When Power Becomes More Valuable Than Knowledge
Dr. Santosh Kumar Mohapatra
The greatest danger confronting society today lies in a disturbing shift in values: people increasingly seem to aspire to power rather than intellectual excellence, creativity and knowledge. There was a time when scholarship, competence, originality and creative ability commanded respect. Today, these qualities appear to be losing ground to proximity to power and loyalty to those who wield it.
There is no doubt that knowledge is power. It enriches human understanding, commands genuine respect, enhances productivity and contributes to social progress. But over the past decade, knowledge and intellectual prowess seem to have suffered a significant setback in the race for recognition and influence.
Loyalty to power has increasingly become more profitable, lucrative and, in many circumstances, safer than independent thinking. Those who question, disagree or insist on intellectual autonomy may find themselves isolated, while those who align themselves with powerful interests can gain access, influence and opportunities.
This inversion of values is dangerous. When loyalty becomes more rewarding than merit, conformity more valuable than creativity, and proximity to power more important than knowledge, society gradually loses its intellectual vitality and moral courage.
A society cannot progress merely by producing people who know how to please the powerful. It progresses when it encourages people who can think independently, question established assumptions, create new ideas and speak the truth without fear.
The real power of a society lies not in the number of people seeking power, but in the strength of its knowledge, creativity, conscience and independent minds. If these qualities continue to be undervalued, the consequences will be far more serious than we may presently realise.
