Power is nothing without control

I remember the mid 1990s Pirelli advert where the world famous Italian tyre brand introduced it’s iconic slogan for the first time The advert featured my school time hero and one of the greatest Olympians of all time, the incomparable Carl Lewis. Not only did he sport the perfect “flat top” hairstyle, which I dutifully copied but he specialized in the same athletic events as I did, namely the 100m and 200m sprints and the Long Jump. With his perfect and effortless looking running style, “King Carl” as many of us liked to call him because of his total dominance on the world stage, was the perfect candidate for the advert. Unleashing his explosive power and speed, he took the bends at breakneck speed and all the while maintained perfect balance. Of course, this impossible feat was only made “possible” by the Pirelli tyre thread which made up the soul of his feet, providing perfect grip. And what was the brand’s slogan? “Power is nothing without control”. The advert was so cool. I thought so back then and I guess I still do. Then, there was another Pirelli advert which featured King Carl but this time, it was a still picture of him in a sprinter’s position at the starting block, wearing a pair of red stilettos. Weird, right? But the significance wasn’t lost on me. Without a moderating influence on power, power can be far more destructive than constructive. Even for the person wielding it.