Being Human: Curse or Blessing?

Just some thoughts

We humans are a strange bunch. Ever thought about it? We are so different yet so similar. There are people who live in the future, some who live in the present and some who absolutely don't care. There are so many people who deal with anxiety and depression on a daily basis just like a bitter co-worker, yet there are people who don't even believe in that kind of stuff. There are people who are logical to an inhumane extend(at least that's how I like to describe them), while there are some who so sensitive to emotions that they actually find it nearly impossible to make trivial decisions, and then there are people who lie somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Such people are rare but efficient. I could go on and on about these differences, both substantial and negligent. But there is one particular subject that's been on my mind for a while now. POWER.

Yes, intoxicating and much sought-after, power. Some describe it as a curse, some as a blessing. Similar to us humans, am I right? Have you ever craved power, it's sweet embrace, it's oh- so satisfying touch. This isn't money I'm talking about, or strength, but control over something or someone, who/which may or may not be significant. If you haven't, well to be honest I don't know if you're lucky or unlucky. Regardless, as I was saying, power in my opinion seems to be a survival instinct which has evolved into something else. Something admirable, something worth noting, but something scary and cruel at the same time. That feeling of being high-up, or superior, or even special, it's that feeling of bliss that can uplift even on the worst of days. Yet, it does much more than that. It's what drives people to conquer and climb the hierarchical ladder, first for comfort and then for more, yes that's power. But if it is a survival instinct then why is it so corrupting. Why does it make people commit blunders and atrocities, even on those who aren't a threat to them? 

In the wild, let's take the example of lions, the males kill the offspring of other males' just because it's an instinct. They primarily do it, so the females can mate with them. It's ironic. The females will fight for their young with all their might, but if an outsider male manages to kill them, she'll mourn the loss for a brief while and then shortly afterwards mate with the same male. It's pretty much a reflection of nature's law of "Survival of the fittest". Again, just like us humans, cruel yet beautiful at the same time. 

So, my question is, are we, after all just mere animals, more evolved and developed but animals, nonetheless. Everyone craves power one way or another, us humans I mean. EVERYONE. That too from a young age. Kids struggle for better grades, to beat their rivals, friends and even sibling for that special treatment, in other words, power. Then it's college. Again, a struggle for a better college, then the bragging comes into picture. Sure, I'm not trying to belittle those who do all this. My point is if you or your son, or parents are/ were from a college like Harvard or Cambridge, wouldn't you feel that sense of pride and superiority, even better if it's you. That's power, plain and simple. Intoxicating, uplifting and sweet power. 

Let's consider the bureaucracy, it's a well know fact that powerful people kill over issues both minor and significant. That is the desire for or to retain power in it's purest form. Kings of the past or kings of the present, used to and still kill for more prestige. It's that never-satiable hunger for supremacy that killed thousands and carved all those mighty empires from dust. More often than not, these vast states were forged by the will of common man. Common in appearance but not so common in heart or spirit. Desire for power, perhaps, for betterment. Doesn't matter. We can all agree that when an empire or state stays in power for too long, it begins to decay from the inside, and then it weakens and is ultimately swallowed by another, mightier power. Again, if you think about it, just like us humans, birth, childhood, youth, a time of power and desires and then old-age, a time of decay and acceptance. 

And now by the end, you might also wonder, is human mortality also another one of the laws of nature to preserve the planet and other fellow beings. I mean, just for a moment consider, if humans were immortal, the first problem would be the lack of space leading to wars, poverty and everything bad that can possibly happen (and is happening) on a large, very large scale. Another potential problem would be corruption. A lot of corporate leaders don't pass the big stick to whoever is next in line till, well, till they die. So, if immortality was a thing the corporate world would be even a riskier endeavor than it is today. Lastly, there is enough disconnection between grandparents and kids these days. I mean I can barely stand mine. Now, suppose if you had numerous grandparents from, who knows when and even more grand-children. It wouldn't be fun, to say the least. But I feel like even if that was the case, there would be sufficient natural enemies to regulate the population. Back in the ice age, we were hunted by saber-tooths, and then later on by other natural predators, and now that we've conquered them all, we've got diseases like AIDS, obesity related problems, cancers and other diseases due to processed food. Hell, these aren't even natural diseases. I guess what I'm trying to say is, life or perhaps nature always has and always will find a way to keep us humans in check. I may be wrong but I doubt that. Just consider global warming, isn't it like an alarm clock, screaming, time's up homo sapiens. I can almost imagine some future archaeologist of god knows what species poking my skull and making some bizarre conclusion, like "Hmm, this human might have had wings, which explains the overly light and thin arms". Or if they aren't intelligent enough, they'd just toss it aside, saying, "more trash". That is unlikely since life keeps evolving and getting more and more intelligent and complex, not the other way around. You might say that great artists and writers and philosophers existed only in the past, but I can assure you there are enough of them today as well. You just have to look. They just aren't as sought after or, may I say needed in today's world. 

Enough side-tracking. Back to the topics at hand. Power, and the desire for power is what in my opinion drives us humans to do all the unbelievable things we've done. It's the drive to make a name for one's self. That ambition it's just another kind of desire for power. It's admirable and yet if you get seduced by it, it's very very intoxicating but at the same time damning for others. So what to do to prevent it. Nothing in my opinion. As long as you're yearning for power, or lets say achievements you'll keep on trying till you get it or get lost in the caves of regret. And when you do, sooner or later you'll become the tyrant and start doing favors for the devil, till mother nature's had enough and decides to send the reaper to do what he does best, either in human form or any other.

Now, at the end of my rant, I'd like to ask you one thing. Do you think power is a form of emotion or a form of instinct/self-preservation?
I think it's instinct in it's purest form, when it takes over, why or how, I don't know, just my Intuition.
You may discard my opinions and thoughts and have every right to, but likewise I have every right to express mine.