#117 / Power Is Good

Eric Liu, pictured above, has written a book called, You're More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen's Guide to Making Change Happen. 

Liu's book was favorably mentioned in a column in the April 19, 2017, edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. Self-described "cynical journalist" Ruben Navarrette, Jr. gave Liu's book a thumbs-up review. 

The premise of Liu's book, and his claim that "you're more powerful than you think," is that we are powerful not so much "individually," but when we operate together. 

In other words, the kind of power that is most useful, and that is available to us, is the "political" power we develop through cooperation with others who share our goals and hopes. That kind of power is not something to be shunned, but sought. Our collective power to change the world, to meet the challenges of our times, and to accomplish our highest aspirations, is exactly the kind of power we need to seek, and to embrace.

Here are Liu's thoughts about power, from one of his TED talks:

Far too many Americans are illiterate in power — what it is, how it operates and why some people have it. As a result, those few who do understand power wield disproportionate influence over everyone else. We need to make civics sexy again. As sexy as it was during the American Revolution or the Civil Rights Movement.

Sexy, huh?

Me? I'm ready for a fling!

Image Credit:

https://www.ted.com/talks/eric_liu_why_ordinary_people_need_to_understand_power