When Uncle Ben gave Peter Parker aka Spiderman this piece of advice, he wasn’t just preparing him for the life of a superhero. He was expressing one of the most important truths about leadership — a truth that seems to get lost every time someone mistakes power for permission.
In politics, we’ve seen this confusion play out over and over again. Donald Trump, Javier Milei, Vladimir Putin — each in his own way — shows what happens when power is used as a weapon rather than as a tool for service. They all claim to act “for the people,” but the result often looks more like acting on the people.
Power is a force. It amplifies whatever intention drives it. Used with integrity, it enables progress and protection; without it, it leads to destruction and division. Responsibility is the moral voltage regulator that keeps it under control. Without that regulator, even the brightest current can burn everything around it.
When I Say “I Help Others Gain Power”
Sometimes I get strange looks when people ask me what I do — and I tell them that I help others, or good ideas, gain power and influence. For many, “power” sounds suspicious, as if it automatically implied manipulation or dominance. But that’s not what it means.
Power, to me, is simply the capacity to make things happen — to move people, ideas, or systems. Without it, even the most visionary concept remains stuck in theory. Campaigning is about giving that capacity to those who want to make a positive difference.
The decisive question is not whether we use power, but why. What’s the purpose behind it? Does it serve others or only ourselves? Does it create understanding or just compliance?
The Missing Ingredient: Responsibility
Responsibility means asking uncomfortable questions:
- Am I using my influence to solve problems — or to score points?
- Do my actions build trust, or do they erode it?
- Do I invite others to think, or do I just tell them what to believe?
Leaders who avoid these questions may win short-term approval, but they lose something more important: credibility. Because real leadership is not about dominance — it’s about stewardship. It’s about protecting what others have built, not tearing it down to prove a point.
What Campaigning Has to Do with It
Campaigning, at its best, is not manipulation. It’s the art of aligning people behind a purpose that serves the greater good. It’s not about noise, but about clarity. Not about shouting the loudest, but about being heard for the right reasons.
Good campaigning can make the world a better place — not because it sells ideas, but because it helps people understand them. When done right, it:
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gives visibility to those without a platform,
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connects people who might never have spoken to each other,
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turns complex issues into something tangible,
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and reminds us that truth still has value in a world addicted to outrage.
Shared Power, Shared Responsibility
We tend to think of “great power” as something reserved for presidents, CEOs, or billionaires. But the digital age has changed that. Everyone who communicates now has reach — and with that reach comes, inevitably, responsibility.
Every post, every statement, every campaign can build bridges or blow them up. The difference lies in intention.
If influence is the ability to move others, then responsibility is the choice to use that influence wisely. That’s what separates leadership from manipulation, vision from vanity, and progress from chaos.
Because in the end, the old man was right — in comics, in politics, and in campaigning alike:
With great power comes great responsibility.