Vocabulary lesson!

power (n.)

c.1300, "ability; ability to act or do; strength, vigor, might," especially in battle; "efficacy; control, mastery, lordship, dominion; legal power or authority; authorization; military force, an army," from Anglo-Fr. pouair, O.Fr. povoir, noun use of the infinitive, "to be able," earlier podir (9c.), from V.L. *potere, from L. potis "powerful" (see potent).

abuse (n.)

mid-15c., "improper practice," from Fr. abus (14c.), from L. abusus (see abuse (v.)). Earlier in Middle English was abusion "wicked act or practice, shameful thing, violation of decency" (early 14c.), "an insult" (mid-14c.).

vulnerable

c.1600, from L.L. vulnerabilis "wounding," from L. vulnerare "to wound," from vulnus (gen. vulneris) "wound," perhaps related to vellere "pluck, to tear."

From:  www.etymonline.com/index - The Online Etymology Dictionary

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vul·ner·a·ble

 [vuhl-ner-uh-buhl] 

adjective

1.

capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon: a vulnerable part of the body.

2.

open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.: an argument vulnerable to refutation; He is vulnerable to bribery.

3.

(of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend: a vulnerable bridge.

From:  Dictionary.com

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The semantic field (as well as the etymology) of the English word ‘vulnerability’ suggests that at the core of this word’s meaning is the ability to be wounded or the ability to allow one’s self to be wounded.  This would seem to imply that vulnerability is a special species of what the Medievals would have called ‘passio,’ passio entailing that an other can affect one, that one is pliant to the effects of the other.  ‘Sympathy’ and ‘empathy’ are words which take the noun ‘pathos’ as a root.  The former denotes the ability to be affected by the feelings of the other or, literally, to have the feelings of the other.  The latter denotes the ability to think one’s way into the consciousness of the other, to understand—and in a sense, share--the other’s motives, feelings, stratagems, etc. 

          -Thomas Ryba

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Hi Maggie,

This helps me think.   You said yesterday, we are spiraling around power, abuse and vulnerability.  These three words have stayed with me.    I decided to take a closer look and think about them, and their relationship.

Powerful and invulnerable are synonyms, therefore powerful and vulnerable must be antonyms.  But I as I think about this, I disagree.  I think perhaps powerful and vulnerable are two sides of the same coin, to coin a phrase.   I think vulnerability is stronger and more vital than powerful is.  That paradox is straining my brain.

I am reminded of Gandhi and his example of passive resistance.  The power of his vulnerability brought down the British Empire's hold on his country and his people.

After reading Ryba, I also had the image of power piercing, and vulnerability giving way, accepting the puncture.  It is almost sexual.  I wonder if that is why so many in power use sex to wound and control those they feel are weaker.  Or if they use sexual assault to destroy vulnerability, and therefore rob us of our power.

My mind is wandering, trying to wrap around the depths of the interrelatedness of these words.  I fear I am rambling incoherently!

But when sex is done right, both offer up vulnerability and express power and the roles are passed back and forth.  No one is always in power, the other is not solely receptive.

Powerful is good, as is vulnerable, when we are able to wear both cloaks, even at one time...

If powerful is invulnerable, then powerful can't be wounded, and so powerful is not accessible, available. Powerful must be in protection mode at all times.  If so, they are not available.  And after abuse, we are driven from our body and so we are not available.  No one is available.  No wonder the world is so violent and lonely!

We are spiraling around power and abuse and vulnerability, and we find that they are braided tightly together.  What happens as we unpeel them...do we dissect ourselves?  The powerful can abuse, the vulnerable must accept.  The must, the force, that is the problem.  Children and infants should never be put in the position of having to switch from vulnerable to powerful to avoid rape.  Infants know that their vulnerability is their power.  They are vulnerable, and the loving humane part of me will protect.

I love words, but as much as I do, I had never ever stopped to think of abuse as ab-use - to use wrongly.  That blows my mind wide open.  Does that mean we may use each other but not wrongly?  Mutual use is actually cooperation.  Rape is competition - the fight for who owns and controls my body.  As victim, I am both loser and prize. 

I don't feel like I am making progress here.  I think I will break and see what my thoughts produce.

Missing you...hope all is well.

C.