I have two friends; one is a politician, the other a businessman. My politician friend was full of power, under a few people but above a thousand. He was a very talented man in his work. I also never saw him act condescendingly toward subordinates and friends. He was always ready to help and support them in a very “big brother” style.
All of a sudden, he was arrested. He was stripped of all titles and perks, then given a rather heavy prison sentence. His fault was having been careless in a few political decisions back when he was in office, which let subordinates take advantage and commit serious violations of the law. On the day he was tried, I did not have enough courage to visit and attend the court session. I could not bear to see him in handcuffs.
My businessman friend was a stock and real estate “baron.” After hitting big windfalls, he was determined to build an empire. Because of having big relationships, securing projects and borrowing money were very easy for him. He became famous and was hailed as a successful tycoon. He was like a moth to a flame, borrowing thousands of billions, spending recklessly, intoxicationally investing despite our desperate warnings about the terrible risks of the financial and real estate markets in those years. His catchphrase at the time was always: “How can you guys know better than me. I’ve been doing this forever.”
His company’s products were not received by the market. The 2008 financial crisis hit, and banks foreclosed on his company’s debts. Eventually, he closed the company, withdrew the small remaining capital, and lived a contented, quiet life. The business marketplace no longer echoed his name.
Politicians fallen from grace, generals stumbled, businessmen some caught in legal troubles, others empty-handed after reaching the peak, entertainment stars embroiled in scandals. What do these people have in common? They were all powerful, successful people with great influence in society. And after reaching the peak in their respective fields, they all slipped and fell due to severe abuse of power, resulting in burying their own careers.
Why can people who have climbed to the peak sink into the deep abyss? Why is power so easy to corrupt?
First, the powerful easily consider themselves “untouchable.” To them, rules rarely carry value, and they tend to act outside the conventional legal framework. When at the peak, they become all the more subjective and hold the law in contempt. Meanwhile, the public, public opinion, and sometimes even law enforcers show deference and leniency toward the powerful. And thus, they find it even easier to abuse power. That is why there are politicians who know full well something is wrong yet still issue extremely “reckless” decisions; why there are entertainment stars who view themselves as a force, thus imposing on subordinates and committing sexual harassment.
Second, those at the summit of fame usually quickly achieve what they want, because in reality they are also very talented. They run the risk of forming the illusion that whatever they want, they get. The subordinates around them, out of admiration or even out of gain, gradually become blinded and fail to recognize the power holder’s abuse of power. Followers also gradually deceive themselves, believing that the person in power is always right or can be forgiven. In many cases, fans, subordinates, and employees equate “corruption of power” with “decisiveness,” daring to break order and social norms, and even cheer on actions as displays of leadership mettle. Flirting with and harassing subordinates is regarded as bestowing affection. Wrong business decisions are also turned a blind eye to by subordinates because the benefits bestowed by the “big brother” are too immense. Those acts of indulgence gradually leave power unchecked, abused, and corrupted.
Third, highly successful people can fall into the illusion of “infallibility.” When they are overly successful, they think that they are always right. But in reality, past success has never been a good predictor for future success. Past success in politics does not guarantee the current political future. Managing one business field well does not mean that you do everything well. No one stays right forever; there will come a time when, forgetting oneself in victory, they make mistakes caused by delusions clouding their eyes.
The higher a power holder goes, the less criticism they receive. They are surrounded by a crowd of subordinates always striving to please the “big brother.” Gradually, around the “big brother” there remain only flatterers, with no one left to act as a mirror or offer criticism for subsequent decisions. The dangerous vicious cycle will be: The higher one goes, the more the boss is surrounded solely by flatterers, ready to cheer and rationalize any action of the boss, including wrong business decisions or illegal acts.
And finally, the poison of power is the most terrible opium. Being served much, you will become addicted; being praised much, you will become intoxicated. The feeling of becoming a “cult leader,” “icon,” or “leader” is a doping dose continuously increasing. The more infatuated, the more people want to do hard tasks to challenge themselves, pushing the level higher to satisfy the new addiction.
Institutionally, I believe it is necessary to build a mechanism to control power very strictly so that even “absolute power” cannot “corrupt absolutely.” In an institution with good power checks, abusers of power will be duly punished no matter how high a position they occupy.
As for each individual, to avoid the “poison” of power, the first way, in my view, is to practice listening to blunt, hard-to-hear words. Ancient kings often had “remonstrating officials”—people ready to die to restrain the king from doing wrong. Being a boss requires having talented associates with independent views rather than mere yes-men. Politicians need a team of advisors independent of them regarding finances and interests so that they can provide the most correct and independent advice.
But to do that, the powerful need humility. Only when thinking that one’s capacity is limited, that one cannot do everything, and that one hand cannot cover the whole sky, will people know where to stop. Talented ancient monarchs often referred to themselves as “gu” [solitary], meaning an orphaned child, with the implicit meaning that being “orphaned,” one needed to be taught. If ancient tyrannical kings still needed to humbly seek virtuous scholars, let alone someone with a little power today.
Only the humble understand that their successes are the crystallization of a lot of luck and effort not only from themselves but also thanks to many people. Therefore, the peak position is to “serve” the people, shareholders, employees, or fans. It is a noble responsibility and duty, not a “privilege” to take advantage of for personal gain and abuse.
And humility is also to realize that, whether having power or not, we will all vanish in impermanence. No matter how rich a person is, there will be someone richer; no matter how powerful, the time will come to retire; a world-class icon like Michael Jackson eventually dies alone. Fame and fortune are mere vanity. Popularity is but a blink of an eye in the galaxy.
An illustrious politician upon stumbling once said: “Prison is very cold.” From the peak of power to the cold cell, it is actually only a few steps.
Nguyen Quoc Toan
