If Knowledge is Power, and Power Corrupts, Does Knowledge Corrupt?

It has been the subject to countless long debates over times. It has spawned debates in some classrooms, forum discussions over the internet, some more on television, and also between intellects or just average people looking for the answer to the age old question: “If knowledge is power, and power corrupts people, doesn’t knowledge corrupt people too?” And while many believe it does since knowledge is involved in this equation. I say that knowledge can’t corrupt and when knowledge leads to power what happens after depends on the moral character and motivation of the person wielding the knowledge and power. If the agenda is ultimately leading or relating to corruption than without a doubt the knowledge the person has, may it be either academic or social, it will play a part in the corruption. On the other hand many international leaders such as the Dalai Lama or Mother Teresa had power but instead of corruption they used it to better the world. Knowledge and Power can be used uncorrupted as long as you let it be used that way.

While I say that it depends on who wields the knowledge, the people that surround the person play a part too. Having knowledge could lead to people trying to corrupt the single person. People know that knowledge usually leads to power, or for example, in this case, knowledge would lead to corruption, since the person’s personal agenda and motivation is corrupted. But you would know that because if you’re knowledgeable you would be able to resist, knowing and being able to think through the plan, you would figure out that the agenda is ban. Now, for example, if the plan is for good, there wouldn’t have to be any using or manipulating, the person would be able to come right up and say what’s on their mind and you would be able to agree and proceed. If we have knowledge we would be able to know the consequences of our actions and should be able to counteract corruption.

Actually we have to be corrupted to initiate more corruption.  Corruption basically starts from misinformed or misdirected thoughts or information, this can be corrected by knowledge. In fact, Power corrupts more than knowledge because power can bring up the misinformed thoughts. People who don’t know how to use their knowledge could easily let themselves get corrupted. And the simple fix to corruption is knowledge, which is, according to the dictionary, the acquaintance or insight to facts, truths, or principles, as from study, investigation or general observations. But knowledge isn’t power, power is basically the ability to command or make people do what you want them to do so even if you had absolute knowledge, you may have no power over anyone what so ever. People who are in power usually look for the knowledgeable so they can pick ideas and solutions from their brain. But if the knowledgeable start believing that they have power that could lead to corruption. The question of whether knowledge corrupts is basically a never ending circle that starts and ends with the person’s intent. Then again, separately all three are dangerous, look at Kennedy; had too much power, and he got assassinated, then Marilyn Monroe; knew too much – got killed too. But how can knowledge corrupt? Knowledge can corrupt only if and when it stops being knowledge and degrade itself into being information for the corrupted. How can power corrupt?  Power corrupts when we become addicted to its privileges and use that as a motivation to do what ever we can to stay in power. The privileges of power is hat the person can get away with more, they have a greater freedom, and soon they start to believe that they are entitled to it, and since they’re in control who’s there to tell them they aren’t? So that leads to corruption when the person’s power is threatened and they have a need or tainted motivation to stay in power, sometimes, no matter what. That also ties in with why the corrupted seek power, because once the corrupted gain power, they can do what ever they want and even if it’s wrong, who’s there to show them that they’re wrong? They’ll get away with it. And the only reason no one will show them that fact or why people will sometimes continue to follow a corrupted leader is because of security, or rather; false security. They see the leader as someone who guaranteed security or the feeling of safety and usually once they realize what the person is doing is wrong, the leader is usually too powerful to suddenly overthrow.