Recently while going through my mail I found something that, while at first seemed quite ordinary, was in fact a perfect example of a power play. It was in fact a letter telling me that I am required to register for selective service with a reminder that if I don’t then I can be punished by a fine or even imprisonment. By dictating what I can and can’t do, in this case requiring me to register regardless of my personal feeling on the matter, shows that this situation is in fact a power play. It also shows how the government has the authority over my life by giving me no choice but to register for something I have would never register for of my own free will and I have no authority in this situation as all I can do is obey or be imprisoned and neither outcome is favorable for me.
Gary Bryanskiy
A teacher and student relationship is similar to a government and citizen relationship. You said there is a punishment from the government if necessary requirements aren’t fulfilled. In school a student is punished with a low grade from a teacher. The government has to power to control your own actions. Similarly, a teacher can influence a student’s to choices. However the government’s power is stronger than a teachers. The government needs to have enough power to control a large group of people. A teacher only needs enough power to control a small group of students.
Yancey Ko