Power = Oppression
 

Very simple question. Very simple analogy.

You are either the wolf or the sheep. To be the wolf, you have to eat the sheep. To be the sheep, you have to be eaten by the wolf. The Shepard is only the most clever wolf in disguise.

Agreements? Disagreements? Anyone wishing to expand?

I would say Power = the potential for oppression.



[eta] the only character in this scenario who exercises power is the shepherd. Wolves do not oppress sheep, they kill them. Both animals are acting on instinct and without the capacity for empathy, as we might understand it. For the sheep, the wolf is simply a situation to be responded to, a danger to survive, or not. To the wolf, the sheep is simply a recognised prey, to which he responds according to his nature. Power presupposes that the one exercising has the capacity for agency.

I feel like the sheep dog.

http://www.thefunnyweb.net/161/47.jpg

No, although it creates the possibility, it's not equal.

Power is potential, opportunity.

The question is what do you consider "oppression?" If your definition of oppression is simply that someone else has any amount of power over you... well then yes, power = oppression would be a tautology for you. To me oppression means a certain amount of suffering. I have power over my children, but I do not oppress them. My boss has power over me, but he does not oppress me.

of course not, those sexual harrassment suits are painful.

Dennis: Come and see the violence inherent in the system. Help! Help! I'm being repressed!
King Arthur: Bloody peasant!
Dennis: Oh, what a giveaway! Did you hear that? Did you hear that, eh? That's what I'm on about! Did you see him repressing me? You saw him, Didn't you?

Just because an entity has power doesn't mean it oppresses anyone or anything.

Apparently God has power, but does he oppress?

I don't know about God, but some of his alleged adherents did a mighty fine job of it.

We would have to go into the definition of power and I'm too lazy. So I will just say no, not always.

Power is the ability to make real an intended result.

It is only oppressive if the actions undertaken to make that result real infringe on the rights of others against their will.

I cite 'lil Lookout as a counter-example.

But I also remember that the main ingredient in shepherd's pie is NOT tofu.

I don't speak all fancy like smoothmoniker but i think we have the same idea. I liked the part in Schindler's List where Schindler tells the camp commander that real power comes from having the ability to do something but choosing not to do so. That seems like the opposite of oppression to me.

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.

Hey man, language is just a tool. Don't get angry if I have a bigger tool than you do, Flint. That's just being petty.

Heh heh. Tool.

I think this line belongs in the Hall of Fame, regardless of context.

I'm sorry, country song lyrics are strictly forbidden from the Hall of Fame. It's in the rules.

Yeah, the joke was that's, like, a Garth Brooks song, or something.

And here's a few more commas: , , ,

I dunno. Let's ask Job.

i take it you're saying God oppressed Job?

I don't know what Els means but God did pretty much play fast and loose with one of his "best" dudes. I think Satan bet God a coke that Job would fold.

Hope God enjoyed that coke.

I think it originally started as Satan saying "Job only follows you for the love of what you've given him. He loves you because you've made things so cushy for him, he's never had a negative experience in his life", and God responding with "His love for me is why his life has been so fulfilling". Satan was allowed to take anything from Job except his life to see if he would turn on God.

I'm not saying its a real feel-good story but I'm looking for the oppression.

I used to work for an organization that has power. Its motto was then and still is "Liberation of the Oppressed."

He's not oppressing Job, he's abusing him.

Job does okay out of it. Satan killed your daughters? Never mind, here's some new ones. And I'll even make them pretty!

That God, he does encourage the old parental bonds doesn't he?

OK, whether you believe the stories are real, or you like the idea of family as property, is an issue for a different thread.

How is God abusive in this thread? We started at oppressive, now we're at abusive, so this is an example of abuse?

Your face is an example of abuse when I look at it and throw up.

you asshole.

my sister was throwing up while arguing about my oppressive face in front of the WTC on 9/11!

Or was she was throwing up because she ate a cheeseburger-in-a-can, on a treadmill?

she was on the treadmill for fear of the shark biting her finger.

For which none of us are sorry...

big dic

mental midget

intolerably irritating

irritatingly intolerable?

inatatingly irrtolerable?

Did she take off?