4 - Wednesday, November 20, 1985 ~ North Shore News POWER-TRIPPING. History has had various names for the phenomenon, from ‘‘Little Caesarism’' to ‘Napoleonic visions’ to your basic Kremlin neo-imperialism, but the term “power trip” puts it into a nice perspective. T have yet to meet anyone —- repeat ANYONE — who isn’t into a wee bit of power- tripping on the sly, no mat- ter how humble they might be out front. (Well, e--ept you and me.) ~*~ : In fact, it is the humble ones, in general, who make me suspicious. If you watch them carefully, the “humili- ty’ is all too often a way of getting a psychologicai hammerlock on people around them. Actual piety invariably turns oul, upon examination, to be a weird way of making yourself feel superior. I’m sorry, I just report the facts of the human condition. Show me a saint, for in- stance, and I’ll show you a power-tripper par excellence. Everybody realizes that generals and prime ministers and movie stars and ayatollahs are on massive f power trips, but the point in SCALE has almost nothing to do with it, in the same way that a little business is just like a big business, only smaller. A titanic geopolitical power-tripper is built on the. same model as f your lowly kindergarten bully. Maybe that’s why it all | seems so boring somehow — until, of course, it steps out in front of you and says: “Papers, boy!”’ To grasp what [ mean in its fullness, you have only to visit the modest Legislative Building in Victoria. There, naked, stands revealed the peculiar effect that political power, for instance, has on the people involved. It is not quite that their hands tremble with the chemical thrill they get out of exercising power — although some do, poor Between Lonsdale & Chesterfield 456 West Third North Vancouver Monday-Thursday & Saturday 10-6 Fridays 10-8 Sundays 42-4 souls. It is more that they get absorbed in a kind of field, a shared group delusion that they can contro! snything that matters. An inevitable process of paranoid grandiosity sets in. That is, achievements become inflated in the eye of the achiever. The dream of changing the universe to suit one's whim becomes a daytime hallucination. “T honestly think the best way to run a demecracy is through a lottery ...”’ Maybe the key sentence in our language is not “I love you.’’ Maybe it is: ‘‘Hey you, hop!’ Gawd, what a horrible thought! But it has a ring, doesn’t it? The real question to ask a politician, any politician — even. the = grassroots municipal variety — is not: “What do you want to do?" It is: “Why do you want to do it?’’ The first question is really easy to answer. The se- cond one is the challenge. That’s where you get the goods. You see, I honestly think that the best way to run a democracy is through a lot- tery, with fail-safes built in, of course. The basic fail-safe would be that none of your deci- sions, if you happened to win the draw as premier of British Columbia, for in- _ Every woman | loves a bargain. New arrivals in silk 30-70% off / Designer fashions at discount prices. Bob Hunter ® strictly personal e oe Stance, could be imple- mented until after they'd been approved by at least three referenda, just to keep the element of gross im- mediate self-interest, if nothing else, out of the game. And just to make sure you couldn't become a serious problem while in office, you would be automatically rotated out after a year and a new turkey’s ticket would be picked at random. By the way, I think this would be a fine way to run unions, as well, People who rise to office in unions are politicians, 100. So are peo- ple who rise in a corporate heirarchy. So, 1 might add, are doctors at their conven- tions, lawyers at theirs, chiropractors at theirs, families at Christmas, kids at their birthdays... Power tends to be the cat- | nip of our species. 1 could qualify this and say, sure, there ARE a hand- ful of highly-evolved in- dividuals on this planet -- you, me — who have transcended all that stuff, and so we can safely lecture the rest of them, Right? All power trips should be bann- ed. Okay, except for yours. And mine. Oh, okay, maybe HERS too. And HIS ... Everybody seems to want some. Ah well, maybe there’s a bright side to this dark scenario of human nature { forever corrupted by power. Maybe, on balance, a certain amount of power is good for you in the way that skiing is apparently good for your | health, despite the risks to life and limb, because it kind of purifies your system. Wouldn’t that bea happy | ending to this column? It might be. But we want to stare reality in the face, don't we? People are basica- ly a bit kinky when it comes to pushing each other around. We like to do it. Oh yes, except YOU... Easy parking 980-1665 Icy battle for NSWC From Paga 1 Other members of the association said they wouldn't allow this if there continued to be the possibili- ty of players moving among Lower Mainland associa- tions. Further, players who started with one association could not move to another unless the family moved. Said Prouse: ‘We are seeking relief in the courts to get our kids on the ice and playing while we negotiate." And if those negotiations fail, Prouse says the Winter Club will pursue the matter ERTISED IF YOU FIND IT ADVERT IND LE rae DIFFERENCE HOME FURNISHINGS Warehouse/Showroom OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (2 biks. behind the Avalon) at 1075 Roosevelt Cres., N.Van, 12:4 Sin 980-8738 through the courts as well. Parents of Winter Club players are also appealing the PCAHA decision through both the PCAHA and its parent body the B.C. Amateur Hockey Associa- tion. Club tawyer Don Sorochan said the club will die if it is not allowed to draw players from outside North Vancouver City and District. The Winter Club argues families who join the club should have the right to transfer their children into the club’s program. findings on how to disorders. for your individually designed program according to the tatest PREVENT AND COMBAT DISEASE arthritis, muscular weakness, cramps, mild hypertension, ' § stress conditions, nervous tension, allergy, obesity, constipation, senility, impaired memory for recent events & ability to concentrate, and other nervous systems : WEIGHT LOSS AND CELLULITE TREATMENT following the individual metabolic requirements —~ to keep & your body fit, to feel well and to look great, and above all, # MAXIMAL HEALTH, ENERGY AND | LONGEVITY! Alt treatments at highest professional level FOR MEN AND WOMEN | Call for appointment and free consultation. LYLA’S HEALTH CENTRE #340 1425 Marine Drive, W.V. Tet. 925-2760 Sam to & pm, and by appointment : The Winter Club’s hockey association president Larry Lord said the children con- cerned would stay off the ice until the matter is settled because if they don’t, they and the club may be subject to other suspensions. “Our consideration is to let kids play hockey,”? Lord said. ‘I signed a release for a player who didn’t make our midget A team. He wanted to try and make the North Vancouver Recreation Centre’s team and he did."” PCAHA president Ken Burry was unavailable for comment. sprint << Family Fitness VANCOUVER 2405 W. Broadway 736-9888 N. VANCOUVER Int. Plaza Hotel 986-5201 COQUITLAM 1046 Austin Ave. 931-4551