Without a global revolution in the sphere of human consciousness a more humane society will not emerge.
The exercise of power is determined by thousands of interactions between the world of the powerful and that of the powerless, all the more so because these worlds are never divided by a sharp line: everyone has a small part of himself in both.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Power dynamics are complex, with both the powerful and powerless sharing aspects of their existence.
This quote by Vaclav Havel emphasizes the fluid and intricate nature of power. It suggests that the exercise of power is not a straightforward matter but is shaped by countless interactions between those who hold power and those who do not. Importantly, it indicates that the distinction between the powerful and the powerless is not absolute; everyone possesses elements of both within themselves, underscoring our interconnectedness and shared humanity in the power spectrum.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about leadership and responsibility at a corporate seminar.
More from Vaclav Havel
All quotes βOwnership is not a vice, not something to be ashamed of, but rather a commitment, and an instrument by which the general good can be served.
In my opinion, theater shouldn't give advice to citizens.
Sometimes I wonder if suicides aren't in fact sad guardians of the meaning of life.
Human rights, human freedoms... and human dignity have their deepest roots somewhere outside the perceptible world... while the state is a human creation, human beings are the creation of God.
Man is not an omipotent master of the universe, allowed to do with impunity whatever he thinks, or whatever suits him at the moment. The world we live in is made of an immensely complex and mysterious tissue about which we know very little and which we must treat with utmost humility.
Similar quotes
If you really want to show power in its larger aspects, you need to show the effects on the powerless, for good or ill - the human cost of public works. That's what I try to do, show not only how power works but its effect on people.
In order to obtain and hold power, a man must love it.
Let us never forget that authentic power is service, which has its radiant culmination on the Cross.
We spend our lives, all of us, waiting for the great day, the great battle, or the deed of power. But that external consummation is not given to many: nor is it necessary. So long as our being is tensed, directed with passion, towards that which is the spirit of all things, then that spirit will emerge from our own hidden, nameless effort.
Every place is a goldmine. You have only to give yourself time, sit in a teahouse watching the passers-by, stand in a corner of the market, go for a haircut. You pick up a thread β a word, a meeting, a friend of a friend of someone you have just met β and soon the most insipid, most insignificant place becomes a mirror of the world, a window on life, a theatre of humanity.
Now I know the full power of evil. It makes ugliness seem beautiful and goodness seem ugly and weak.