Three Kinds of Power
[SARN Memo for January 13, 2010]
(Part two of a five-part series)
Most of us forget that there are many types of power. We only think of bully power—getting what you want by force or threat. The author Starhawk has come up with a helpful way to understand power. She writes about three different kinds of power: power over, power with and power from within.
The other two types of power are the engines of social change: the power of people working together, and the power of people believing in themselves..
[Next week: Bully Power]
Respond to this memo!1. Group Activity
Write down on a big piece of paper the three types of power: power over, power with, and power from within. Ask someone to restate what each one means. Then divide into groups of two or three.
Ask each group to come up with one example (from their experience, if possible) of each type of power. Allow ten minutes. Then ask each group, in turn, to share their examples.
2. Resources
Truth or Dare
Author Starhawk explores power and how to use it to make positive change in the world.
Reach for the Power Switch: How Ordinary People Can Use Power to Make Change
Learn to recognize the different kinds of power, and begin using the healthy forms of power to build self-advocacy, using this self-led workshop.
Today’s Trivia Question:
What US state has the highest percentage of Asian Americans?
- Washington
- North Dakota
- Hawaii
- Alabama
(The answer will be published in the next Memo.)
Answer to January 6th Trivia Question: a. West Virginia – 24% [source: US Census 2000]
Question was: What US state has the highest percentage of people with disabilities?
- West Virginia
- California
- Minnesota
- Florida
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