The Dynamics of Power and Belonging
How influence and agency enable us to create change
Most of us are still processing this week’s election results. Some may not care because they can afford not to, while others may be deeply disappointed and concerned about the future.
While I’d like to live in a world where US politics are inconsequential to the rest of us, we do not live in that world. We live in one where a global power that has caused immense harm within and beyond its borders has elected Trump and his comrades to guide the country for the next 4 years. It’s no surprise, considering the state of America and the world, but it’s disheartening nonetheless. Given this reality, it’s worth talking about the nuances of power, the difference between power and rights, and our role as world-builders in this next phase of evolution.
We use the word power to describe all kinds of expressions of influence, control, and authority. Like love, the word is rarely given much nuance, contributing to how we both experience and use it. Understanding power starts with breaking down the different kinds of power to help us dismantle, reimagine, and rebuild our current systems. Many folks, especially women, are concerned about how Trump’s election will impact their rights. It’s important to differentiate between power and rights. We often interchange these terms, but they shouldn’t be conflated. While having rights can signify power, losing those rights doesn’t automatically strip us of our power. To understand this better, let’s define a few different types of power:
Inherent power. Power each individual has within themselves, which we may also refer to as ‘personal power.’
Earned power. Power gained through experience, education, expertise, or achievement.
Granted or inherited power. Power that is given—connected to family, status, and economic privileges.
Structural power. Power that is rooted in someone’s position in social, political, or institutional systems.
Collective power. Power created by forming or belonging to groups working toward a common goal.
These are not mutually exclusive. Some forms of power start, change, and end based on external factors, but others are non-negotiable—unable to be taken or destroyed. We are inherently powerful, regardless of our rights, and we can access collective power when we align on shared values, vision, and mission. These are important things to remember as we confront this moment and the ones to follow.
The challenge with collective power is that it’s not always used for good. Groups form and fight for and against all kinds of change, often with one or more leaders paving the way. When we’re aligned with their vision, we call them heroes, and when we’re not, we see them as villains—regardless, it’s always ‘ordinary people’ who bear the cost of their decisions.
It’s often when different types of power intersect that we get into the danger zone of potential. When some people have/earn/get a lot of power (Elon Musk) and own a media and communication platform with millions of users (X), and they begin organizing as a means to an end, we start to witness abuse of power on a public platform positioned as the only place where free speech can reign. This is the true concern—not just one election or the next but the point where money, technology, and mass influence converge to shape our collective futures. When reckless people with extraordinary power rally the troops, the pendulum begins to swing toward manipulation and authoritarianism rather than freedom and transparency.
When we come together and move toward a shared vision, we expand our potential and accelerate the rate of change. Whether that change is for the collective good or rooted in a desire to control, dominate, and conquer depends on the values and beliefs each group practices and upholds. Every collective building toward a desired outcome would complete this sentence differently: We stand for _______. Therefore, we believe that _______, and we are willing to ________ to win.
We stand for the liberation and self-determination of the Palestinian people. Therefore, we believe an immediate ceasefire and ending of the occupation are essential for justice and human rights, and we are willing to advocate internationally, protest, and raise awareness to win.
We stand for American nationalism and traditional values. Therefore, we believe that protecting our borders and prioritizing American jobs and culture are paramount, and we are willing to mobilize, campaign, and challenge the political establishment to win.
We stand for bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom. Therefore, we believe that individuals have the right to make decisions about their own bodies without government interference, and we are willing to protest, lobby, and defend legal rights to win.
As individuals and groups, we must define what we stand for, what we believe, and what we’re willing to do to achieve our desired outcomes. We must remember that every action has an equal and opposite reaction and that extremism on either end of the spectrum, while sometimes necessary, also leads to more violence, harm, and civilian death. Our power lies in our ability to mobilize, organize, and fight for our beliefs while also holding tensions, navigating complexities, and striving to understand both our own motivations and those of the opposition. Knowing what we stand for is important, but determining the potential cost of our actions is fundamental.
Losing always comes at a cost; winning does, too. Some groups are willing to die for what they believe in, while others are willing to kill. As empowered individuals and members of collectives and communities, we must decide what sacrifices we are willing to make, how far we are willing to go, and how much harm we are willing to inflict to get to where we want. Beyond the segmentation of groups, there is a collective future to consider and build toward.
We’re wired to belong, so we naturally gravitate toward groups—consciously or unconsciously—as part of our survival instinct. When we align with the values and mission of a collective, it’s essential to maintain our inherent power and avoid falling into ‘group think.’ This requires us to consistently examine and question whether the group’s beliefs and actions align with our values. We often reach a threshold in groups where we cannot and will not do what the group or its leader(s) propose. If we don’t check in with ourselves and remember that we are inherently empowered in each moment to decide our course of action, we may compromise our moral compass for collective validation.
Leaders of powerful movements often catalyze collective action, inspiring people to rally around a shared vision. They mobilize individuals who, driven by belief in the leader’s vision, are willing to commit to the cause. This collective belief amplifies the mission, strengthening the group’s purpose and driving it toward its goals—for better or worse. This is how Hitler gained millions of followers and how Netanyahu has justified committing a live-streamed genocide. It’s how Nelson Mandela ended apartheid in South Africa and Martin Luther King Jr. mobilized the American civil rights movement. It’s also how Trump won the election and why any party, country, company, cult, community, or movement leader can mobilize and win.
The direction and impact of any movement depends not only on the leader’s vision but also on the commitment of those who follow them.
Some leaders use collective power for positive change, and others abuse it as a means to an end not rooted in ethics and integrity. Those with and in power stand for something, we, collectively, believe in them and their vision for the future, and we are willing to [insert the full spectrum of peaceful to heinous acts) to support the mission. Whether through love or fear, the momentum of the collective can override our inherent power, making us question or compromise our instincts.
If history has taught us anything, it’s that leaders will always gain followers no matter what vision they’re pursuing. They’re extremely adept at making us believe in what’s possible and building trust and hope through charisma, conviction, and strategic organization. Each movement ultimately offers a vision of structural power that promises to reshape the world and our role within it—resonating with our deepest desires for freedom, control, agency, safety, security, equity, or justice.
The most corrupt leaders are exceptionally good at sensing the pulse of the collective and exploiting their hopes and fears to advance their own agenda. Leaders grounded in love and ethics tune into what truly matters to people—the deeper ‘why’ behind their needs—and inspire us to move toward a future that benefits humanity and the planet. As inherently powerful beings, we have to recognize and examine what we’re driven by and what we’re hoping to gain and measure the potential impact of using our power. Especially our inherent power to join, follow, amplify, and advance the mission of an individual, group, or belief system.
Those who follow without question can cause remarkable harm, especially when outdated ideologies of the past are imposed on the present. We can’t address what we choose to ignore, and we can’t change what we refuse to acknowledge.
As future makers, we must be willing to change our relationship with power. By examining our inherent power and drive for other types of influence, we become more aware of their limits and understand how the different kinds of power we want and possess intersect. Though we all belong to groups, we are ultimately sovereign beings responsible for thinking independently and continually reevaluating whether these groups resonate with our core beliefs and values. As we grow and the world brings new insights, our beliefs and values must evolve, adapting to the changing nature of our shared reality.
A strong sense of self and clear principles are important, but we evolve when we allow our minds to change. The most dangerous person in society is the individual who refuses to respond, change, and adapt to new information and the dynamic nature of reality.
We are now witnessing the rise of movements worldwide. What’s been brewing beneath our collective consciousness is breaking through to meet the light. We are being asked to witness the truth. To pay attention, discern, and wake up to the condition of the world. Over the next decade, and perhaps beyond, it’s imperative that we remember we are rooted and stem from our inherent power and that we can choose, in each moment, what we stand for, what we believe, what mission(s) we want to serve and which groups we want to belong to. This requires courage because we may lose friends and family or be ostracized from our communities.
As agents of change, we need to organize, prioritize, and mobilize. But first, we must tune our instruments to the frequency of unity.
A friend asked me this week what my mission is and what I’m ultimately working towards. It has always been and continues to be liberation and peace for all. These days, it feels more like a lofty dream than an actual possibility, but I have faith in our collective capacity to evolve and meet each moment, no matter how difficult. We are in the creative process of one world dissolving while another becomes possible. While it’s not a linear journey, I understand that sometimes, one thing must occur before something else can unfold. In the words of activist Kwame Ture, “There is a difference between peace and liberation, is there not? You can have injustice and have peace. Isn't that correct? You can have peace and be enslaved. So, peace isn't the answer. Liberation is the answer.”