Power is one of the greatest desires of people throughout history, especially for men. As Robert Greene points out, in order to achieve absolute power, it is sometimes necessary to set aside moral values and personal truths. On the one hand, this can mean ruthlessly assessing reality and adopting a dictatorial way of thinking.
However, the balance between intelligence and values reflects human intrinsic complexity. Some individuals, through their intelligence, may be capable of deep strategic thinking, one step ahead of others, but when they lack values, this intelligence becomes merely a tool in the pursuit of power. This use of intelligence can lead to serious problems for ethics and the human condition.
On the other hand, there are some people who defend their values and culture so strongly that they lose touch with reality and lose their objective perspective (e.g. Iran-> their religion is used by their leaders in politics for their own benefit). This blindness can be damaging not only intellectually, but also socially and personally. For the sake of seeing their own truth, they fail to see what the future holds in the wider perspective. Think of a map. Just because one country is in the right place, you cannot argue that the whole map is right.
The number of people who can find the middle ground and be original is, unfortunately, quite small. This rare trait is characterized by a combination of both a deep intelligence and a strong ethical sense. However, this balance is difficult to achieve and usually very few people are able to walk this fine line. This presents a sobering reality, both socially and individually. People find a balance, not only for the sake of power, but also with the truths of their own culture, religion, and in this context, they think broadly and think selflessly, without self-interest, without harming other people, so that they have the power they need, not absolute power.
In my view, adopting a common sense and balanced approach, avoiding the extremes of both extremes, can lead to a healthier life, both individually and socially.
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