Power
If your dream is to ruthlessly rise to total power and control all of civilization, you probably shouldn't be a seismologist. These guys are almost always working for somebody else; whether it's the state or federal government, a big corporation, a university, or a private consulting firm, seismologists are usually a cog in the machine.
As a university professor, you might be able to boss your students around, or you might be the head of a research team, but if you crave dominance over the masses, seismology might not be for you.