Power Corrupts And Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

When the State resorts to brutal killing and complete suppression of the same people it is supposed to protect, people take things into their own hands, and thus, is born a state of anarchy. Many civil wars have been fought by people to overthrow brutal regimes.

Recently, I was a victim of such a brutal power. It completely altered my life, and made a rebel out of me. My experiences with the insane and dictatorial power altered my very perception of freedom. It also made me rethink on unquestionably accepting authority, even when the authority is wrong. The sad part about this entire episode is that, I have no one to blame but me for the situation that I was in over the weekend.

Ok... Now the facts. Uninterrupted internet browsing, and not having an anti-virus software had its toll on my laptop. Many insurgents (viruses) infiltrated the Financial Epicenter (my laptop) due to a weak security cordon (firewall) and occupied key positions in facility (.dll files). As a result, the facility started under performing, and became completely unreliable. As I normally deal with a lot secure data, it was getting increasingly difficult for me to keep working with so many perpetrators trying to damage the files, and trying to cause maximum economic damage. Every file I used to send underwent umpteen number of scans, which was not only humiliating to me but also time consuming to my clients. Many well meaning people advised me to opt for internet security (PAID! Anti-virus software, Really!), to rid the infiltrators from the facility. Then I saw light at the end of the tunnel, a highly placed security personnel from a multi billion dollar corporation asked me to download free anti virus software from the internet, I was also told that there are many such freewares to ensure complete malware genocide. My happiness knew no bounds, I was like "thousand salutations to you - oh intelligent one - I am indebted to you."

I thought to myself that "I will fight terror with terror," and downloaded the freeware. I was delighted when the freeware found as many as 52 infected files, and moved every one of them to a "virus vault." It promptly asked me to delete the infected files from the virus vault, and I dutifully obeyed. It said there were "three key files," which when deleted would cause a system failure, and advised me to not delete it. I thanked myself and the "intelligent one" for giving me this super efficient freeware. I then start working nonchalantly. Over the last week, I worked overnight, I got up in the mornings at odd hours, completed all pending work, and my life could not have been any better. Suddenly, at 5:30 in the morning, the freeware prompts me, "dude! install updates, I see more incoming viruses, I am not equipped to handle this situation." I think - OK!! sure whatever you say, and start downloading the updates. After about an hour of downloading, freeware pops up and asks me to restart my machine to effect the updates. I say hold on, I am in the middle of something, I will restart later. 30 minutes pass by, freeware pops up again, I say kindly wait. From then on, every hour I was reminded to restart my laptop. Finally, after completing my work, I bow down to the freeware pressure, and restart the machine. And, because I am adequately protected with all the updates, I go for a short nap (by the way my power naps run for about an hour and a half on week ends). I wake up and switch on my Laptop, only to find that the freeware has taken complete control of laptop. It is not allowing me to open any file/program, it says that every bloody file is infected, and I will need to scan all drives, I obey, after about an hour, It still comes back with errors, left, right and center. After spending about 5 hours trying to retrieve my data, I realize that I do not have any control over my data. The Freeware was in fact terrorizing me and pushed me into a state where I had no power to use my laptop. Before installing the freeware, I was at least able to access my files, use it, but the new security deprived me of basic amenities such as checking my emails, reading F-1 news!! The freeware turned me into an anarchist of some sort. (I thought to myself) Enough was enough! and I decided to raise to the occasion, and to take control of affairs.

I then used external help - mercenaries - to breach the freeware's security cordon. This specialist, breached the security cordon through DOS, went into the directory, and got the data, on which I had spent so many nights, out of the system. I check the retrieved data only to find that all the work that I had done before installing the freeware was intact, the rest was not saved. My sleepless nights went for a waste. That did it. I hired more mercenaries and staged a coup; I had that freeware forcibly uninstalled. The freeware however, did not go down without a fight. It left traces of its presence and deeds in most ".dll" files, and while going down, it also deleted a few of those key files in the guise of ridding my laptop of all viruses. It was like the freeware was trying to tell me that "I did it for the country (laptop), it was not personal." I couldn't care less for the freeware's intentions.

As I was told by the freeware, the system did collapse. Imagine! how can something made by Microsoft! crash, its unthinkable. When you are stuck in unthinkable and "I have nothing to loose" situations, go for the kill. Overthrow the damn regime I thought. Therefore, I asked my mercenaries to format my hard disk, and re install the OS and important softwares.

I learned a lot from this experience, I realized that I am very brave when I am pushed to a corner, I felt like Rajanikanth (don't mess with me or I will completely destroy you attitude). I felt like a creator, in the sense, I will allow external forces to cross the limits to a certain extent, if you cross the limit, make no mistake, I have the power in me to take control of my situation. Maybe this is how most powerful men, king makers, or maybe even god feels like.

Lord John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton knew this in 1887, when he coined the phrase "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton also said "Great men are almost always bad men." If only Lord Acton knew that his statements are true even to machines...

I also learned this yesterday

Why keep a dog and bark yourself?