Power And Powerlessness In Radical Gratitude By Leddy

If you ever have been to a store on Black Friday, you have probably experience the chaotic frenzy of people purchasing mountains of clothes and electronics; they are taking the opportunity reduced prices to satisfy their wants. North American has constructed this society of momentum, where life is orientated around material possessions and the idea of having enough. We have developed an attitude of perpetual dissatisfaction through the idea that more equals satisfaction, and until we are satisfied, we believe that we do not have enough. This is a continuous cycle, but there is an off ramp described by Mary Jo Leddy in her book Radical Gratitude. Leddy considers this consumer phenomena of North American society and applies an alternative attitude …show more content…
The ideas of power and powerlessness have also been altered by a consumer culture. Power is often associated with “dominant” characteristics of strength, influence, and force while powerlessness, on the other hand, is a submissive characteristic. Leddy discusses how these interpretations of power and powerlessness corrupt. Powerlessness is corrupting when we are “not really convinced of their [our] own ability to make any change, because [we feel] deeply powerless, [we] often [act] in ways that sabotage [our] own stated ideals” (2002, p.g. 80). Belief in ourselves and our abilities will allow for there to be change. I think this idea Leddy has mentioned is all too familiar. This feeling of powerlessness also encourages a non-motivation. Take climate change for example, when you believe that your actions will never change anything, the feeling of powerlessness weighs heavily on us. A link can be made between this powerlessness and the idea of vague guilt. This vague feeling of guilt encouraged feelings of powerlessness. Feelings of guilt that are unclear perpetuates this notion of incompetence, but when this vague guilt is realized and becomes real guilt, this powerlessness can be transformed into power as we are motivated into action. Leddy suggests entering into a state of radical powerlessness by leaving behind the false myth of powerlessness (2002, p.g. 97). Radical powerlessness is located in the creative power of God. Examples of radical powerlessness which Leddy uses are birth and death. Both these life events we have no control over, but they are miraculous events that shape our lives by giving them a beginning and an ending. This creative power of God gives us and identity which power and possessions cannot