Guwahati, Aug. 11 -- A recent incident in Assam where a reputed physician was humiliated by a magistrate and the subsequent public outcry in his support opened up long-overdue conversations on dignity, abuse, and structural power in the workplace. One supporter aptly noted: "Magistrates may come and go, but a snake-bite specialist is far more indispensable to society." This article does not dwell on that particular event but instead addresses the broader problem of workplace bullying and psychological abuse driven by power hierarchies.

Power can amplify both compassion and cruelty, depending on the individual and the environment. People in leadership often begin to lose their natural empathetic responses, particularly as they move higher...