Sweet is the voice of a sister in the season of sorrow.
Benjamin DisraeliRead
The depositary of power is always unpopular.
Interpretation
Those who hold power often face criticism and unpopularity.
Benjamin Disraeli's quote highlights the notion that individuals or groups who have authority, responsibility, or power are frequently subjected to discontent and unpopularity. This perception may stem from the difficult decisions they must make, which may not always align with the public's desires or expectations, leading to dissent and criticism despite the necessity of their roles.
In practice
In a political debate discussing the challenges faced by leaders, one could quote Disraeli to emphasize the difficulties of governance.
Sweet is the voice of a sister in the season of sorrow.
But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day.
Grief is the agony of an instant. The indulgence of grief the blunder of a life.
Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.
Yes, I am a Jew and when the ancestors of the right honorable gentleman were brutal savages in an unknown island, mine were priests in the temple of Solomon.
The practice of politics in the East may be defined by one word: dissimulation.
In my mind, President Snow should be viewed in front of marble pillars hung with oversized flags. It's jarring to see him surrounded by the ordinary objects in the room. Like taking the lid off a pot and finding a fanged viper instead of stew.
America must be the teacher of democracy, not the advertiser of the consumer society. It is unrealistic for the rest of the world to reach the American living standard.
We're opposing Russia's aggression against Ukraine, which is a threat to the world, as we saw in the appalling shoot-down of MH17.
Tyranny has perhaps oftener grown out of the assumptions of power, called for, on pressing exigencies, by a defective constitution, than out of the full exercise of the largest constitutional authorities.
It is a fine game to play - the game of politics - and it is well worth waiting for a good hand before really plunging.
Politics matter, but politics can't come first. If politics come first in your life, something is wrong with you. It's a sad thing.
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