Power is not a metaphor. It is not a symbol, not a virtue, not a philosophical abstraction. Power is a measurable force—like gravity, except instead of pulling rocks, it pulls wills. Power is the ability of one agent to override, block, or hijack the intentions and actions of another agent. This can happen whether the other likes it or not, and usually, they don’t.
There is a fundamental, revolting property of the universe: the strong impose, the weak accommodate. It’s not a bug in human society. It’s not the result of poor education, flawed governance, or moral decay. It’s a baked-in mechanic of all interactions between agents with competing wills. And unlike unicorns, communism, or karma, this one is observable, quantifiable, and testable. Eat or be eaten. Obey or be punished. Push or get pushed.
All living beings are born with a native understanding of this principle. Lions don’t hold debates before killing antelopes. Chickens don’t file HR complaints. All agents test and learn it instinctively. Humans, in their infinite capacity for denial, are the only ones who pretend this doesn’t exist. But even they cannot unfeel it.
This hideous law seeps into every uncomfortable aspect of life like mold through cracked drywall:
- Meat eating is normalized torture if done by the strong.
- Father-son relationships are power hierarchies wrapped in cultural platitudes.
- Men-women dynamics are hidden battlefields of unspoken leverage and counter-leverage.
- Goverment-citizen relationship Politics theater performed by the strong to pacify the herd.
- Education systems are containment fields for rebellion.
- Bullying is honest power, stripped of hypocrisy.
- Interpersonal interaction is social jiu-jitsu to maneuver or resist imposition.
Despite this mechanism being visible in every facet of daily life, few bother to analyze its core ontology. Instead, they spin fantasy narratives: “The good rise to power,” “The world is fair in the long run,” “Virtue wins.” That’s cope. Power and goodness are orthogonal. If you're lucky, they correlate by accident. Most of the time, power is wielded simply because it can be, and that’s all the justification ever given—or needed.
Those who wield power are impenetrable to reason and deaf to morality. They do not rule by logic, consensus, or kindness. They rule because they can. The expectation that a lion will not maul you because it would be “wrong” is a symptom of brain damage. The idea that power must be justified is a comforting delusion for those too weak to matter.
This brings us to the Protocol—a field manual for operating in this brutalist system with eyes open.
Power Protocol v1.0: Operating in Systems with Power Imbalance
Detect the Imbalance
Ask a single diagnostic question: “Can this entity force me to do something I don’t want to?”
If the answer is yes, you are in a power-imbalanced relationship. This includes governments (taxation), police (arrest), family (emotional leverage).
Classify True Equals
You are only equal to someone you have a 50% chance of killing in a deathmatch. Equal power means equal risk, and only among equals is real engagement possible. Anything else is roleplay.
Never Rationalize with Superiors
When facing stronger agents: extract information. Do not give information. Do not debate. Do not moralize. Do not bond. Avoid the Stockholm illusion—respect and affection toward somebody who can impose their will on you is not enlightenment; it’s trauma. You do not negotiate with earthquakes.
Strike the Giant in Its Sleep
If an opportunity appears—when the powerful stumble, fracture, or turn their back—strike. That is your only window. Never fight head-on unless suicidal. Attack precisely, quietly, and only when you calculate a favorable outcome. There is no reward for martyrdom.
If You Are the Strong: Hide It
Should the wheel of fate elevate you, remember: never impose unless strictly necessary. Do not flaunt your strength. Do not obstruct the weak. Never confuse your ability to crush someone with a reason to do it. Know that the rational agent below you is likely waiting for your moment of stupidity. Stay quiet.