We seem to now be led by the stupidest of individuals who are cocksure of themselves and appear to have the greatest will to do the greatest harm. Surely, it’s a living example of a kakistocracy, “a form of government in which the worst persons are in power.”


Man standing up to a column of tanks in Tiananmen Square, China in 1989.


The Right seems to have an indomitable will. They commandeer movements to get their people holding sway over school boards where they can rid our schools of the so-called “indoctrination” of teaching about diversity, factual history, and accurate biology. They organize around promoting Supreme Court candidates who will turn back the clock on societal advancements and dismantle our democratic principles. They cobbled together Project 2025 and brought it to fruition with force of will, deviousness, and skillful organization. Yes, the Right has no shortage of will to power.

Unfortunately, we modern progressives are too busy living the best life we can live to try to impose our will on everyone else. Oh, sure, we’ll work here and there to get out the vote and advance our candidate or candidates of choice. We’ll lobby our elected officials on behalf of policies we’d like to see. For the most part, though, we don’t have the will to live and breathe politics like the Right has lived and breathed politics in order to bring us to where we are today.

I’m pleased that the No Kings rallies this past month were so successful. It’s been reported that millions attended. My concern, however, is that, while the organizers certainly displayed the sustained will required to bring the rallies to fruition, the will of the attendees (my own included) might prove far more mercurial.

Please understand that my point of view has been molded by watching the Black Lives Matter movement take shape in Ferguson, Missouri and elsewhere in the wake of the killing of Michael Brown. There were protests nearly every night then in Ferguson. There was sustained collective will to disrupt business as usual and bring the impacts of racism to the awareness of the privileged. There was willingness and a sustained will on the part of many to risk personal safety and liberty in order to “shut shit down.” What if the millions of people who attended No Kings rallies displayed the strength of will required for such civil disobedience? What if millions of people had the non-violent resolve to stand up to oppression as Tank Man did in Tiananmen Square?

Let me state in no uncertain terms that I am NOT claiming to be braver than I am, more persistent than I am, or more committed than I am. Compared to many, I’m a coward. I’ve ducked away from numerous protests when it looked as though arrests were about to be made. I’ve guarded my own energy level judiciously while others gave everything they had. My will has been weak when it comes to being a wholehearted member of a movement. However, I do wonder what it will take to push back successfully against the powers that are presently dismantling our democracy. I hope you’re wondering as well.


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This post is in the Power, Practice, and Peace series.

Find a running list of all posts in this series by clicking here


Images


Tank Man in Tiananmen Square, China in 1989 from Encyclopedia Britannica via:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tank-Man


Copyright 2025 by Mark Robert Frank


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