3 Lessons We Learned About Power in 2018
The ugly side of power was on full display in 2018. In fact, it was a banner year for the misuse and abuse of power.
We witnessed a parade of powerful men resign or being fired over sexual abuse and misconduct. We saw the popularity of the “strong man autocrat” continue to rise, along with the consolidation of power in one party or one person. We witnessed the murder and imprisonment of journalists and an assault against the media and free speech.
We watched while our beloved social media platforms were used against us to spread disinformation, influence elections, and promote hate speech. We saw once-admired technology companies hide data breaches from the public and share our personal data without our knowledge.
And we witnessed, time and time again, institutions like USA Gymnastics, the Catholic Church, the CBS Corporation Board of Directors circle their wagons, denying, hiding, and destroying evidence to protect themselves and discredit their accusers.
Yes, it was a depressing year for the use of power. But let’s redeem it. Let’s harvest the learning from what we witnessed. What lessons are to be learned from these abuses and excesses of power? Here are my three takeaways from 2018, a year of power misuse.
