In the modern world, two powerful forces – the aspiration for unity and the thirst for power – shape both the foundations of healthy relationships and the conflicts that arise, demanding a wise balance from us.

Unity and Power: Balancing Harmony and Ambition

In the modern world, two powerful forces – the aspiration for unity and the thirst for power – shape both the foundations of healthy relationships and the conflicts that arise, demanding a wise balance from us. To begin with, it is important to note that true unity helps a person build strong, supportive connections both in the family and within society. This kind of harmony brings a sense of security and wholeness, as if it unites people into a single organism where care and mutual support become the guarantee against external threats. At the same time, the need for self-assertion, which manifests more aggressively through the desire for dominance, can lead to destructive consequences. The thirst for power, as a manifestation of a sincere desire to affirm one’s significance, often leads to conflicts and inner instability when the urge to control others replaces healthy self-esteem with a pathological struggle for status. The result is a confrontation in which efforts to unite clash with the pressure of personal ambitions. Thus, harmony in relationships requires not only love, mutual understanding, and support but also an awareness of the risk posed by an excessive desire for power. We stand at a crossroads, where a wise choice in favor of unity can serve as a powerful antidote against the destructive consequences of the struggle for dominance, reminding us of the essential truth – to live in harmony, support one another, and preserve the inner integrity that leads to the real strength of each of us.

What role do the aspirations for unity and power play in a person’s life?

The aspirations for unity and for power occupy different yet interconnected places in a person’s life. On one hand, the aspiration for unity allows a person to create harmonious, protected, and supportive relationships both within the family and in social groups. It serves as the foundation for generating mutual understanding and love, leading to a sense of security and wholeness. For example, one source notes:
"And when this unity among people arises, then the Lord comes to them and they become impregnable. This is especially evident in families. If there is unity in the family, then it is impregnable to any hostile forces, but when there is no love, everyone considers it their duty to subordinate another, trying to live at the expense of the other – and immediately everything falls apart..." (source: link txt).

This idea also rests on the notion that humanity should live as a single organism, like a family, allowing people to be in harmony and support one another:
"According to God's plan, humanity, by procreating and multiplying and filling the Earth, was meant to live as one family, one divine organism, in all things resembling the Holy Trinity..." (source: link txt).

On the other hand, the aspiration for power arises from a deep-seated need for self-affirmation – the necessity to prove one’s significance either to oneself or to others. This desire can manifest both as an aggressive and a defensive strategy in safeguarding one’s self, often leading to conflicts and inner emotional wounds. As mentioned in one text:
"The next stage in the hierarchy of the 'lower floor' of the personality is the aspiration for self-assertion ('Geltungstrieb', according to Adler). The main motive of this aspiration is the affirmation of the significance and value of one's own 'self' as such – in the eyes of others (vanity) or in one's own eyes (pride)... Out of this very aspiration grows an insatiable thirst for power." (source: link txt).

Continuing this thought, another source emphasizes that self-assertion is most vividly expressed through the pursuit of power, sometimes even turning it into an end in itself:
"The quest for self-assertion most vividly manifests itself in the pursuit of power. At the same time, power over people often becomes an end in itself..." (source: link txt).

Furthermore, the idea of the inevitability of the struggle for power is reflected in the socio-political context, where power often serves as an instrument of dominance and control. This is highlighted in an analysis of human instincts:
"It should be noted that people with bad instincts are more numerous than those with good ones, and therefore the best results in managing them are achieved through violence and intimidation rather than academic reasoning. Every person aspires to power; everyone would like to become a dictator, if only they could..." (source: link txt).

Thus, the aspiration for unity plays the role of a positive force that unites people, forming healthy, supportive, and protected communities, and contributing to emotional and spiritual wholeness. At the same time, the aspiration for power represents a driver of self-assertion that can lead to conflicts, struggles for domination, and even the breakdown of relationships on both personal and societal levels.