An apology offered and, equally important, received is a step towards reconciliation and, sometimes, recompense. Without that process, hurts can rankle and fester and erupt into their own hatreds and wrongdoings.
Margaret MacmillanRead
There was that argument that if we had more women in positions of authority, the world would be a nicer place. And then we got Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Indira Gandhi. When women become acclimatised to war, they can become every bit as ruthless as men.
Interpretation
What this quote means
More women in power might not necessarily lead to a more compassionate world as demonstrated by historical female leaders.
Margaret Macmillan's quote suggests that while the inclusion of women in positions of authority is often believed to mitigate aggressive behavior in leadership, the historical examples of strong female leaders like Golda Meir and Margaret Thatcher indicate that women can also adopt ruthless tactics typical of wartime leaders. This challenges the notion that gender solely determines leadership style and highlights the complexity of human behavior in power dynamics.
Themes
WomenLeadershipPowerAuthorityWar
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the role of women in leadership at a women's rights symposium.
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