These Aren't The Droids You're Looking For.

Reading Mike’s blog today, I was reminded of the one thing everyone used to say while watching Star Wars:

“Wouldn’t it be cool if you had Jedi Powers?”

The classic schoolboy reaction. ‘That would be soooo cooooool!’.

However, having far too much time on my hands, I thought about it, and realized it’s probably a good job that I don’t have Jedi powers. I’m pretty sure that within a year, I’d make the Emperor look like a boy scout, and Darth Vader look like a sissy girl.

You see, I don’t think it’s possible for any one person to have that kind of power, and not turn evil. I’m pretty sure that’s why the Jedi Council in the movies exists, so that everyone can keep an eye on everyone else.

Think of it, you’d start off small. You’d be waiting in line, when it would suddenly dawn on you that with a wave of your hand, you could walk to the front, and everyone would believe you’d been there all along. Not exactly evil, more ‘unfair’.

But then you’d think a bit more. “Hey! I could walk into that bank over there, do a quick Jedi mind-trick, and walk out with a few million, and no one would ever know!”

You’d convince yourself you weren’t being ‘bad’ exactly. The bank’s insured, you’re not hurting anyone or using a weapon. Hell, it’s hardly even a crime! You’ve worked hard, you deserve it! No one’s going to miss it!

Then you’d start to fuck with people’s free will. Again, starting small, making other people do things for you. Arriving at work, seeing that huge pile of papers on your desk.

(waves hand) “This isn’t my work.”

“This isn’t your work.”

“You put it on my desk by accident.”

“I put it on your desk by accident.”

“You’ll give it to someone else.”

“I’ll give it to someone else.”

Again, a small thing, but removing another's free will is, in my opinion, the basis of all evil. Today you’ve got someone doing your work for you. Tomorrow you’re not doing any work at all. Who’s to say what you’d be doing in a year or two’s time?

Slowly, it would dawn on you. You can do whatever you want, and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it!

Also, have you ever noticed that when someone’s getting in your face, the smaller and weaker they are, the more it annoys you? Someone your own age and size will annoy you, but when the 16 year old, spotty, 80lb management trainee goes off on a power trip with you, getting right up in your face…it really, really needles you?

Imagine living in a world where everyone was like that. If an 8 foot tall 350lb mountain of a man pushes a guy in your face, you know you can stop those bullets with a thought, and a simple gesture would send him flying through the opposite wall.

How long could you continue to take orders from people who you could destroy with a thought? How many times have you wished you could punch an annoying boss in the face? Fear of reprisals, losing your job, jail time and your own morality makes sure you use your self control right now, but what if all those consequences are taken away? How long before you really lose your temper?

I’ve no doubt you’d start out thinking you were doing good. You’d convince people to do things for ‘their own good’. You’d take charge because your way is better than the current way of doing things. But that begs the question, who are you to decide what’s best for anyone else?
I’m not saying that every single person gifted with that kind of power would become a mass murderer or destroy continents, but I’d guarantee that anyone with that kind of power would change drastically for the worst. At best, it would lead to severe sociopathic behaviour.

Many of you think that this is complete and utter codswallop. if you had Jedi Powers, you'd become a superhero, on a super villain.

Let me use a real life example. Name one dictator, a single individual with complete and total control over their country, that didn't do things that were morally reprehensible. Also, bear in mind that these people had the fear that their people would rise up against them. if you were the one person on Earth with Jedi powers, that wouldn't apply

It all goes back to the old maxim “Power corrupts…and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

When you live in a world where you can do whatever you want, it won’t be long before you do just that.

What do you think?