Corruption In American Gods

Baron Action, a historian and moralist from England said “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”(Absolute). There has been corruption in governments and people of power all throughout time. John Edward Emmerich Dalberg Acton was the first to do research on studying human nature and history, and he discovered great men are almost always faulty men (Soffer).
In American Gods there is corruption throughout the rank of Gods, everyone wants to gain more power and be worshipped more. In The Da Vinci Code there is corruption in the Catholic church, keeping the secret of the Holy Grail and the bloodline of Jesus. History and literature examples demonstrates the idea that the temptation of power causes a person to lose their humanity and generosity. Corruption has been a part of human life throughout all of time, corruption is when a person misuses their power for personal benefit (“Corruption” 143). The increased power a person has, the more likely they will start to think about their own personal benefit. Doctor Ronald Riggo, a professor of leadership psychology says, “The more people possess power, the more they focus on their own egocentric desires and the less able they are to see others’ perspectives” (Riggo). So, the more power a leader has, the more likely they are to be susceptible to corruption, based on what is best for the
Modern research proves how humans are likely to fall to the temptations of power and use that power to benefit themselves. The Da Vinci Code shows examples of a corrupt Catholic Church and what some people will do to keep or gain power. In “American Gods” corruption is found in the fight for power and how the war is just each side trying to gain more power for themselves. There is a quote from Abraham Lincoln that states “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him