Is knowledge truly power?

Meh, yes and no. I don't think knowledge alone is power but knowledge and intelligence is. I may be wrong here but I always viewed knowledge as a way of doing something, like putting pieces in its right place but intelligence was what made the knowledge useful because it doesn't just say "This piece goes here" but "This piece could also go on this completely different part which is off the board", if that makes sense?

Basically, knowledge is about knowing how to do something where as intelligence is about calculating how it could be better used that just what you know it is used originally.

If other people believe you have knowledge, then you will have great power over them. So it isn't actual knowledge, just perceived knowledge.

its not what you know its who you know

That statement could only truly exist if one person knew absolutely everything.

Your bank details, your darkest secrets and greatest fears. Absolutely everything about every single individual growing up and what could be used against them to your advantage.

Apart from that, no. Unfortunately in this day and age, it's the person with the most money who wields the most power.

To me it depends what type of knowledge your referring to, its particular meaning, its various usage and who exactly is using it along with its various source and how it was attained, all these factors ultimately determines the amount of power knowledge truly holds.

"Knowledge is power. Guard it well." ~ Blood Ravens

"Now we know!" "And knowing is half the battle" GEEEEEEEEEEE-IIIIIIII-JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ~ G.I. Joe

what you can't "know" can't be ruled. And capacity to control something is power. But someone who can control himself is the most powerful.

You have to determine what knowledge is, first. If it's knowledge that has no particular value or can't be harnessed in any meaningful way, then I'd say no. The kind of knowledge is definitely something that needs to be taken into account.

Let me put it this way. If I knew something about you, that you didn't want others to know, would I have power over you?
nuff said?

Indeed. In so many ways and areas of life.

Personal power, yes.

But that might not reflect into social power.

Many things can give you power. Knowledge is one of them.