Earlier this week rumours spread that Godfather Coltrane was overheard in public saying how he was involved in the removal of Tyki_Mikk and Trixxy. Apparently for just reasons as word was the two of them were power-hungry.

When hearing these rumours I waited in anticipation for when things would get more juicy. However, while everyone on that particular street-corner quickly continued with their usual chit-chat, my mind quickly drifted off. What was the actual problem that was pointed at when Mr. Coltrane hinted about the reasons for their removal; being power-hungry. What is that even...

What is considered power… hungry?

To get to the hungering part, I think it’s good to try and define what power is.
Power is the ability by entities to influence their will and direction upon others who might agree, or not agree on those same topics. Or at least, that is my free interpretation.

Power can be positive.
Say a baker would catch a homeless boy stealing bread, but the baker would let him go off with the bread anyway, including something extra for his little sister: That’s a powerful act that the baker could take, without having to. While I consider that positive, others might see it as negative because the boy gets rewarded for bad behaviour.

On the other hand power can be negative.
Say a bulky man gets home drunk and slaps his girl around for no reason at all. While I consider that negative, others might see it as positive because, because… Crap, I can’t think of anything here. Regardless, fact is that there are idiots around that behave like this because they think it’s the right thing to do for whatever reason ever.

I think - with that example - by now we’ve established that what power is, how it is handled and how it is perceived comes down to personal experience and opinion. It also comes down to whether you are a shitty person, AKA not agreeing with me.

Now this leads up to the question… why were Tyki and Trixxy really removed?
I believe the general idea of power in this place is attributed to the people at the top that call the shots at any given time. If we assume that being power-hungry is the desire to be like those that hold power, I’m not quite sure what the issue is. Wouldn’t it only be an issue if those that wielded the power gave a bad example? But in that case, who are those people in power to prevent others to be the same, unless they themselves recognised that what they are is bad news for the people?

The more positive explanation raises questions as well. If those with power are fantastic and other people want to follow in the footsteps and bright light of our leaders, why deny them their chance?

Now in the end, I’m not here to call Godfather Coltrane out about the details that caused the takedown of Tyki & Trixxy. Regardless of the reasons, I won’t lose a nights sleep over it. Anyone with half a brain will assume there are more significant details to the story that the majority of this community simply doesn’t need to know about. And that’s fine really. But that brings us to the question I want to ask today:

Is power good or bad?
Or rather, if you had the power, what would you do with it?

Isabella paused to listen to the man on the corner talking.  After a moment of thought, she quietly said, "I'll answer your stated question in a moment, friend, but allow me to comment on the content of your words leading up to it."

"To me 'power hungry' as a phrase in this thing of ours means that you have the ambition to remove those above you to secure a greater portion of power for yourself.  And while that is how the average coup does go down (we rarely have peaceful transfers of power, after all) it's not something anyone encourages because the Cosa Nostra considers itself a civilized organization."

"While yes, we're brutal murders, we're not (ideally) mindless thugs in the streets.  It's the 'organized' part of 'organized crime.'  We're not out here scrambling for power with no holds barred.  We expect everyone from the goomba on the street corner to the Godfather himself to know their place in the food chain and to act in accordance with that.  If at any time you get too big for your britches, it's a trip to the obits for you."

"While yes, we all want to raise up the next generation of mafioso to be competent and capable leaders, very few Godfathers or Dons sit around thinking about the day when they will be replaced by those people they helped to teach.  And they sure as hell won't allow someone under them to take what's theirs.  Now, if we expand beyond seven cities, we'll have more room for more Dons and more hands and more Godfathers... but until then there is always going to be a limited number of seats and a limited number of mobsters to uphold those seats."

"Which means there will always be yes-men who aren't happy with the glass ceiling and they will always be thinking they are one lucky shot away from the throne.  That's the nature of the beast.  But would you honestly blame a Godfather, who hears rumors of someone under him plotting, for acting on that?   It would be ridiculous to consider that sort of behavior (plotting to take power from your superiors) to be something respected or rewarded, even if it's something the Godfather himself might have done were the situation reversed."

"As for your question about power being good or bad... it's neither.  But to keep power you will have to do things which you might otherwise have frowned upon being done by others.  For example, as a wise guy you might be enraged by a Godfather killing a well-liked Don based on rumors that he or she was planning on rising up against the Godfather... but it's VERY different when you're the Godfather who might have a traitorous Don beneath you.  I promise, you'll tell yourself your reasons for killing your enemies (or rumored enemies) is more noble than the other guy's were... but they're not.  It's a bloody fucking business, being a leader and keeping it."

"As for what I'd do in leadership, well, maybe I'm not the best person to answer that question.  I know all too well that the golden ticket loses it's luster real fast when you survive as a leader long enough to see that you're doing the same shit you cast aspersions on others for doing in the past."

"Whether that's just finding leadership more of a thankless grind that you slowly come to hate or you find yourself being hated by every no-one on the street who had no idea the dues you've paid in blood and tears to get where you are.  People who have no idea what it looks like to come here each day and put up with the hate, judgment, and slander when maybe you really are trying your damnedest to help others and make this thing of ours something better than the way you found it."

"And maybe that's the trick, or maybe I'm more jaded than my starry-eyed ancestors?  Maybe no one can change this thing of ours.  Maybe it really is what it is and all we can do is put a new shine on it from time to time, for a just a little while.  Eventually, some rogue gets lucky, or leaders get tired of trying to justify their well-intentioned attempts at making things better and they are like 'fuck it' and they walk away to make themselves happy instead."

"Then they watch, silently, as the same cycles repeat themselves year after year in the streets.  The same discussions are had, the same complaints are made, and nothing ever comes of it... so you find yourself asking:  why bother at all?  Why not just take yourself to whatever corner of this world you like best and let the rest of it all burn.  And when you get to that place, you reflect on all the past discussions and past debates where you stood in self-righteous judgment of those you thought had given up or never cared to begin with and find... in horror... that maybe they did a long time ago.  Maybe once they had been like you and eventually, they threw their hands up too because no one changes what this place is... this place changes you."

Isabella shrugged.  "But like I said, maybe I'm not the best person to comment?"

Well, those insights are hardly an advertisement for a leadership role. Perhaps if leaders gave that speech to their subordinates it would swiftly kill any possible ambition to become a leader one day and everyone can stay on their proverbial thrones.

I want to thank you though for pushing the topic forward with your response. You hinted that “a Godfather” heard rumours about plotting to take power at their expense. That is already a bit more information than the abstract sin of “being power hungry” that we first heard about. Maybe self-preservation and common sense are better reasons in that case, as it sounds like the Godfather wasn’t done munching on power themselves. Which is fair, but that brings us back to the point that having or wanting power in itself is not a bad thing. Disloyalty is obviously. But if the power was to be sought outside of the city for example, there wouldn’t be a particular sin. At most misalignment in ideas and direction if we assume one’s city comes before everything else.

That in turn makes me wonder about how much differences in opinion and approach apparently existed among leaders in one city. If this recent example, combined with the somewhat dark train of thoughts you shared with us make up the reality of being a leader than that is quite worrisome. I don’t buy it though.

Power doesn’t corrupt. It doesn’t make lonely or paranoid. There is a whole range of things that creates problems; things like misjudgement, poor relational skills or unclear communication. Power - or ones place within the hierarchy - is merely a tool to make up for the mistakes in another area.

If people would cling less to power, perhaps they would find space to improve on the areas that actually create the issues that might see that power challenged. Letting go might be the best way to preserve.

I think I see reason in what you say though Isabella, but I guess I’m more optimistic. Perhaps that is out of youthful inexperience, but I believe that clear and fair communication can bridge any differences which will allow people to continue together. I think that’s what I would do with power. Give it to those that can do wonderful things with it, so that as a group we’d progress into a new direction instead of hold on to a patch of land that will eventually run dry and barren.

Maybe those are the naive words of a kid that doesn’t know any better though.
So who does? What would YOU do with power?

Adonis happened upon another discussion. Another venture out here had given more than just the usual stories, and once again, it was being done respectfully. He smiled as he approached Dusty's corner of the world. The guy really knew how to put words together, Joe thought, before taking his place off to the side of where Kid and Isabella were sharing their thoughts on power.

It all flowed relatively smoothly. Until Luciano gave up a piece of herself. It was insightful, and everyone was within their own right to express their views. It just didn't set well with the South Philly Don. He figured he'd also give his views on her piece, as well as Dusty's overall topic.

"Interesting topic, Dusty. I think you explained what power is as I would too. The ability to influence others because of a position of strength over them. Whether it's because of the physical ability to slap someone around, or not, or just because you have greater resources to draw from."

"I first want to say though, that Isabella, I have to disagree with your take on things. It sounds like the position of power you were on has you jaded. Maybe that's just it, that power is a double edged sword. That you can fuck yourself up just as much as others when you don't wield it right. But I can't agree that it's that way for everyone."

"Which has me now answering your main question, Dusty. What would I do with power? I find myself in a position where I am able to influence others more and more. To provide more opportunities for others, and to help them become more than they possibly couldn't become without me or under another's guidance. To me, that is what I enjoy doing with power. It's being a catalyst for others to become all that they inspire themselves and others to be. I'm not here for me. Not solely." 

"I have a vision of what I want from this world. Of what I want my legacy to be when all is said and done. And that is largely built on helping others get the same enjoyment from what it is that I enjoy. It's about being so damn inspired with what they are doing that it makes me work harder just to return that energy. It's a back and forth. I give, they give, and we all keep on giving so that what we build is greater than anyone of us as individuals could ever build alone."

"And I think this is where power turns positive. It's when someone can become transparent enough that they are just a vehicle for a greater energy to work itself out. When humility takes the place of pride. And selflessness takes the place of self seeking. When the power itself doesn't cut the one wielding it, because it's never about them. It's about others. And I think in a leadership role, that's important."

"So, I'll continue to push my love and enjoyment for story telling. To build platforms for others to do the same and hopefully when all is said and done the work we do together is remembered more than the individual parts alone. As that's what it's all about, in my opinion."

"To me, having power is about the ability to influence and inspire others, by giving them the experience of what it feels like from where I've been, from the experiences I've had, and to give them the opportunity to use and possibly gain some of the skills I've learned in my own journey to get here, so they can then have that intimate know-how to do that again for those to come."

"I feel a little regretful that the heart of my words seems to be a letdown to you ... really I was speaking out of one side of my mouth.  There's a HUGE divide between what I try to do with power and what I think is really going to happen."

"My ancestors were crew leaders to quite a few of the ancestors of our current leaders and they worked hand in hand with the others ... and I'm proud that they were a small part of inspiring this era of peace we're currently living in.  Am I jaded?  Maybe a bit compared to when my ancestors came to these shores, but do I think one should stop inspiring and leading by example?  No.  Of course not."

"I do, however, think it's naive to assume that anyone coming into power is going to lead without getting their hands dirty at least by association if not by refraining from speaking out against their allies doing questionable things.  I felt as though Dusty was looking for people to come into the streets and talk about all the 'wonderful' things they'd do that aren't being done... and maybe even decry recent actions by crew leaders and godfathers."

She shook her head, "But I could be wrong.  My major point is, until you're in the frying pan, you can't really know what you'd do.  And while it's foolish to say power corrupts, I think it's naive to say that you can maintain power without acting like the criminals and murderers we are.  That physical power you speak of... let's be blunt, no one is afraid of getting smacked by their Don, they're scared of being shot.  And when someone does get shot for being stupid, there is always a peanut gallery waiting to judge (usually too harshly) the Don's actions without knowing all the facts."

"And, time after time, the streets do tend to fill up with salty words and rehashed discussions about what is and isn't the 'right way to be if you were in power' ... and maybe such discussions sometimes yield some great new suggestions on improving how things happen around here... but more often than not they devolve into slander against the people who put the most time and effort into this thing of ours."

"As a leader, you certainly know the amount of love you have for your family, the amount of time you sacrifice from your life to be here giving back into something that brings others so much joy... and it's a great gig when things are running well.  It's not always such when you're the one receiving hate mail, threats, or hits put on you for just doing the best you can.  And, while all those aforementioned things suck... they are as much a part of what we do as is all the great things you focused on in your response to me."

"It's my thought that there really has to be care taken in how discussions like this happen because it can discourage current leaders and future ones from wanting to step up.  But it is a disservice to future leaders to pretend those hardships, stresses, burdens don't exist.  Right now there is a great support structure in the alliances that exist between the leaders of the seven cities.  They are communicating fairly well and when things get tough, they do seem to lean on each other.  From the outside that bond can feel like an iron gate blocking others from advancement or dictatorship that can't be cracked... but if you're here long enough, you know that's not true.  All things end in time, so it's important we think about what the future will look like as we have these talks."

"We should probably discuss great innovations in leadership, the things that current leaders are doing that works for our community as well as those that don't... sadly those discussions focused on what's not working tend to get more attention.  The sensationalized news is sexy after all.  But the rewards for saying 'yes that is the most awesome fucking shit ever' from time to time, while looking to current leaders, not only re-energizes current leaders who are inundated daily with bullshit... but it gives hope to future leaders that when their time comes they will be supported by the community too."

She looks to Dusty, "It can be confusing to someone who is new to our shores why there is peace between the cities, and why it's not okay to shoot sponsored members who aren't in your particular city or district... or why there isn't open conflicts to steal power or take territory... but those wars require vast resources and they are extremely costly in the lives of our families.  Right now I think a lot of us value our families too much to throw them away carelessly, we don't want to war without seeing a real gain in doing so."

"The upshot of lasting peace and building such alliances is this:  we have time to BOND with our families and create REAL ties of loyalty with them and not just lip service.  I've often heard in the streets that this is one of the biggest things from days of old that gangsters who've been around a long while wish to see returning.  I suspect, when we do devolve into open warfare, the body count will be sky high... and people will happily bleed alongside the families they had actual time to get to know and love.  I think that's a very good thing."

As he scratched his chin, Joe Adonis pondered on the insightful words spoken bu Isabella. He let the thoughts it created come and go with ease, keeping an open mind and trying not to put a spin on thing she said or respond immediately to one thing or another. It was easy to do, when truth was present.

"Everything you say is true, Isabella. For your experience and maybe many others. What I'd like to hear though, is what you would do with power again. And the thing of it is, we all have power. We don't need to be leaders at the top of the food chain or links close to it to truly be able to make a difference. Every one of us influences the other day in and day out."

"I understand from what you've said that there are negative's with what power can bring. But, you also said there's a difference with what you try to do with power when you have it. And the truth is, you have it within your grasp each and everyday."

"Dusty may have been poking at why Tyki and Trixxy were removed and if seeking more power was a necessary reason, and if they were in fact on the negative vibe or not. But, that we really can't get at unless those in the mix come forward and give their opinions on it. So, why don't we look instead at what you yourself strive to do everyday you step into your shoe and out into the greater community. Negative side effects or not, I'd like to know what your ambitions are and if they've changed from when you were in a leadership role."

What I'd like to hear though, is what you would do with power again.

"If I were to find myself in a position of official leadership again which I can not stress enough that I do not desire nor am I seeking, but will speak about for the sake of your hypothetical or in thinking about my descendants (should Gavin and I choose to have children), I would say that I would take what I learned from the Journals of Lucia DiCaprio and put them to good use again."

"The idea of educating the young, building community before statistical advantages, well all of that is quite noble.  And, if I were to be in leadership again I can't see myself deviating from that sort of thing.  I would also take some of what I've learned from watching Jack Mezzo, who besides being my current leader, is one hell of an inspiration to the community at large.  Many folks have looked to him as a prime example of what can be accomplished while in leadership to give back to those who hold you up."

"I also don't think I'd go into it again without short and long-term plans of action.  It was something Lucy and Frankie both did that I did not.  I had thought in terms of the immediate and with so much going on I felt like it wasn't as practical to outline such things for my run as my ancestors did in theirs.  This, upon reflection, was something of a mistake.  Having clear goals for myself and my crew certainly let's everyone be on a page and gives people something to work on."

"Speaking of work on, I think that was another area I dropped the ball.  I know there were several points in which I had some members overly eager to do things and I felt like I had nothing to give them that needed doing.  Idle hands can be the devil's playthings as they say (or lead to apathy and absence) and while it's perhaps naive to expect a CL to keep their crew members busy and entertained... it certainly doesn't hurt."

"And along those lines, meeting my members where they are at.  It's all good to throw my form of fun at people... but if it's not what my people want or need... they won't do it.  And then I'm left with feelings of failure which might not be so accurate.  If my people are more into gunplay... that's where my focus needs to be.  If they are social in the streets... I need to focus there."

"I think a lot of factors went into why I didn't thrive running the Tower as my predecessors did... and I know that's not what you asked about per say... but it definitely is what I think about when you ask what I'd do with power if I had it again.  So, sorry that's the reply you're getting!"

"The final factor that didn't really work out was the difficulty that comes with long-term eras of peace and that's a sense of apathy... or the have-have-not-crew situation.  By which I mean, you have some crews full of very active people who have been drawn together over time by a desire to not linger in a quiet crew."

"It's not anyone's fault crews grow quiet... distractions in life make gangsters disappear for times or apathy at feeling there is nothing to do keeps them quiet... then more active gangsters find/create opportunities to wander off to other families or simply eat their guns so their descendants can.  Eventually, you end up with some crews & cities that are bustling and others that are, for lack of a better term, dead."

"It's only natural to desire to be where something fun is happening.  And in that regard, it can be a heavy burden as a CL to try to make your home interesting and desirable to be in when you have very few active members.  I can be putting on a three ring circus but if no one is there to take part in it... I might as well be yelling into a void."

"So, success in being a CL seems to be something of a perfect storm of factors... many of which fall on the CL, of course.  But there are also other environmental and membership related factors that even in the best-intentioned leader's case, might prove too big to overcome.  AND, when that happens, I have to wonder if that's why we end up with wars between the families."

"After all, knowing your ability to enjoy this thing of ours is being hindered by your inability to recruit active enthusiastic gangsters... or to have them in your city, might be just the sort of motivation some folks need to fire one reckless shot.  I've certainly heard rumors that hold less water than that one - so..."  She shrugs.  "Who knows, maybe that's a factor in why we get 'excuses' for shots fired that some people feel aren't super valid too."

"Wow... I've rambled.  Maybe I need more coffee."  Isabella chuckled.