November 2024 Part 6: Power harassment is relative

There are said to be six types of power harassment: physical attacks, mental attacks, isolation from human relationships, excessive demands, insufficient demands, and violation of personal rights. Violence and abusive language are easily perceived as power harassment by those around you. However, depending on the circumstances at the time, it may not necessarily be considered power harassment. Whether violence or abusive language constitutes power harassment depends on the feelings of the person on the receiving end.
On the other hand, even if the words are calm and the conversation seems normal to those around you, it can still be power harassment. In particular, when it comes to cutting off human relationships, making excessive or insufficient demands, or violating personal rights, whether or not the person on the receiving end feels that it is power harassment will vary greatly from person to person.
It is difficult to judge whether a single remark or action made by someone constitutes power harassment. I think it is normal for opinions to be divided on whether it is power harassment or not. In addition, it is difficult to guess the feelings of the person who is said to have been subjected to power harassment, so it is difficult to imagine that a large number of people in a meeting would unanimously agree that it was power harassment.

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