Neuroscience gives us one more warning. Losing power can feel like withdrawal. We're seeing this now as Donald Trump thrashes about, losing his grip on his party and his followers...
No doubt the Founding Fathers understood the importance to democracy of separating the powers of government into three branches that relate to each other like rock-paper-scissors. But they failed to account for, or even acknowledge, the power of private wealth to concentrate and overwhelm the public will. That's what we are struggling against today.
I wrote about the Founding Fathers here: "Trump doesn't ride a horse as King George III did. His stead is a golf cart. Could a statue of him be toppled as George's was? Like the British King, Trump also rides a massive ego." Watching the Ken Burns documentary The American Revolution impired me to write this.
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is, unless the person in power has a moral compass. During my Navy career, I had the benefit of working with a lot of admirals and generals. Admirals and generals know that true leaders motivate by consensus. Thus, tactics and policies get modified to minimize unintended consequences pointed out by peers and subordinates.
People like Trump and his superwealthy peers think that their wealth means that they are smarter than everybody else with less wealth. So, why listen to peons who are clearly all "losers?" Once leaders stop listening, they are no longer leading or governing. They are RULING. Historically, ignorance of unintended consequences has always been the downfall of rulers.
AI's answer - [can it really be correct? - ask your favorite voter....
You, the reader have probably always assumed this is true...]
AI: Power affects the brain by deactivating areas related to empathy and social cognition, leading to behaviors such as decreased risk-awareness, increased impulsivity, and a reduced ability to understand others' perspectives. This is partly due to the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and testosterone, which can be habit-forming and create a self-oriented mindset
Neurological effects of power:
Activates the reward system: Feeling powerful increases dopamine activity, which is linked to motivation and reward, explaining why power can be addictive.
Dampens empathy: Power can decrease the activity in brain areas associated with empathy and social cognition, making it harder to understand how others are feeling.
Disengages the prefrontal cortex: This brain region is responsible for executive functions like decision-making, impulsivity control, and considering others' perspectives. Power can lead to its disengagement.
Deactivates the vagus nerve: This can diminish feelings of compassion and gratitude.
Changes social mirroring: Powerful individuals may be less likely to mimic the facial expressions and body language of others, which is a subconscious behavior linked to empathy.
Behavioral effects of power:
Increased impulsivity and risk-taking: The combination of dopamine activation and a disengaged prefrontal cortex makes people more likely to act without fully considering the consequences.
Very interesting answer from AI. Thom has been discussing Hunters in a Farmers world, juxtapositioning people with ADHD and those neurotypicals.
Disengaging the prefrontal cortex, especially the brain region responsible for executive functions is identified as something that access to power and enjoyment of it can affect. ADHD and various other manifestations also affect similar cognitive functions. Perhaps the increased awareness of those of us who have ADHD and other differences/ neurodivergence can be seen as an adaptive response to people like Trump. We do have empathy. Not all of us. But probably the majority. We are more comfortable with animals. In part because animals can sense the true nature of humans. If my dog doesn’t like you, I probably won’t either. It’s not surprising then that RFKJR would want to identify and track us. We are a threat. We don’t have a filter anymore than these others do who are addicted to power.
We usually exist on the fringes of society. Because we have been pushed away by other people. We make up much of the school to prison pipeline.
A or "the" conclusion one may come to from this description is that all this is hard wired into the brain from the get-go. This is the innate nature of the human brain - all the chemicals and wiring are built into the DNA of ... everything? Is it an evolutionary mechanism of survival? If any answer is even sort of close to a yes - then what? Nurture seems a bit of a buffer but is not a guarantee of remediation.
Ridicule can help. Tune into late night TV. Follow Comedy Central. Keep watching the YouTube channels and listen to the podcasters. DON"T forget SNL.
The Epstein survivors cheered---with the Democrats. The mood is shifting.
That's how the rest of us keep our sanity while trying to live with those among us who would take our power. Keep studying.
Does it feel like there are many more of these Dark Triad individuals around than when you were young? That's because there are, if you are of a certain age. Our population has more than doubled.
Educate everyone you know, and if they are young women, tell them twice! See you in the streets.
The survivors haven't taken back anything until the names of the perps are spoken aloud, and to do that requires some brave soul, like Ro Khanna, to take advantage of the speech and debate clause in congress,that shields them from civil liability for libel, and speak aloud the names of the perps on the floor, until then they are safe. And Pam Bondi isn't going to turn over the files because she has made them part of the investigation which will take forever, failing that they have already signaled that the files are essential to national security, ergo classified.
Classified files can be subpoenaed, but only in a closed committee and the information not publicized, any finding are kept within the committee.
Again we have been punked. And shame on us for falling for it, we learned nothing from Mueller and the documents file.
He delegated to his subordinates. Pam will continue blocking them,as they are part of their investigation into his enemies, and should that fail, there are national security concerns, as the files most certainly contain the names of Trump's international allies, like the emirs.
On second thought Daniel, Dispute my argument, my points. Other than
1. Has Bondi not declared that the files are part of an ongoing investigation?
2. Can they use the reason that the files are part of an investigation to keep a close hold on them?
3.The administration has not officially stated that the Epstein files have national security implications; instead, it previously tried to block their release, but now supports a bill that includes a national security exception for redactions. (Redactions like Trump's name, and the name of wealthy and powerful people.
My question to you, is why do you keep defending Trump when he constantly games and punks us. By sending us off on snipe hunts, and charging people who think for themselves as Trump spokesmen?
The only way to save our souls is by a national intifada (uprising), ppositive action, and I am sorry that 3.5% protesting ain't working, it is viewed as a pressure relief valve.
Trump and his regime can only be taken down from the inside or by a 1789 revolt.
And if he goes, who replaces him, J D Vance, Peter Thiel, Jamie Dimon, Larry Ellison, the tech tyrants?
Maybe just sit there on the bench, holding protest signs, while the Geheim Stats Polizei drive by with their vans and pick us up. Is that the solution?
Because I have all of my faculties, because I use them, and refuse to swallow bullshit, I am Trump's spokesman. Your accusation is so lame Daniel, considering all of the hundreds of c omments I have made.
I guess I was Putin's spokesman, when I was ripping into "Boris" as he detracted from Ukraine by trying to change the subject to genocide in Gaza and you were liking my comments.
Your Manichean, Dubya, mentality of being with you or with the other side, does not favor you Daniel.
Give people credit for being able to evaluate a situation,anaylze it and form their own opinions, and not be sucked down a rabbit hole, like you.
Your comment about there being more Dark Triad individuals vs. population makes perfect sense. It implies that the proportion of Dark Triad individuals vs. normal people stays constant. I wonder if any researchers have looked into that?
You caught the exact point, Robot. Here's what AI Overview says:
"Approximately 10-20% of the population has moderately elevated levels of Dark Triad traits, while 1-2% have extremely high levels that meet the clinical threshold for a personality disorder. Another source suggests about 1 in 14 people in an international sample exhibit significant Dark Triad traits."
Some sort of spectrum like most things. I know when I took "loss prevention" classes they said if you made it relatively easy, 20% would take things. That tracks.
Thom, thank you for providing neuroscience to verify these guys' behavior but anecdotally it has been clear as a bell all along. Putin, Xi Jinping and Erdogan all began their political careers focused on improving their countries and citizen. In all cases, as soon as the power drug set in, the focus shifted squarely on control and self-enrichment.
The danger lies in the loss of control. This is exemplified by the guy whose girlfriend has escaped his clutches and he kills her so that "if I can't have her no one can." So let's not forget that as the cracks grow deeper and trump's control spirals downward, we still have three years to go and he has control of the nuclear button....
After all the more serious aspects are discussed, there's this from Henry Kissinger who knew a thing or two about power: "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac."
Thom—truly a thought provoking essay on power. This power mongering syndrome seems to go hand-in-hand with the problem of hoarding wealth, especially when one has enough for 2 or 3 lifetimes.
This needs to be understood because it has haunted humanity all through history as far back as we have written record.
It seems to follow all of our collected aspirations for positive development as a species, almost like some sort of strange playground teeter-totter. When humanity attempts to gain ground in our true connection as consciousness it seems like something drags us backward in response. Almost like a strange terror or fear of losing power.
At the same time, we now have ways to measure stuff like how power affects the brain.
AI 🧠 1. Neuroimaging Techniques
These methods measure brain activity, blood flow, or electrical signals, which can then be correlated with feelings of power.
a. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI):
What it measures: Changes in blood flow (specifically, oxygenated vs. deoxygenated blood) to infer the activity patterns of neurons.
How it's used: Studies have used fMRI to show increased activation in the left prefrontal cortex when individuals are primed to feel powerful, which is associated with approach-related behaviors and reward seeking.
Pros/Cons: Excellent spatial resolution (mapping where activity occurs) but poor temporal resolution (slow to track dynamics).
b. Electroencephalography (EEG):
What it measures: The brain's direct electrical activity via electrodes placed on the scalp, recording the summed oscillatory activity of millions of neurons.
Pros/Cons: Excellent temporal resolution (tracking changes in real-time) but poor spatial resolution (hard to pinpoint the exact source of activity in the cortex).
c. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS):
What it measures: Researchers can use TMS to assess motor resonance—the activation of similar brain networks when acting and when watching someone else act (mirroring).
How it's used: Studies have shown that high-power participants demonstrate lower levels of motor resonance when observing others, suggesting reduced neural mirroring or empathy.
2. 🧪 Physiological and Behavioral Measures
These techniques look at hormonal changes or observable actions that correlate with feelings of power.
a. Hormonal Analysis:
What it measures: Levels of hormones like testosterone (often associated with dominance and high power) and cortisol (a stress hormone, sometimes associated with low power).
How it's used: Volunteers who strike a brief "high-power pose" (expansive body posture) have shown significant increases in testosterone.
b. Behavioral/Cognitive Tasks:
What it measures: Changes in cognitive function, empathy, egocentricity, and abstract thinking.
Examples:
Egocentricity: Asking participants to draw a capital "E" on their forehead; powerful people are more likely to draw it facing themselves (mirror-reversed for an observer).
c. Abstract Thinking: Priming people for power can make them more likely to think in abstract and creative ways.
d. Objectification: People primed into a power mode may be more inclined to see others in terms of how useful they are to them.
Thom writes, "Put a man in uniform and give him unaccountable power over life and death and it changes him. Give a president complete immunity for any crimes he commits and it unleashes a darkness no country should have to suffer." Milgram's experiments, while compromised showed something similar. But as he writes a bit further on, (paraphrasing) not everyone is so inclined or as likely to get carried away by having power as some, such as Musk, Trump, and our current crop of authoritarians. Socialization and our experiences with democratic forms is supposed to mitigate these tendencies and proclivities and make us resistant to excesses and temptation. Our socialization is not working so well, it turns out. I've been trying to point this out for many years. I wrote the following about power and the urge to control others in a Substack posted just a few hours ago:
Second-guessing others is a tricky and hazardous business. The biblical admonition to “judge not lest ye be judged” is one which has proven very often to be valid. Likewise, exercising control over others is rife with danger and often does not end well for either those in control or for those who are controlled over the long term. The best, if not the only answer to the control dilemma surely has been democracy. Thinking for oneself is the goal and the only way to autonomy within society which satisfies citizens and allows them to construct a social order which serves everyone with a relatively high degree of equality. When will that lesson finally sink in beyond a superficial level? The title of my piece is Control; Part II: Who Died and Left You (or Me) in Charge? The subtitle is: The hazards of Too Much Power, Control, and Influence, for anyone who is interested. We are talking about the same phenomenon.
As I repeat incessantly, thinking for oneself, "critical thinking", and values such as empathy are learned through exposure and direct, reinforced experience. In traditional schooling under a mandatory paradigm a clear message is received which elevates power, control, authority, and judging arbitrarily by those who have the official task of teaching. Teaching in this environment is oblivious to the wisdom expressed by Gibran in a poem quoted in my piece. He says, "If he is indeed wise, he does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind."
In that discussion I wrote:
My main argument in my article posted earlier this month (November, 2025) was essentially that traditional schooling under compulsory attendance law is the prototype or the model and lived experience for twelve years for a majority of Americans for exactly the kind of control and/or voluntary subjection to control which Vance, Musk, Trump, and other authoritarians, fascists, white supremacists, Christian nationalists, oligarchs, etc., have attempted to implement, with a significant degree of success, unfortunately. Students whose time, thinking, and movements are controlled and directed by others for much of their youth or even well into adulthood do not suddenly adjust easily to being the architects of their own fate.
Stop kidding yourselves! School as we all have known it is about control, coercion, an unequal and competitive relationship, obedience, conformity, and winning or losing in a struggle for more and more money and dominance. The osmosis effects everyone to some degree. This is about a choice for how young people view the world.
Well, I guess that depends on how genius is defined. As a society, we seem to have a very narrow view of how to measure intellect. Possibly, because we don’t really understand it or its source. The ability to memorize is aggrandized and seems to go hand-in hand with our perception of genius rather than creativity or the ability to empathize.
In the meantime, it's fine if we just write off the millions who are damaged and semi-literate or illiterate. They are dispensable. Sure, why not. We've done that for many decades. Yes, I agree with G.P., you are speculating about genius but apparently defining it very narrowly and excluding the aspects of intelligence, experience, individuality, character, and creativity which do not fit with AI or whatever phenomenal energy transfer you are imagining (speaking of creativity or imagination). There is always an excuse for not doing what is logical, sensible, and humane like responsible adults, especially when it comes to students.
I believe that power and wealth often changes a persons brain chemistry. I have thought a lot about it. When I have mentioned to others my belief in extreme wealth/ power leading to changes in brain chemistry that reduce a persons ability for empathy I am always greeted with a blank stare. Validation is nice. Just seeking some credit for my intellect and perception abilities.
These billionaires also develop a hoarding syndrome of Never Enough. Never enough money. I guess it’s as old as the hills, this power grabbing and wealth hoarding.
Ordinary people also have hoarding pathology. It’s a part of our humanity. We squirrel away excesses that we feel will protect us in times of famine or times of not having enough. Ordinary hoarders do not impact the well being of others except perhaps their children and other close relations.
The billionaire hoarders do damage to ordinary people because their hoarding takes away food and shelter necessary for daily life, along with access to health care and a living wage.
I hoard fabric. I am a crafter and sewist. I make clothing, purses, bags and more. I have a lot of fabrics that I find at thrift stores, or people give me their fabric collection when they decide to stop sewing. But, I am not hurting someone else because I have excess fabric. No one is suffering because I have a room full of fabric.
Great article today. In the last month I’ve been asking the same question regarding power.
There is a science to it as you write in your article today. You answered some of my questions.
I was in a cult for 46 years and I saw the same symptoms of power addiction in many of the leaders in the cult and most prominently in the cult leader. What percent of the morbidly rich succumb to this addiction? That’s my question.
OMG!! This is SO excellent and right on! Brain science must be the most important topic of the day. Unfortunately so many do not have the interest or capacity to realize it.
In my book Commonsense Sense Medicine I deal with power proactively using Jesus’ example. The Wilderness Rules, sworn to by all those in positions of power are: I will never use my power to satisfy an appetite; … to increase my wealth; … to get power over others.
Power is scalable. The Pater Familia has power over the wife and children. Spousal and child abuse can be seen as an attempt on the part of the the power to maintain control of it's subjects (family)
(BTW, not gender specific)
I was a drill instructor for three years, That is a position of power, and from personal experience it is not a cloak you can put on and take off.
Persons who have held positions of power for any period of time, have difficulty letting go.
In my experience the hardest people to deal with are retired teachers and professors, cops, and senior NCO's, Field grade officers and Generals.
Retiring is akin to withdrawal from a drug, That possibly explains why so many generals and flag officers did not get up and walk out when Hegseth and Trump insulted and demeaned them, and threatened the Constitution and democracy.
I wrote about the Dark Triad and Trump. Then I decided he was an exemplar of The Dark Tedrad. I wrote: "Sadists ® U.S: Trump and The Dark Tetrad, By Hal M. Brown (It should be obvious that Trump is an example of someone who has all of the traits of The Dark Tetrad: narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism.)"
Excellent piece, and a great jumping off point for that deep dive. Some day we'll be able to map changes in physiognomies caused by neurochemicals. I've been a believer ever since I jumped into neuroplasticity, the ability to change our neural pathways by breaking addictive/ compulsive thoughts.
No doubt the Founding Fathers understood the importance to democracy of separating the powers of government into three branches that relate to each other like rock-paper-scissors. But they failed to account for, or even acknowledge, the power of private wealth to concentrate and overwhelm the public will. That's what we are struggling against today.
I wrote about the Founding Fathers here: "Trump doesn't ride a horse as King George III did. His stead is a golf cart. Could a statue of him be toppled as George's was? Like the British King, Trump also rides a massive ego." Watching the Ken Burns documentary The American Revolution impired me to write this.
https://halbrown.substack.com/p/trump-doesnt-ride-a-horse-as-king
Amen
Amen
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is, unless the person in power has a moral compass. During my Navy career, I had the benefit of working with a lot of admirals and generals. Admirals and generals know that true leaders motivate by consensus. Thus, tactics and policies get modified to minimize unintended consequences pointed out by peers and subordinates.
People like Trump and his superwealthy peers think that their wealth means that they are smarter than everybody else with less wealth. So, why listen to peons who are clearly all "losers?" Once leaders stop listening, they are no longer leading or governing. They are RULING. Historically, ignorance of unintended consequences has always been the downfall of rulers.
You nailed it Tom.
AI actually has this nightmare correct:
Q: I ask.... Does Power affect the brain?
AI's answer - [can it really be correct? - ask your favorite voter....
You, the reader have probably always assumed this is true...]
AI: Power affects the brain by deactivating areas related to empathy and social cognition, leading to behaviors such as decreased risk-awareness, increased impulsivity, and a reduced ability to understand others' perspectives. This is partly due to the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and testosterone, which can be habit-forming and create a self-oriented mindset
Neurological effects of power:
Activates the reward system: Feeling powerful increases dopamine activity, which is linked to motivation and reward, explaining why power can be addictive.
Dampens empathy: Power can decrease the activity in brain areas associated with empathy and social cognition, making it harder to understand how others are feeling.
Disengages the prefrontal cortex: This brain region is responsible for executive functions like decision-making, impulsivity control, and considering others' perspectives. Power can lead to its disengagement.
Deactivates the vagus nerve: This can diminish feelings of compassion and gratitude.
Changes social mirroring: Powerful individuals may be less likely to mimic the facial expressions and body language of others, which is a subconscious behavior linked to empathy.
Behavioral effects of power:
Increased impulsivity and risk-taking: The combination of dopamine activation and a disengaged prefrontal cortex makes people more likely to act without fully considering the consequences.
Thanks for posting that, It explains so much. I wonder what AI would answer a year or two from now, as the algorithms are rewritten.
Very interesting answer from AI. Thom has been discussing Hunters in a Farmers world, juxtapositioning people with ADHD and those neurotypicals.
Disengaging the prefrontal cortex, especially the brain region responsible for executive functions is identified as something that access to power and enjoyment of it can affect. ADHD and various other manifestations also affect similar cognitive functions. Perhaps the increased awareness of those of us who have ADHD and other differences/ neurodivergence can be seen as an adaptive response to people like Trump. We do have empathy. Not all of us. But probably the majority. We are more comfortable with animals. In part because animals can sense the true nature of humans. If my dog doesn’t like you, I probably won’t either. It’s not surprising then that RFKJR would want to identify and track us. We are a threat. We don’t have a filter anymore than these others do who are addicted to power.
We usually exist on the fringes of society. Because we have been pushed away by other people. We make up much of the school to prison pipeline.
Just a thought, but something to consider.
Wow! Now I know some of the reasons my initial intuitive mistrust of AI came about. Thanks Gordon! And once again, Thanks Thom!
Have to differentiate between theory and practice.
Plus who will control AI?
A or "the" conclusion one may come to from this description is that all this is hard wired into the brain from the get-go. This is the innate nature of the human brain - all the chemicals and wiring are built into the DNA of ... everything? Is it an evolutionary mechanism of survival? If any answer is even sort of close to a yes - then what? Nurture seems a bit of a buffer but is not a guarantee of remediation.
Yes. Read The Social Genome.
One other question. Who will make fun of them?
Ridicule can help. Tune into late night TV. Follow Comedy Central. Keep watching the YouTube channels and listen to the podcasters. DON"T forget SNL.
The Epstein survivors cheered---with the Democrats. The mood is shifting.
That's how the rest of us keep our sanity while trying to live with those among us who would take our power. Keep studying.
Does it feel like there are many more of these Dark Triad individuals around than when you were young? That's because there are, if you are of a certain age. Our population has more than doubled.
Educate everyone you know, and if they are young women, tell them twice! See you in the streets.
Funny thing happened to Trump on his way to blocking the Epstein files.
HA! And I'll say it, because you probably won't---Daniel told us so!
The survivors took back some of their power. No one knows how it will work-out from here, but we have some things we can try, as you have said.
What the estate executors have and are releasing, what Epstein's brother is saying is the real "gold" when it comes to TRump.
The survivors haven't taken back anything until the names of the perps are spoken aloud, and to do that requires some brave soul, like Ro Khanna, to take advantage of the speech and debate clause in congress,that shields them from civil liability for libel, and speak aloud the names of the perps on the floor, until then they are safe. And Pam Bondi isn't going to turn over the files because she has made them part of the investigation which will take forever, failing that they have already signaled that the files are essential to national security, ergo classified.
Classified files can be subpoenaed, but only in a closed committee and the information not publicized, any finding are kept within the committee.
Again we have been punked. And shame on us for falling for it, we learned nothing from Mueller and the documents file.
A court can rule on whether they're privileged. DOJ does not hold all the files exclusively.
Files held by 3rd parties can't be classified.
The Treasury files aren't classified.
The testimony won't be classified.
Mueller was a Republican who didn't even take Trump's depo. I do blame Garland for not following up when he had the chance.
But you give Trump/Bondi superhuman credit as if he's a Marvel character.
He delegated to his subordinates. Pam will continue blocking them,as they are part of their investigation into his enemies, and should that fail, there are national security concerns, as the files most certainly contain the names of Trump's international allies, like the emirs.
So says Trump's spokesman.
On second thought Daniel, Dispute my argument, my points. Other than
1. Has Bondi not declared that the files are part of an ongoing investigation?
2. Can they use the reason that the files are part of an investigation to keep a close hold on them?
3.The administration has not officially stated that the Epstein files have national security implications; instead, it previously tried to block their release, but now supports a bill that includes a national security exception for redactions. (Redactions like Trump's name, and the name of wealthy and powerful people.
My question to you, is why do you keep defending Trump when he constantly games and punks us. By sending us off on snipe hunts, and charging people who think for themselves as Trump spokesmen?
The only way to save our souls is by a national intifada (uprising), ppositive action, and I am sorry that 3.5% protesting ain't working, it is viewed as a pressure relief valve.
Trump and his regime can only be taken down from the inside or by a 1789 revolt.
And if he goes, who replaces him, J D Vance, Peter Thiel, Jamie Dimon, Larry Ellison, the tech tyrants?
Maybe just sit there on the bench, holding protest signs, while the Geheim Stats Polizei drive by with their vans and pick us up. Is that the solution?
Casting a vote in a rigged system?
Because I have all of my faculties, because I use them, and refuse to swallow bullshit, I am Trump's spokesman. Your accusation is so lame Daniel, considering all of the hundreds of c omments I have made.
I guess I was Putin's spokesman, when I was ripping into "Boris" as he detracted from Ukraine by trying to change the subject to genocide in Gaza and you were liking my comments.
Your Manichean, Dubya, mentality of being with you or with the other side, does not favor you Daniel.
Give people credit for being able to evaluate a situation,anaylze it and form their own opinions, and not be sucked down a rabbit hole, like you.
Your comment about there being more Dark Triad individuals vs. population makes perfect sense. It implies that the proportion of Dark Triad individuals vs. normal people stays constant. I wonder if any researchers have looked into that?
You caught the exact point, Robot. Here's what AI Overview says:
"Approximately 10-20% of the population has moderately elevated levels of Dark Triad traits, while 1-2% have extremely high levels that meet the clinical threshold for a personality disorder. Another source suggests about 1 in 14 people in an international sample exhibit significant Dark Triad traits."
Some sort of spectrum like most things. I know when I took "loss prevention" classes they said if you made it relatively easy, 20% would take things. That tracks.
Thom, thank you for providing neuroscience to verify these guys' behavior but anecdotally it has been clear as a bell all along. Putin, Xi Jinping and Erdogan all began their political careers focused on improving their countries and citizen. In all cases, as soon as the power drug set in, the focus shifted squarely on control and self-enrichment.
The danger lies in the loss of control. This is exemplified by the guy whose girlfriend has escaped his clutches and he kills her so that "if I can't have her no one can." So let's not forget that as the cracks grow deeper and trump's control spirals downward, we still have three years to go and he has control of the nuclear button....
After all the more serious aspects are discussed, there's this from Henry Kissinger who knew a thing or two about power: "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac."
Thom—truly a thought provoking essay on power. This power mongering syndrome seems to go hand-in-hand with the problem of hoarding wealth, especially when one has enough for 2 or 3 lifetimes.
This needs to be understood because it has haunted humanity all through history as far back as we have written record.
It seems to follow all of our collected aspirations for positive development as a species, almost like some sort of strange playground teeter-totter. When humanity attempts to gain ground in our true connection as consciousness it seems like something drags us backward in response. Almost like a strange terror or fear of losing power.
Thanks for your insights.
At the same time, we now have ways to measure stuff like how power affects the brain.
AI 🧠 1. Neuroimaging Techniques
These methods measure brain activity, blood flow, or electrical signals, which can then be correlated with feelings of power.
a. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI):
What it measures: Changes in blood flow (specifically, oxygenated vs. deoxygenated blood) to infer the activity patterns of neurons.
How it's used: Studies have used fMRI to show increased activation in the left prefrontal cortex when individuals are primed to feel powerful, which is associated with approach-related behaviors and reward seeking.
Pros/Cons: Excellent spatial resolution (mapping where activity occurs) but poor temporal resolution (slow to track dynamics).
b. Electroencephalography (EEG):
What it measures: The brain's direct electrical activity via electrodes placed on the scalp, recording the summed oscillatory activity of millions of neurons.
Pros/Cons: Excellent temporal resolution (tracking changes in real-time) but poor spatial resolution (hard to pinpoint the exact source of activity in the cortex).
c. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS):
What it measures: Researchers can use TMS to assess motor resonance—the activation of similar brain networks when acting and when watching someone else act (mirroring).
How it's used: Studies have shown that high-power participants demonstrate lower levels of motor resonance when observing others, suggesting reduced neural mirroring or empathy.
2. 🧪 Physiological and Behavioral Measures
These techniques look at hormonal changes or observable actions that correlate with feelings of power.
a. Hormonal Analysis:
What it measures: Levels of hormones like testosterone (often associated with dominance and high power) and cortisol (a stress hormone, sometimes associated with low power).
How it's used: Volunteers who strike a brief "high-power pose" (expansive body posture) have shown significant increases in testosterone.
b. Behavioral/Cognitive Tasks:
What it measures: Changes in cognitive function, empathy, egocentricity, and abstract thinking.
Examples:
Egocentricity: Asking participants to draw a capital "E" on their forehead; powerful people are more likely to draw it facing themselves (mirror-reversed for an observer).
c. Abstract Thinking: Priming people for power can make them more likely to think in abstract and creative ways.
d. Objectification: People primed into a power mode may be more inclined to see others in terms of how useful they are to them.
My semi annual MRI coming up on Saturday. Purpose to ascertain if there is a recurrence of the tumor.
Wish you all the best!
Thanks, 8 years in remission. I am hopeful.
Putin owns the plantation and the oral-on-Bubba photos, that's photos with an "s.".
- Donald is his household harpy, the tyrannical wife, who sucks up [literally] and sh-ts down.
- The 6 US Supremes are the whores. A gaggle of sadistic, whipping overseers.
- The GOP is the collective Fool on a Hill, never knowing when to kowtow.
- The GOP voters are the real suckers and losers -- the wage slaves.
Vote !!! No Matter What !!!
Thom writes, "Put a man in uniform and give him unaccountable power over life and death and it changes him. Give a president complete immunity for any crimes he commits and it unleashes a darkness no country should have to suffer." Milgram's experiments, while compromised showed something similar. But as he writes a bit further on, (paraphrasing) not everyone is so inclined or as likely to get carried away by having power as some, such as Musk, Trump, and our current crop of authoritarians. Socialization and our experiences with democratic forms is supposed to mitigate these tendencies and proclivities and make us resistant to excesses and temptation. Our socialization is not working so well, it turns out. I've been trying to point this out for many years. I wrote the following about power and the urge to control others in a Substack posted just a few hours ago:
Second-guessing others is a tricky and hazardous business. The biblical admonition to “judge not lest ye be judged” is one which has proven very often to be valid. Likewise, exercising control over others is rife with danger and often does not end well for either those in control or for those who are controlled over the long term. The best, if not the only answer to the control dilemma surely has been democracy. Thinking for oneself is the goal and the only way to autonomy within society which satisfies citizens and allows them to construct a social order which serves everyone with a relatively high degree of equality. When will that lesson finally sink in beyond a superficial level? The title of my piece is Control; Part II: Who Died and Left You (or Me) in Charge? The subtitle is: The hazards of Too Much Power, Control, and Influence, for anyone who is interested. We are talking about the same phenomenon.
As I repeat incessantly, thinking for oneself, "critical thinking", and values such as empathy are learned through exposure and direct, reinforced experience. In traditional schooling under a mandatory paradigm a clear message is received which elevates power, control, authority, and judging arbitrarily by those who have the official task of teaching. Teaching in this environment is oblivious to the wisdom expressed by Gibran in a poem quoted in my piece. He says, "If he is indeed wise, he does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind."
In that discussion I wrote:
My main argument in my article posted earlier this month (November, 2025) was essentially that traditional schooling under compulsory attendance law is the prototype or the model and lived experience for twelve years for a majority of Americans for exactly the kind of control and/or voluntary subjection to control which Vance, Musk, Trump, and other authoritarians, fascists, white supremacists, Christian nationalists, oligarchs, etc., have attempted to implement, with a significant degree of success, unfortunately. Students whose time, thinking, and movements are controlled and directed by others for much of their youth or even well into adulthood do not suddenly adjust easily to being the architects of their own fate.
Stop kidding yourselves! School as we all have known it is about control, coercion, an unequal and competitive relationship, obedience, conformity, and winning or losing in a struggle for more and more money and dominance. The osmosis effects everyone to some degree. This is about a choice for how young people view the world.
In a few years human memory will be transferrable, and kids may get genius level apprehension without school.
Well, I guess that depends on how genius is defined. As a society, we seem to have a very narrow view of how to measure intellect. Possibly, because we don’t really understand it or its source. The ability to memorize is aggrandized and seems to go hand-in hand with our perception of genius rather than creativity or the ability to empathize.
How about measured IQ, a lifetime of brilliance? Give a child an Einstein's memory bank?
Give a child ability to do, say abstract multi dimensional calculus, speak every language fluently, play virtually every musical instrument?
In the meantime, it's fine if we just write off the millions who are damaged and semi-literate or illiterate. They are dispensable. Sure, why not. We've done that for many decades. Yes, I agree with G.P., you are speculating about genius but apparently defining it very narrowly and excluding the aspects of intelligence, experience, individuality, character, and creativity which do not fit with AI or whatever phenomenal energy transfer you are imagining (speaking of creativity or imagination). There is always an excuse for not doing what is logical, sensible, and humane like responsible adults, especially when it comes to students.
I believe that power and wealth often changes a persons brain chemistry. I have thought a lot about it. When I have mentioned to others my belief in extreme wealth/ power leading to changes in brain chemistry that reduce a persons ability for empathy I am always greeted with a blank stare. Validation is nice. Just seeking some credit for my intellect and perception abilities.
These billionaires also develop a hoarding syndrome of Never Enough. Never enough money. I guess it’s as old as the hills, this power grabbing and wealth hoarding.
Ordinary people also have hoarding pathology. It’s a part of our humanity. We squirrel away excesses that we feel will protect us in times of famine or times of not having enough. Ordinary hoarders do not impact the well being of others except perhaps their children and other close relations.
The billionaire hoarders do damage to ordinary people because their hoarding takes away food and shelter necessary for daily life, along with access to health care and a living wage.
I hoard fabric. I am a crafter and sewist. I make clothing, purses, bags and more. I have a lot of fabrics that I find at thrift stores, or people give me their fabric collection when they decide to stop sewing. But, I am not hurting someone else because I have excess fabric. No one is suffering because I have a room full of fabric.
Thom,
Great article today. In the last month I’ve been asking the same question regarding power.
There is a science to it as you write in your article today. You answered some of my questions.
I was in a cult for 46 years and I saw the same symptoms of power addiction in many of the leaders in the cult and most prominently in the cult leader. What percent of the morbidly rich succumb to this addiction? That’s my question.
OMG!! This is SO excellent and right on! Brain science must be the most important topic of the day. Unfortunately so many do not have the interest or capacity to realize it.
In my book Commonsense Sense Medicine I deal with power proactively using Jesus’ example. The Wilderness Rules, sworn to by all those in positions of power are: I will never use my power to satisfy an appetite; … to increase my wealth; … to get power over others.
Power is scalable. The Pater Familia has power over the wife and children. Spousal and child abuse can be seen as an attempt on the part of the the power to maintain control of it's subjects (family)
(BTW, not gender specific)
I was a drill instructor for three years, That is a position of power, and from personal experience it is not a cloak you can put on and take off.
Persons who have held positions of power for any period of time, have difficulty letting go.
In my experience the hardest people to deal with are retired teachers and professors, cops, and senior NCO's, Field grade officers and Generals.
Retiring is akin to withdrawal from a drug, That possibly explains why so many generals and flag officers did not get up and walk out when Hegseth and Trump insulted and demeaned them, and threatened the Constitution and democracy.
I wrote about the Dark Triad and Trump. Then I decided he was an exemplar of The Dark Tedrad. I wrote: "Sadists ® U.S: Trump and The Dark Tetrad, By Hal M. Brown (It should be obvious that Trump is an example of someone who has all of the traits of The Dark Tetrad: narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism.)"
See: https://www.halbrown.org/2025/03/sadists-us-trump-and-dark-tetrad-by-hal.html
Excellent piece, and a great jumping off point for that deep dive. Some day we'll be able to map changes in physiognomies caused by neurochemicals. I've been a believer ever since I jumped into neuroplasticity, the ability to change our neural pathways by breaking addictive/ compulsive thoughts.