With great power comes great responsibility. Yet, there also comes great accountability. In the news recently we have heard of many scandals and allegations about important politicians and celebrities. Just in the past few months there has been Weiner-gate, the love child and subsequent divorce of Governor Schwarzenegger, and the prostitution ring of former UNM President Prof. F. Chris Garcia. Why do all these powerful people do such horrible things?

Well in many cases the actions really aren’t that horrible, although definitely immoral. Also, we must realize that these sorts of scandals are common throughout American society. While we recognize that we are all imperfect, we expect our leaders to be perfect. We elect a certain candidate because we think that that person will exemplify ideal qualities and represent us well in whatever position he or she is elected to. Why do these powerful people get caught so often then? When one takes a position of power in the public’s eye, one's actions become much more heavily scrutinized and examined. The life of a politician or celebrity is like the life of a fish in a tank. Every move is on display for the world to see. The more power one has the clearer the walls of the tank become. Everybody makes mistakes; there are always actions we regret. In a position of power, that regret is magnified by the fact that everybody in the world might know. It is not difficult to imagine the stress that some leaders have then, striving to be perfect for their constituents; others stress having to cover up an affair or the consequences of a drunken night; still others stress having to deal with the media finding out about a DWI or a bribery scandal. This life in a fishbowl is a way of life for leaders though, and it’s not difficult to get used to. A good habit to practice, for world leaders as well as Techies, is to think of this before you do anything: How will I feel if this ends up on the front page tomorrow morning? Will I be embarrassed or proud? If Professor Garcia had thought about that before he decided to manage prostitutes then perhaps he would still have the respect with the community that he formerly had. If Representative Weiner had thought of that before he posted pictures of his junk on Twitter then he would most likely still be a US Representative. So if you ever hope to hold a position of great power, you should start watching what you post on social media now, and remember that you live life in a fishbowl.