Government & Power

An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 14 – Society 2 (Power) – Part 6: Brother, can you spare a dime?

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Wealth is never truly “self-made.” It’s built on collective effort, with thousands of workers – from the miners and builders to the teachers and drivers – creating the foundation for success. Elon Musk, or anyone at the top, owes their wealth to a system supported by the many, not just their personal genius. Wealth becomes structural when it grows beyond individual success, and as inequality grows, stability erodes. The real question isn’t about whether anyone deserves to be wealthy but about what responsibility comes with that wealth. When wealth is concentrated in outcome, how can we define ethical wealth as partnership, not charity? What happens when the permission for power is withdrawn?

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 14 – Society 2 (Power) – Part 5: Would a woman wage war?

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The question “Would a woman wage war?” isn’t just about gender – it’s a reflection on the systems of power built by men who equate strength with dominance and leadership with conquest. Sexism and misogyny don’t just harm women; they limit the imagination of leadership itself. Empathy, nurturing, relational awareness – qualities devalued as “feminine” – are the traits needed to prevent conflict and sustain societies. When we exclude those voices from power, the results are predictable. The real question isn’t about whether women wage war, but what kind of leadership emerges when we stop confusing masculinity with authority?

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 14 – Society 2 (Power) – Part 4: What color was Jesus?

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Racism is a divide and conquer strategy that keeps people fighting each other while the true power structures remain unchallenged. The question “What color was Jesus?” isn’t about historical facts—it’s about how we’ve used symbols and narratives to justify exclusion and dominance. Racism poisons solidarity, fractures trust, and distracts from who benefits from the chaos. It teaches us to fear one another while obscuring the real sources of power. And, in doing so, it leaves everyone more vulnerable to manipulation. So we ask, who benefits when we’re divided? What happens when we stop fighting each other and begin questioning the real holders of power?

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 14 – Society 2 (Power) – Part 3: Did Dahmer deserve death?

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When a crime is monstrous, something deep inside us demands that justice be served. Retributive justice says the punishment should fit the crime, and for many, the death penalty feels like the only fitting response. But what happens when we cross that line? When we grant the state the authority to take life? Justice, after all, is not just about punishment—it’s about distribution. Who gets to decide? The same system that punishes often distributes suffering unevenly. The death penalty and incarceration disproportionately affect the poor and disenfranchised. This isn’t an accident. It’s a feature of who has power. As we reflect on justice, we must ask: Do we trust the deciders? Do we trust the system to get it right every time, especially when the stakes are irreversible?

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 14 – Society 2 (Power) – Part 1: Introduction – Who made you king?

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Before kings, crowns, and constitutions, we had the problem of how to live together without chaos. From divine right to social contract, humanity has tried many solutions to answer the question: Who should be in charge? Governments, at their best, are meant to serve practical needs—protection, justice, and infrastructure—but at their worst, they can confuse power with control. As we question the role of government, we must ask: Who made you king – and why? Is the government serving us, or are we serving it? We’ll dive deeper into these questions throughout the week.

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