There is a saying in Argentina: “Power is like drinking gin on an empty stomach. You feel dizzy, you get drunk, you lose your balance, and you will end up hurting yourself.” The image is striking because power often behaves exactly in that way. It intoxicates. It gives the illusion of strength while slowly weakening judgment, balance, and humanity.Sofas & Armchairs
Kerala’s recent political waiting around the Chief Minister’s chair once again reveals how deeply human beings are drawn toward power and gain. A chair in politics symbolizes authority, recognition, visibility, and influence. People wait for it with passion because the chair promises significance — the feeling that one matters.
But power rarely comes alone. Along with authority come gain, prestige, admiration, and control. Slowly, the chair can become more important than the people it is meant to serve. Leadership then shifts from responsibility to self-preservation. The question changes from “How can I serve?” to “How can I hold my chair?”
This struggle is not limited to politics. In families, workplaces, institutions, and even religious communities, people seek their own versions of the chair. Some want titles, others seek appreciation, while many desire control over decisions and people. Psychologically, this desire is rooted in the human need for esteem, security, and recognition. Every person wants to feel important.
Yet power without inner balance easily becomes dangerous. Like intoxication, it can blur moral vision. Relationships become transactional, criticism becomes threatening, and service slowly disappears behind ambition. History repeatedly shows that recognition alone never satisfies; the more one gains, the more one fears losing it.
Still, power itself is not evil. Healthy power can protect, guide, and uplift society. A good leader understands that authority is not a personal trophy but a responsibility entrusted for the good of others. The chair has meaning only when it becomes an instrument of service.