So the more trainings, workshops, and meetings I go to, the more I see how the topic of power is always so dicey. It seems like many Unitarian Universalists really don’t like the idea that they have personal power, especially in a congregational setting. (But they do hope they have political power to change society through Social Justice.)
Tonight I was on a training webinar and the question was asked, “Who has power?” I replied, “Me.” And I wasn’t saying that to get all snarky about the question, because it’s true. I’ve got a lot of power – and not just from things like social media, my staff roles at the CLF and Morristown, or being on a denominational committee. Even if I was just “random lay dude” as I used to call myself, I still had power. I had the power of my voice, the power to talk with friends and get a group together to unite over a common issues, etc.
Everyone has some sort of power. The problem comes when we fail to recognize that everyone has some sort of inherent power, and when we fail to recognize differences in power and the uncomfortable, unjust dynamics that can cause. How can we truly be aware of unjust power dynamics if we fail to honestly see the power we ourselves have? Both in a congregational setting and in society at large?
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If folks actively don’t see themselves as having power, it partly marginalizes them, but it can also pretty effectively screw up a congregational system. Because others certainly see that person as having power. Other folks are influenced by that power, whether spoken or unspoken. So can we stop being afraid of the P word, and begin to acknowledge that we ourselves have power?
I encourage you to honestly think about the power you hold, and if you’re hesitant to acknowledge that power, to think about where that hesitancy comes from…and how you can work on getting over it.
I wonder if the unwillingness to acknowledge power is a side effect of anti-oppressive work. Power enters people’s minds as something that oppresses others. No one wants to be an oppressor, downplays their privilege and power. Motivations: be (or seem) a better person, not oppress others (as if power was something you could voluntarily give up). Sometimes anti-oppressive work can cast the powerful as the big bad wolf, and people who are not ready or willing to own their position downplay it or ignore.
This is all speculation and I have no data for it.