Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior (Power vs. Force, #1)

by David R. Hawkins

To fully comprehend the dichotomy we are discussing, it is necessary to consider the difference between a politician and a statesman. Politicians, operating out of expediency, rule by force after gaining their position through the force of persuasion and rhetoric—often calibrating at a level less than 200. Statesmen represent true power, rule by inspiration, teach by example, and stand for self-evident principles. Statesmen invoke the nobility that resides within all men and unifies them through what can best be described as “the heart.” Although the intellect is easily fooled, the heart recognizes the truth. Where the intellect is limited, the heart is unlimited; where the intellect is intrigued by the temporary, the heart is only concerned with the permanent. Force often relies upon rhetoric, propaganda, and specious argument to garner support and disguise underlying motivations. One characteristic of truth, though, is that it needs no defense; it is self-evident. That “all men are created equal” requires no justification or rhetorical persuasion. That it is wrong to gas people to death in concentration camps is self-evident; it requires no argument. The principles upon which true power is based do not require vindication, as force invariably does—there are always endless arguments about whether force is “justified” or not.