Power Vacuum

I learnt something interesting today. Suppose that one approaches an organisation for help. They have the power to help, and perhaps they ought to help, but they say no, go away -- or perhaps they are silent. This is what has just happened: they have created a power vacuum. That vacuum now needs to be filled. One will now turn to other sources of power, quite likely to be used against that very organisation. And that likely means escalation. OBSERVATION: This will apply to individuals, too. Suppose that an individual has a certain responsibility, but fails to meet it. This, too, leaves a power vacuum. To put it another, rather obvious way: being receptive to other people's distress is what de-escalates things.