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Some concepts that have been promoted in order to avoid situations of a total lack of social participation may appear to only represent emancipation, and therefore to be free from any ideology. Such is the case with the concept of “empowerment.” The aim of this paper is to point out how this does not fit so well, especially in retirement and nursing homes. Thomas Hobbes appears to be the father of the idea that man is himself when he desires “power after power,” but this should be questioned. The problem it comes up against in retirement and nursing homes is “egocentered empathy” from care-givers or relatives. Another problem may be the increasing risk of “therapeutic harassment.” Beyond the good intentions of efforts to enable the empowerment of vulnerable people, this paper calls for watchfulness so as to not exhaust people by involving them in unwarranted activism.