Alice happened.
Jokes aside, people who knows the meaning of pain tends to know things can be worse and dared not to inflict the same pain to other people because they understand the feeling is not pleasant.
When I talked about hellish reality, I wasn't talking about personal experience. As an individual, I didn't suffer much. But as a group? Know that those in power tends to misuse those powers and inflict as much pain as possible to the minorities who refuses to share the same view until they yield. I would like to elaborate, but I would be breaking the site's rules if I do.
Power does not corrupt. Power is addictive. Addicts are corrupt.
Power obtained while preventing addiction reveals one's true nature.
This is the paradox of power.
It is simple dopamine addiction. I suffered from it. I know what happens when you get addicted to power, the things you will do for the next 'high'. That's really what leads to corruption. A person with power who knows of its addictive effects and actively avoids it, and you can, leads to the enlightened 'philosopher king'.
However, it doesn't make for a good leader, it only reveals who you actually are. You can avoid addiction and still be a horrible person with twisted beliefs. Or a nice guy who sucks at being a leader. Power removes restrains and isn't a bad thing, if given to a good person. However, if the person isn't aware of the nature of power and how it can lead to addiction, then a good person can become bad, and a bad person will get worse.
I always thought we should just give every elected official Naltroxin Nose spray and make them use it once a day as soon as they take office. They will fuckin' HATE the job as they will no longer have dopamine, but it will make it much easier to avoid dopamine addiction.