Strategies for Living

No one has power in isolation. Though in fairy tales, witches and wizards have magical powers to call upon, in reality the power available to us is in the resources we have. The head of a country has all the powers of the government with virtually unlimited wealth and resources, but that power can only be used if the government and its people support the head.

The head of a company has power, but must rely on the support of the company directors and shareholders to use that power. In general, the more power a person has, the more people they will rely upon to support them. The 'power' is not a personal attribute, but the authority to command others to act on your behalf.

Each of us lives at a 'power level' that enables us to do certain things by ourselves, and only do other things with the help of others. Here are some examples:

Living alone. Robinson Crusoe lives alone. His power is limited to his abilities to survive. If he is ill or has an accident, then his survival is at risk. Mowgli in Jungle Book is mush the same, though he can count on help from his animal friends.

Living in a relationship. Typically a couple who are married or in love, and accept total responsibility for their partner. It means that if one has problems then the other will support them. If both have problems, they will support each other even if one would be better off alone.

Living in a group. The Three Musketeers lived 'All for one and one for all'. These are like a team who consider themselves as one. The objectives of the individual take second place to the objectives of the group. This would also apply to the 'Family' when considered as a group.

In normal life, we might live at all levels at different times. We like to have time to ourselves doing our own things. We like to have a partner to share things with, and we like to be part of a group, with the identity and support it offers.

		List the individual pursuits, the relationships, and the groups the following characters either have, or are likely to have: Mickey Mouse Bugs Bunny James Bond Sherlock Holmes Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz Winnie-the-Pooh Superwoman The Super Mario Brothers Hansel and Gretel

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