Power Corrupts

2. "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - Lord Acton
To what extent would Shakespeare agree with this statement? Use the play and your own experience as your support.

Shakespeare's views of the phrase, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely", are shown throughout his play, Macbeth. The main character, Macbeth, immediately betrays his friend and the current king, Duncan at the start of the play, in order to assume the position of king. This is the first time in the play that we see first hand how the crave for power can corrupt an innocent and well liked man. Later in the play it is seen again when Macbeth's newly found power is threatened by his best friend, Banquo, when Banquo begins to question how Macbeth rose to power in the first place. The intimidated King Macbeth has his best friend murdered in order for his reign to continue. This is an example of how absolute power corrupts absolutely. Macbeth has gained more power then he ever could've imagined and this power corrupts him so much, he would even kill his best friend to ensure that he keeps it. We see throughout the play how Macbeth becomes more and more desperate to hold on to his power. 

An example of power corrupting is seen everyday in high schools across the country. Everyone eventually experiences being "the big man on campus,"  or seniors in a high school. These 17 and 18 year old kids hold the most power out of all the students on campus. How these students respond to their new power of being looked up to and idolized by younger kids is different for everyone. While some students use their power in a positive way to mentor and guide younger kids, others choose to use their power in order to bully and make themselves feel bigger than they are. These few kids who are corrupt by the power of being the oldest on campus abuse their seniority to put down younger kids and make sure everyone knows who they are. 

#IBmakingart

89 Huicholes

By: Santiago Sierra

Sketch
By: Jordan Sterrett

This compilation of photographs was created by Santiago Sierra and titled, 89 Huicholes. The exhibit shows 84 individual photographs of people that were brought together by 5 rows and 17 columns. These photographs were taken in 2007 in Western Mexico and consist of people belonging to the Huicols tribe in Mexico. The images show individuals in black and white, blank settings with their backs turned to the viewer. Each photograph is at first viewed as the same as all the others, with each person's back turned and in the center of the photograph, in black and white, and lastly all having the same white, plain background. After analyzing each individual photograph more, I realized that each photo consisted of a person with their own unique personality and style. Not one person is the same and we can tell this without even seeing their faces. However, it is apparent that these people may be from the same part of the world because of their clothing. The author's intention by only showing the individual's backs is that he wants the viewer to draw conclusions and fill in the blanks about the people. One must consider why they don't show their faces and what message they are trying to send. After doing research on the Huicole tribe, I realized the message they were trying to send. 

The Huichol tribe is a small tribe of Native Americans in the mountains of Western Mexico. Like many other indigenous tribes, the Huicoles struggle to keep their land rights and their traditions acknowledged. Their way of life has been threatened by the government seizing their land and forcing them into smaller areas of land. They are now pushed to work under bad circumstances, making very little money.  

This background knowledge has led me to believe that the Huichol Tribe has felt abandoned and bullied by the government and the outside world. They are a small tribe and wish to be left alone in peace so now they are turning their backs on the outside world or in this case, the viewers.