Power Beyond Presidency

This is an interesting article about Al Gore. Most of us assume that the president of the US is the most powerful person in the world, but what is powerful about it, is the position, not the person who has the position. It’s a subtle but significant difference. It is much like the difference between a hired CEO of a large corporation and a founder/owner of a corporation. The former, after all, is just an employee; you could get fired if you don’t perform. With the latter, your company is a genuine part of yourself, and it’s inseparable. And, the power you have is truly yours to keep (think of people like Richard Branson or Oprah Winfrey). In some ways, US presidency is worse than being a hired CEO because you are forced out after your terms even if you are performing well. The true power of the person, not the position, is seen in what he/she does after the presidency.

Also, being a politician is more about doing what other people want you to do than to do what you want to do. For both of these reasons, I can see that the current position that Al Gore created and built for himself is a much more attractive one than that of the president of the US.