Fortress Leader

The Seductive Allure of Power: Control, Domination, and the Dictator’s Mindset Power is one of those intangible forces that shapes societies and fuels ambition. It seduces us with promises of respect, security, and the ability to change the world in our image. This blog explores why we crave power, how it corrupts those who wield it, and how the pursuit of control has defined both history and daily life. Through reflection and historical example, we’ll unravel the mindset of power and dictatorship, and consider how this primal urge influences us all. The Seduction of Power From childhood games to corporate boardrooms, we learn early on that power grants influence. Holding power means others listen to your voice and follow your direction. This sensation can produce a heady rush of confidence. Imagine the classroom monitor who can shuffle the line or a CEO who can announce layoffs. In both cases, a subtle voltage charges through the person in control. We may not consciously chase the...

The Digital Panopticon: Privacy, Anonymity and Internet Freedom at a Crossroads In the digital age, the internet was heralded as a bastion of free expression, where anyone with a connection could speak, learn, and organize. Instead, many observers warn, it has become a modern panopticon – a space where “every act of expression is now observable” by corporations and states (alike privacyinternational.org,  freedomhouse.org ) . As Freedom House reports, global internet freedom has declined for the 14th straight year ( freedomhouse.org ) . In 2024 alone, 27 of 72 countries saw net rights worsen ( freedomhouse.org ) . China (with Myanmar) now tops the list of the worst online environments, blocking dissenting sites and banning VPNs ( freedomhouse.org ) . The promise of a free digital marketplace of ideas is under siege: citizens are being monitored, censored or even persecuted for what they say online. This raises a fundamental question: if online speech can be tracked, censore...