Great Responsibility

Another bizarre train of thought on the way home recently... a question: "How would you react if you suddenly got super powers?" (Not that I am expecting that to suddenly happen, I hasten to add...)

On a good day, of course I'd do the right thing. I'd probably do all I can to save lives, catch crooks, fight for truth and justice, get cats down from tall trees. The usual hero stuff. Make a difference in the world.

But, on a bad day? If I were tetchy and irritable? If the pressures of the day had really got to me? Then I fear that there may be people who would run the risk of getting blasted to kingdom come; zapped off to a remote island; struck down with some bizarre disability.

And that worries me. Because, as well meaning and altruistic as I believe I am, I can still sense that potential within me for chaos, mayhem and sheer self-centredness. If I started manifesting that sort of power, I would need much greater abilities for self-control before I would be safe to leave the house. I would live in fear that my 'dark side' might emerge.

There's a particular episode of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' that explored this subject well. Check out 'Hide And Q' when it's next on...

A great man once said that "Power corrupts; and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Or, as the legendary Stan Lee once put it, "with great power there comes great responsibility".

As for me, I need to work hard on improving my 'bad days'. I really can't spend all the time locked up at home when there are people that need me... Need to work on this now, before my powers kick in...

Because I can still make a difference in the world, even now. :)