After hearing Cuddy’s speech, I found that I was moved emotionally as well as inspired! I have considered the biological processes that directly impact behaviors, such as fight versus flight, but I have not thought of them in the context of power dynamics. Her observation that most women tend to make their bodies smaller when in stressful situations made me reflect upon my own past actions. I have also tried the “fake it until you make it” technique for speaking, but I am excited to try the “power poses” and see if they make a difference in my presentations. Perhaps they will elevate me to “fake it until I become it”.
When Cuddy mentioned people making their bodies smaller in stressful situations I also realized that I do this. I was really stressed at work the other day and pulled my legs closer to me. This did not make me feel more relaxed or more powerful. I agree that trying the power poses will be interesting. I think that they will make me more confident for speech three.
I also noticed that I typically behave and raise my hand the same way she had said most of the women in her classes did. I think that the power poses plus faking it until you make it will also be a helpful tool for me to use when public speaking. I liked your last sentence here and I like how you put it.
I also really liked Cuddy’s speech and felt inspired after watching it. I also had to look back and realize I have made myself smaller in rooms full of more dominate people. I think this is due to, like Cuddy said, women often feel less powerful than men. I also like the “fake it until you make it” theory and I have used it a lot! Especially at job interviews, you have to go in confident and act like you know how to do the job even if you might not have that much experience! It seems to work, but I also want to try out power poses and see if those work as well.
I too found it relatable when Cuddy discussed women making their bodies smaller when stressed, as I can tend to do this in new experiences. I need to really let the fake it til you make it phrase help me out with this, as I believe that it can really help shape me to be more confident even if it is a new situation I am experiencing. I can’t wait to hear how the power poses go for everyone and see if it potentially helps change anything!
I hadn’t really made that connection between the fight and flight responses to power dynamics either. It makes sense though if you are faking it till you make it and are showing some sort of power pose its showing that you are fighting against yourself since you are up for the challenge to succeed in the certain situation you are in. It could also show you that you may have more of a flight tendency if you decide you do not want to go up against the challenge at hand which is not a bad thing either. I guess I had always thought about fight and flight when it came to something against you and never really thought it could be your on self you could be fighting or fleeing from.
A takeaway from Cuddy’s speech is that we tend to compliment another nonverbals and not mirror them. So, if the person you are talking to is being powerful, you tend to get smaller. I can relate to her idea about how men tend to come in the room and take up space and make themselves present while women tend to do the opposite. I am not saying all women but I can defiantly relate when I’m in a room full of strong minded men I tend to feel small and don’t participate. She said this is because women feel chronically less powerful than men. This came out I 2012 and I’m happy that we have seen a change in gender dynamics since then. I like her idea of “fake it til you make it”, I have used that method a lot. I haven’t really used power poses though and I want to try them out next time I feel powerless and see if I feel a difference. I really enjoyed her personal story at the end!
I agree that things have changed since 2012 when this was uploaded. I still see some of these inequalities in certain lines of work that are male dominated. I think that women who choose to work in these fields probably use some of Cuddy’s tips to stand their ground.
I like what you had to say about people –men– dominating conversation. Even as a guy, I notice this too. I’ve had a number of classes with guys who say a whole lot but are not really saying anything at all. I think to some guys there is this pressure to ‘stand out’, ‘assert dominance’, ‘make your presence know’, etc., and it can be cliché and annoying. Moreover, it lends itself to being intimidating and uncomfortable for others. Like you said from your own experience, it can create an environment where people’s voices who ought to be heard are left out.
When Cuddy mentioned the fake it till you make it mentality regarding her car accident it stood out to me. I find myself doing this a lot when I experience imposter syndrome. Eventually, the feeling of not belonging goes away and only returns when I am faced with a new challenge. I truly believe that this mentality reduces stress in tough classes, at work, and in situations when you are in flight or fight mode.
I like how she used a personal experience to talk about how faking it until she made it has worked for her. I can relate to that because I have had to fake it in the past during job interviews and really talk myself up like I knew the job, even if I didn’t, and it seemed to work! I also think that faking it helps reduce stress because it makes your body think you are okay and you know what you are doing even if you don’t. So, your body will react in a way where you aren’t stressed.
Hi Fiona, great points. The fake it till you make it mentality prompts me to think of method actors and how they fully immerse themselves in their characters in order to mimic or produce believable emotions to an audience. An individual could do that as well in terms of public speaking and create a confident persona that compliment the content of the speech. By doing this, perhaps some of the apprehension would go away? Or, on the downside, this concept could be seen as ingenuine.
Impostor syndrome is such a pain to deal with, but I love that you fake it til you make it! It really does work- if you can trick everyone else into believing you belong (like your brain is telling you you’re doing), why can’t you trick yourself into it, too? It’s important to recognize those feelings of not-belonging, and when you do something long enough for it to become habit, eventually it just becomes part of your life.
I completely agree with you. I had not noticed that this is some of what I have done through my life when it comes to being in classes or in some social situations. After watching the video it made me think back and realize, “mhm I guess I have been doing this ‘fake it till you make it’ kind of mentality for a little while.” It’s definitely made certain situations easier and made me feel more comfortable when I feel like that outsider.
Thinking about the biological impact of instinct and the nervous system on body language is so important and something we don’t consider as much! When I’m looking at an animal, like a cat, looking at the way their ears move, their tails flick, or how they are sitting/laying absolutely informs how I am going to interact with the animal. Human beings, as animals, follow these rules too. I often find myself hunched over or pulling in on myself when I am feeling awkward or nervous, and Cuddy put it really well into words. I think the part about faking it til you make it was super poignant- we absolutely can trick our brains into thinking we are something other than what we are feeling on the surface.
I agree that the point of being able to trick our brains into feeling what we want was a super important point. I also think what you said about reading a cat and how that affects your interaction was a really cool way of showing the power that body language has. I often neglect how others will perceive my body language because I tend to have a hard time reading others, but I definitely think it is important to be conscious of my own body language.
Hi Beanie! I really like your comparison to an animal like a cat, and how you observe those things. I too agree that faking it til you make it is a key factor in one’s life where it can make one feel more comfortable and confident in a certain environment. It really can be a big influence on your brain and how you perceive yourself, and even how others may view you.
I love your connection between people and animals. I had never thought of it in this way but you are right! If an animal looks timid we typically try not to overwhelm them further. People are usually very good at reading body language from animals, and using this skill on other people allows us to better understand someone’s feelings without asking them directly.
I too didn’t realize that our body language can higher cortisol levels and I found that very interesting. I’ve noticed that whenever I’m not having a good day and I happen to be at a party, I never seem to make any good connections because my body and facial expression give off the look of someone that you don’t want to interact with. I also enjoyed the assurance that faking it till you make it does in fact work.
I liked Cuddy’s speech, and I think it showed how small changes and conscious effort can change your life. I think power posing is really cool, and I especially liked the data of the hormone changes. If it really lowers my stress hormone I think I will be power posing before every test I have from now on. I also reflected on how I tend to power pose a lot during volleyball. I also remembered that I would have to fake it during volleyball, but now I think I have pretty much become it and I wonder if power posing played a role in that process.
Hi Reese, that is such an awesome reflection regarding power posing during volleyball! Since I heard Cuddy’s speech yesterday, I have been testing out some power poses before meetings and it seems to have had a positive impact on my confidence throughout the duration of the sessions. I am surprised that these movements have such influence over my mental outlook. However, this realization makes me wonder why most people are prone to making their bodies seem smaller physically-could it be the fear of failure or to avoid seeming overly aggressive?
I also found the data on hormonal changes in response to body language to be super interesting. It’s cool that such a simple pose can completely change your behavior. I like how you related the concept to volleyball. I can definitely see how power posing would improve ones performance in sports.
Cuddy’s speech was very empowering and interesting to listen to. She discusses many body languages that people can have in different situations, like having high power and low power. The high-power poses show that an individual has confidence and is not afraid to stand out. On the other hand, low-power poses are when someone sort of balls up into themselves, and this can seem very standoffish. I can see myself doing both of these pose types in different scenarios in my life. Sometimes when I enter a new place or environment I fall into the low-power pose category where I make myself really small, until I feel more comfortable in the environment. In the end, I really like the idea of faking it till you make it where this can be a very useful hack in one’s life to make them seem/feel more confident.
I really liked your points about the situational factors contributing to our posture or poses. Your observations had me reflecting on my own habits as well. In new or novel situations, I also find myself in those low power postures, especially opposed to when I’m in a familiar situation or with familiar people. It’s definitely a symptom of my confidence in that given scenario. Like you said, faking it till you make it is a good hack which really mitigates those possible feelings of vulnerability when you’re placed in situation outside your comfort zone.
I also thought her speech was very empowering, especially through her story about overcoming the feeling of being an imposter. I feel like I make myself small when I’m in a new environment or when other individuals display power. However, knowing about the success of power posing is helpful for future social situations.
You make some very good points. I agree with the fact that high-power poses show that an individual has confidence because people feed off of people with big and relaxed body language. I can also relate to being in new places and having depressed body language. I’ve been in plenty of new places myself and the lack of certainty and confidence in new surroundings showed in my posture and movement.
One of the biggest takeaways while watching Cuddy’s speech was the concept of the body changing the mind, as much as the mind changes the body. The whole mind-body dualism concept has been around since the time of Descartes –for better or for worse– and these philosophical questions have come along with it. I remember learning about Cuddy’s research in a psychology class a couple semesters ago, and I found very intriguing. With my peers, it has become sort of a running joke to always power pose before a presentation or test. Who knows if it actually works the way we use it, but it is always a lighthearted way to get a quick laugh in before an important presentation or exam. I enjoyed watching her presentation, and maybe I ought to try it out more seriously for once!
Great points Henry! I ask myself the same question about whether or not power posing is actually beneficial, I guess it doesn’t hurt to at least try it. It’s kind of crazy how much our bodies and our minds can influence each other, it makes me wonder if there are other ways to build confidence using your body language.
I’ve heard of power posing before, but I never realized the science that backs up this theory. I thought it was so interesting that there were hormonal and behavioral changes based on body language in Cuddy’s study. I practice yoga and I think a lot of the heart opening poses and taking up space has the same effect as power posing because I always feel more confident and relaxed after class. However, in social situations, I often find myself in a low power pose, like being hunched over with my hand on my neck. Changing body language or taking a 2 minute power pose is such a simple way to make a significant improvement in stressful social situations.
Yoga is a great way to relax your body, and relaxation will make you feel much more confident than tension. I also tend to hunch over, while leads to bad posture and the issues that come along with that. I agree with you that it’s a really simple way to change your mindset, and I think it’s interesting how little it really gets used!
I think one of the biggest take aways after watching this body language video is the way you present yourself whether you are by yourself or in a group. There are two different generic ways of presenting yourself wether it be a low power positioning or a high power position. When having the low power pose you are generally more closed off with your body language, but when you are in a high power pose your body language is generally more open and out stretched. I liked the fact that no one has ever really taught any of us what a high power pose was and what a low power pose was, yet we all had somewhat of an idea of just knowing what it looks like to be able to show and understand the examples of the high and low power poses. From my experiences, I feel like in most situations I am in more of low power poses depending on what group of people I am with. In a classroom or place where I do not know many people I feel like I might have more times with a low power pose, but with some of my friend groups I might have more of a high power pose, but that could just be the fact that I am comfortable around those people.
I enjoyed listening to Cuddy’s speech. She made me think more about how my body language might make others feel. Her easy-to-understand examples (such as the video of Obama and the prime minister) made it quite clear to the audience that body language is a large part of social interactions. Cuddy presented her speech confidently, she moved about the stage and spoke with hand gestures and facial expressions. Her confidence was clearly displayed by her body language and convinced me that she was comfortable presenting. Furthermore, she interacted with the audience several times which causes me to listen closely to the speech in case she asked the audience to do something (such as sit up straight in the chair). I’ve tried power-posing before, especially leading up to an important presentation. I have never found it particularly helpful, but I have heard of people benefitting from this.
The way that Cuddy carried herself in the Ted talk showed that she was confident and made me want to listen to her ideas about body language. She explained how important body language is when interacting with others. It’s not just verbal communication that the person you are interacting with is receiving, your body language also communicates to them how you are feeling on the inside about being in that interaction. This is important because you can make a bad impression if you come off as nervous or awkward with you movements. Another piece of information that Cuddy shared was when she said, “It’s not about the content of the speech, it’s about the presence that they’re bringing to the speech.” I think that this is important because there are plenty of not so bright people in positions of power that get by with their presence and confidence which means that almost anyone can be in a position of power if they want.
33 thoughts on “CLOSED-DBQ 1”
After hearing Cuddy’s speech, I found that I was moved emotionally as well as inspired! I have considered the biological processes that directly impact behaviors, such as fight versus flight, but I have not thought of them in the context of power dynamics. Her observation that most women tend to make their bodies smaller when in stressful situations made me reflect upon my own past actions. I have also tried the “fake it until you make it” technique for speaking, but I am excited to try the “power poses” and see if they make a difference in my presentations. Perhaps they will elevate me to “fake it until I become it”.
When Cuddy mentioned people making their bodies smaller in stressful situations I also realized that I do this. I was really stressed at work the other day and pulled my legs closer to me. This did not make me feel more relaxed or more powerful. I agree that trying the power poses will be interesting. I think that they will make me more confident for speech three.
I also noticed that I typically behave and raise my hand the same way she had said most of the women in her classes did. I think that the power poses plus faking it until you make it will also be a helpful tool for me to use when public speaking. I liked your last sentence here and I like how you put it.
I also really liked Cuddy’s speech and felt inspired after watching it. I also had to look back and realize I have made myself smaller in rooms full of more dominate people. I think this is due to, like Cuddy said, women often feel less powerful than men. I also like the “fake it until you make it” theory and I have used it a lot! Especially at job interviews, you have to go in confident and act like you know how to do the job even if you might not have that much experience! It seems to work, but I also want to try out power poses and see if those work as well.
I too found it relatable when Cuddy discussed women making their bodies smaller when stressed, as I can tend to do this in new experiences. I need to really let the fake it til you make it phrase help me out with this, as I believe that it can really help shape me to be more confident even if it is a new situation I am experiencing. I can’t wait to hear how the power poses go for everyone and see if it potentially helps change anything!
I hadn’t really made that connection between the fight and flight responses to power dynamics either. It makes sense though if you are faking it till you make it and are showing some sort of power pose its showing that you are fighting against yourself since you are up for the challenge to succeed in the certain situation you are in. It could also show you that you may have more of a flight tendency if you decide you do not want to go up against the challenge at hand which is not a bad thing either. I guess I had always thought about fight and flight when it came to something against you and never really thought it could be your on self you could be fighting or fleeing from.
A takeaway from Cuddy’s speech is that we tend to compliment another nonverbals and not mirror them. So, if the person you are talking to is being powerful, you tend to get smaller. I can relate to her idea about how men tend to come in the room and take up space and make themselves present while women tend to do the opposite. I am not saying all women but I can defiantly relate when I’m in a room full of strong minded men I tend to feel small and don’t participate. She said this is because women feel chronically less powerful than men. This came out I 2012 and I’m happy that we have seen a change in gender dynamics since then. I like her idea of “fake it til you make it”, I have used that method a lot. I haven’t really used power poses though and I want to try them out next time I feel powerless and see if I feel a difference. I really enjoyed her personal story at the end!
I agree that things have changed since 2012 when this was uploaded. I still see some of these inequalities in certain lines of work that are male dominated. I think that women who choose to work in these fields probably use some of Cuddy’s tips to stand their ground.
Hi Wylie,
I like what you had to say about people –men– dominating conversation. Even as a guy, I notice this too. I’ve had a number of classes with guys who say a whole lot but are not really saying anything at all. I think to some guys there is this pressure to ‘stand out’, ‘assert dominance’, ‘make your presence know’, etc., and it can be cliché and annoying. Moreover, it lends itself to being intimidating and uncomfortable for others. Like you said from your own experience, it can create an environment where people’s voices who ought to be heard are left out.
When Cuddy mentioned the fake it till you make it mentality regarding her car accident it stood out to me. I find myself doing this a lot when I experience imposter syndrome. Eventually, the feeling of not belonging goes away and only returns when I am faced with a new challenge. I truly believe that this mentality reduces stress in tough classes, at work, and in situations when you are in flight or fight mode.
I like how she used a personal experience to talk about how faking it until she made it has worked for her. I can relate to that because I have had to fake it in the past during job interviews and really talk myself up like I knew the job, even if I didn’t, and it seemed to work! I also think that faking it helps reduce stress because it makes your body think you are okay and you know what you are doing even if you don’t. So, your body will react in a way where you aren’t stressed.
Hi Fiona, great points. The fake it till you make it mentality prompts me to think of method actors and how they fully immerse themselves in their characters in order to mimic or produce believable emotions to an audience. An individual could do that as well in terms of public speaking and create a confident persona that compliment the content of the speech. By doing this, perhaps some of the apprehension would go away? Or, on the downside, this concept could be seen as ingenuine.
Impostor syndrome is such a pain to deal with, but I love that you fake it til you make it! It really does work- if you can trick everyone else into believing you belong (like your brain is telling you you’re doing), why can’t you trick yourself into it, too? It’s important to recognize those feelings of not-belonging, and when you do something long enough for it to become habit, eventually it just becomes part of your life.
I completely agree with you. I had not noticed that this is some of what I have done through my life when it comes to being in classes or in some social situations. After watching the video it made me think back and realize, “mhm I guess I have been doing this ‘fake it till you make it’ kind of mentality for a little while.” It’s definitely made certain situations easier and made me feel more comfortable when I feel like that outsider.
Thinking about the biological impact of instinct and the nervous system on body language is so important and something we don’t consider as much! When I’m looking at an animal, like a cat, looking at the way their ears move, their tails flick, or how they are sitting/laying absolutely informs how I am going to interact with the animal. Human beings, as animals, follow these rules too. I often find myself hunched over or pulling in on myself when I am feeling awkward or nervous, and Cuddy put it really well into words. I think the part about faking it til you make it was super poignant- we absolutely can trick our brains into thinking we are something other than what we are feeling on the surface.
I agree that the point of being able to trick our brains into feeling what we want was a super important point. I also think what you said about reading a cat and how that affects your interaction was a really cool way of showing the power that body language has. I often neglect how others will perceive my body language because I tend to have a hard time reading others, but I definitely think it is important to be conscious of my own body language.
Hi Beanie! I really like your comparison to an animal like a cat, and how you observe those things. I too agree that faking it til you make it is a key factor in one’s life where it can make one feel more comfortable and confident in a certain environment. It really can be a big influence on your brain and how you perceive yourself, and even how others may view you.
I love your connection between people and animals. I had never thought of it in this way but you are right! If an animal looks timid we typically try not to overwhelm them further. People are usually very good at reading body language from animals, and using this skill on other people allows us to better understand someone’s feelings without asking them directly.
I too didn’t realize that our body language can higher cortisol levels and I found that very interesting. I’ve noticed that whenever I’m not having a good day and I happen to be at a party, I never seem to make any good connections because my body and facial expression give off the look of someone that you don’t want to interact with. I also enjoyed the assurance that faking it till you make it does in fact work.
I liked Cuddy’s speech, and I think it showed how small changes and conscious effort can change your life. I think power posing is really cool, and I especially liked the data of the hormone changes. If it really lowers my stress hormone I think I will be power posing before every test I have from now on. I also reflected on how I tend to power pose a lot during volleyball. I also remembered that I would have to fake it during volleyball, but now I think I have pretty much become it and I wonder if power posing played a role in that process.
Hi Reese, that is such an awesome reflection regarding power posing during volleyball! Since I heard Cuddy’s speech yesterday, I have been testing out some power poses before meetings and it seems to have had a positive impact on my confidence throughout the duration of the sessions. I am surprised that these movements have such influence over my mental outlook. However, this realization makes me wonder why most people are prone to making their bodies seem smaller physically-could it be the fear of failure or to avoid seeming overly aggressive?
I also found the data on hormonal changes in response to body language to be super interesting. It’s cool that such a simple pose can completely change your behavior. I like how you related the concept to volleyball. I can definitely see how power posing would improve ones performance in sports.
Cuddy’s speech was very empowering and interesting to listen to. She discusses many body languages that people can have in different situations, like having high power and low power. The high-power poses show that an individual has confidence and is not afraid to stand out. On the other hand, low-power poses are when someone sort of balls up into themselves, and this can seem very standoffish. I can see myself doing both of these pose types in different scenarios in my life. Sometimes when I enter a new place or environment I fall into the low-power pose category where I make myself really small, until I feel more comfortable in the environment. In the end, I really like the idea of faking it till you make it where this can be a very useful hack in one’s life to make them seem/feel more confident.
Hi Julia,
I really liked your points about the situational factors contributing to our posture or poses. Your observations had me reflecting on my own habits as well. In new or novel situations, I also find myself in those low power postures, especially opposed to when I’m in a familiar situation or with familiar people. It’s definitely a symptom of my confidence in that given scenario. Like you said, faking it till you make it is a good hack which really mitigates those possible feelings of vulnerability when you’re placed in situation outside your comfort zone.
I also thought her speech was very empowering, especially through her story about overcoming the feeling of being an imposter. I feel like I make myself small when I’m in a new environment or when other individuals display power. However, knowing about the success of power posing is helpful for future social situations.
You make some very good points. I agree with the fact that high-power poses show that an individual has confidence because people feed off of people with big and relaxed body language. I can also relate to being in new places and having depressed body language. I’ve been in plenty of new places myself and the lack of certainty and confidence in new surroundings showed in my posture and movement.
One of the biggest takeaways while watching Cuddy’s speech was the concept of the body changing the mind, as much as the mind changes the body. The whole mind-body dualism concept has been around since the time of Descartes –for better or for worse– and these philosophical questions have come along with it. I remember learning about Cuddy’s research in a psychology class a couple semesters ago, and I found very intriguing. With my peers, it has become sort of a running joke to always power pose before a presentation or test. Who knows if it actually works the way we use it, but it is always a lighthearted way to get a quick laugh in before an important presentation or exam. I enjoyed watching her presentation, and maybe I ought to try it out more seriously for once!
Great points Henry! I ask myself the same question about whether or not power posing is actually beneficial, I guess it doesn’t hurt to at least try it. It’s kind of crazy how much our bodies and our minds can influence each other, it makes me wonder if there are other ways to build confidence using your body language.
I’ve heard of power posing before, but I never realized the science that backs up this theory. I thought it was so interesting that there were hormonal and behavioral changes based on body language in Cuddy’s study. I practice yoga and I think a lot of the heart opening poses and taking up space has the same effect as power posing because I always feel more confident and relaxed after class. However, in social situations, I often find myself in a low power pose, like being hunched over with my hand on my neck. Changing body language or taking a 2 minute power pose is such a simple way to make a significant improvement in stressful social situations.
Yoga is a great way to relax your body, and relaxation will make you feel much more confident than tension. I also tend to hunch over, while leads to bad posture and the issues that come along with that. I agree with you that it’s a really simple way to change your mindset, and I think it’s interesting how little it really gets used!
I think one of the biggest take aways after watching this body language video is the way you present yourself whether you are by yourself or in a group. There are two different generic ways of presenting yourself wether it be a low power positioning or a high power position. When having the low power pose you are generally more closed off with your body language, but when you are in a high power pose your body language is generally more open and out stretched. I liked the fact that no one has ever really taught any of us what a high power pose was and what a low power pose was, yet we all had somewhat of an idea of just knowing what it looks like to be able to show and understand the examples of the high and low power poses. From my experiences, I feel like in most situations I am in more of low power poses depending on what group of people I am with. In a classroom or place where I do not know many people I feel like I might have more times with a low power pose, but with some of my friend groups I might have more of a high power pose, but that could just be the fact that I am comfortable around those people.
I enjoyed listening to Cuddy’s speech. She made me think more about how my body language might make others feel. Her easy-to-understand examples (such as the video of Obama and the prime minister) made it quite clear to the audience that body language is a large part of social interactions. Cuddy presented her speech confidently, she moved about the stage and spoke with hand gestures and facial expressions. Her confidence was clearly displayed by her body language and convinced me that she was comfortable presenting. Furthermore, she interacted with the audience several times which causes me to listen closely to the speech in case she asked the audience to do something (such as sit up straight in the chair). I’ve tried power-posing before, especially leading up to an important presentation. I have never found it particularly helpful, but I have heard of people benefitting from this.
The way that Cuddy carried herself in the Ted talk showed that she was confident and made me want to listen to her ideas about body language. She explained how important body language is when interacting with others. It’s not just verbal communication that the person you are interacting with is receiving, your body language also communicates to them how you are feeling on the inside about being in that interaction. This is important because you can make a bad impression if you come off as nervous or awkward with you movements. Another piece of information that Cuddy shared was when she said, “It’s not about the content of the speech, it’s about the presence that they’re bringing to the speech.” I think that this is important because there are plenty of not so bright people in positions of power that get by with their presence and confidence which means that almost anyone can be in a position of power if they want.