Ask anyone who watches Marvel’s Spiderman movies, and they’ll tell you that one of the most famous lines they remember is, “With great power comes great responsibility.” From the bible to Voltaire, these words have made their impact throughout the most famous writings in history, and with good reason.
It’s interesting to research the meaning of this phrase all the way back to its origin, and when you do, you find that though much has changed in many ways, the expectations of a person with power have not. Instead, these people are still held to a higher standard by others and, most importantly (and in theory) by themselves.
The saying, “With great power comes great responsibility,” is multifaceted. It could mean many things to many people. But simply put, it means that if you are in a position of power, the responsibilities you have are no longer to yourself; but also to others who are affected by your actions and decisions.
For example, Peter Parker continually struggles with the issue of duality. In one part of his life, he’s a typical teenager in high school. On the other, he’s a crime-fighting superhero. His struggle is directly related to the balance of the power he holds, which proves to be a heavy burden at times.
But let’s look at things like this. Say you’re the parent of two young children. One day, you stop to get gas and you and your kids go inside the convenience store to pay. But when you get back inside the car and are ready to leave, you notice that one of your kids is eating candy from the store that you didn’t pay for.
While this might not sound like a big deal, it could be huge. Especially for a little one. This situation is a teachable moment that you have to decide on as a parent. Do you chalk it up to the child not knowing about stealing and leave? Or do you tell them that taking things without paying for them is stealing and make them go back into the store to return it to the clerk?
The feeling this quote evokes is the idea that someone in a position of power and responsibility would always choose to do good. But what is good? Everyone’s definition of what is a good choice in any given situation will vary. Is the person in power looking at things from a broader perspective that we just don’t have? Or do they have a specific agenda and will do “good” for what will align with their objective even if we don’t see it as good? Then there is the more extreme response to power, which is corruption. We’ve probably all had experiences at some point with people in power who do not use their position for good.
The bottom line is that the relationship between power and responsibility is a tricky balance to obtain. You can’t have one without the other, or there is not a position of power to be held. You have the responsibility to do your own due diligence and look at things from various angles and consider how others may be affected. However, knowing that holding a position of power can contribute to the greater good is worth owning any responsibility. And what you choose to do with the power you have will be part of your legacy. What will you choose to do with your power?
