This explains much of the modern computer experience, especially the growing sense of powerlessness many people feel before the machine.

FORBES: Digital Tools

The sense of outrage that attends terrorist attacks should not, however, be assumed to be equivalent to a sense of powerlessness: public outrage is one of the most potent weapons in the limited armoury of counter-terrorism.

ECONOMIST: Punish and be damned

To compound the issue, in addition to plentiful supply of consumers with low esteem and a perceived sense of powerlessness, fast food chains and even fast casual restaurants such as Applebees, and Texas Roadhouse continue to feature numerous options to upgrade or increase the size their already too large regular food and drink portions.

FORBES: Consumers Opt For Larger Food Portions To Increase Social Status

Some voters sense the powerlessness of national leaders before problems like climate change and the financial crisis.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

Ocalan, 49, said late last year he had little sense of national identity until he was a teenager, but was struck by the powerlessness of his poor, illiterate farming parents.

CNN: Nationalists without a nation