Shreya Baronia | Week 11: The Paradox of Power

 


Photo Credit: Esher, M.C. “M.C. Esher's "Drawing Hands", perhaps the most recognizable example of visual paradox.” LinkedIn, 21 Aug. 2023, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/picasso-paradox-varun-nayak/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.


In the present day, people often misunderstand that power is only realized if it is exerted. However, from history, we can learn that the people who wielded their power the least seem to be the most loved and respected. Particularly, Roosevelt’s quote, "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far" exemplifies this idea of using power as both a shield and a weapon rather than using it to display strength. 


Large empires such as Alexander the Great’s were built upon this misuse of power; but, they quickly fell apart when they were unable to sustain this amount of power. In fact, when looking back at the Cold War, countless lives were saved because both the US and the Soviet Union decided to present their military strengths as threats rather than acting on them, sending the message that it would be unwise to strike against them but never taking action themselves. 


Through the use of “soft power,” these powers could avoid conflicts that would harm innocent civilians and bystanders while also displaying the immense strength and capabilities of these nations. It is clear that the most appropriate and effective use of power is not through its assertion but through the examples it presents. 


This is why the quote “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting” by Sun Tzu is so famous. The true power lies in the general who can win a war without fighting it. Power should not be something that is abused to win all the wars; instead, it can be used in multiple ways other than through brute force to intimidate the enemy into surrendering. The best way, therefore, to use power is to never use it. 


This restraint is not a weakness, but rather a demonstration of the fact that the person or nation not only has this power but also knows how to use it. Those who choose to use soft power are the ones who truly demonstrate their ability to control power, rather than being controlled by this power. 

Comments

  1. Wesley GuoFebruary 17, 2025 at 9:44 AM

    Hello again Shreya! I will start off by saying how much I enjoyed the blending of stories from many different historical backgrounds, talking about Alexander’s Empire in the same sentence as the United States and the Soviet Union. I specifically liked your interpretation of Roosevelt’s famous “Big stick” quote as how power should be used as both a shield and a weapon, and how those who used their power the least tend to be the most loved(Although Roosevelt himself did not shy away from using his power greatly, ushering in the progressive age). I think that your blog’s focus being a bit scattered actually is very well done, as it weaves many complex ideas from different civilizations together into some vague idea of “soft power” which is in itself vague but is indeed extremely powerful. And indeed, more often than not you are better off using many different means to manipulate others into doing your bidding rather than taking out the weapons to force them to. Thank you for this interesting reading!

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  2. Anagha SainathFebruary 19, 2025 at 2:57 PM

    Hello Shreya! I really enjoyed your blog this week on the use of soft power and restraint. I appreciated all the quotes and sources you drew from to make this blog. I agree that restraint is perhaps the most powerful tool a person can possess. I thought it was very interesting how you were able to combine so many different perspectives into one cohesive blog post.

    One specific line I particularly liked was Sun Tzu’s quote about the art of war. It is true that throughout the ages, carefully and selectively expressed power has always been superior to brashly uncontrolled power. I liked the paradoxical conclusion you came to in that very same paragraph, namely that the best way to use power is to not use it at all. On that note, I’d wonder what your opinion is on the Cold War since that is a pretty clear example of nations stockpiling power (nuclear power in this case) and not actually using it, but rather utilizing the looming threat of mutually assured destruction to create power imbalances.

    Overall, I really enjoyed your blog and I can’t wait to see more from you!

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