As I stood on the shore of the marina in Monte Carlo and watched the calm surface of the water where the rays of the sun reflected off the glass and chrome parts of these huge yachts, I wondered if it is possible that individuals (a few out of all 8 billion) really have so much money, that they can afford something so glamorous, which they certainly do not need, even to survive, even not for enjoyment.
My thoughts somehow connected to the topic of this week's #weekend-engagement edition:
Why do you think some people seek to gain power over others?
Looking at those ships, which look more like sea palaces than means of transportation, I saw them first of all as a tangible proof of power.
Simply, the question came to me: Why does someone have the need to show the influence they have gained over others in this way (owning luxury yachts)?
The first answer that came to my mind was: fear.
It may sound strange that someone who has everything wants more, but power often serves as a shield.
The world is unpredictable, and controlling others gives a sense of security.
People strive for power because they believe they will become invulnerable to fate, poverty or the will of others.
In the shadow of those monstrosities when I found myself next to one of them, it was easy for me to conclude: he who has the money and the power to manage other people's lives will never have to worry about his own shelter.
He can always retreat to his rich world...
Many people (even the rich or ultra-rich) do not see themselves through what they are (mere mortals), but through what they own and who they can influence.
For them, power is a mirror that confirms to them every day that they are important.
If they can change someone's day or life with one stroke, it gives them the feeling that they are "above" the common man.
The marina in Monte Carlo is just such a stage, where this importance is constantly proven.
If you're not present and don't have a super luxury yacht in Monte Carlo, you are probably not important?
However, I don't want to sound jealous and denigrate someone's property 🙂
There are people who strive for power because they sincerely believe that from that position they can change things for the better.
However, the line between the desire for the common good and the intoxication of control is very thin.
It often happens that a powerful man, in his desire to implement his vision, forgets that the people around him are living beings, not pieces on a chessboard that can be casually sacrificed.
Today, there are such powerful people in this world, who seem not to think about man (about thousands and millions of us...).
As I left the port, with the sound of the waves hitting the bows of those expensive yachts, I thought one thing:
Maybe power over others is just a substitute for lack of control over your own life?
Or maybe that's what we think, who don't have it to such an extent?
I, for one, like to say that real power is not reflected in the thickness of the wallet, but power belongs to the one who is able to rule his own unrest.
Monte Carlo will continue to shine, but the true worth and power of a man is not measured by the draft of his yacht, but by the calmness he feels when the lights go out and he is alone.
I'm not rich (I don't have a yacht) and I don't have the power to manage the lives of others (perhaps only those in my immediate environment), so I don't need to constantly prove myself or others.
Fear always exists, but as for others, so for me... You can't run away from fate, so what's coming is not worth fearing.
And that's why, without the need to have power, great wealth (a yacht) and influence over other people, I go to bed every night with a calm head, calm and peaceful.