I have always been of the mind that in a democracy manners are the only effective weapons against the bowie-knife.
James Russell LowellRead
He who is firmly seated in authority soon learns to think security, and not progress, the highest lesson in statecraft.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Authority can lead to a focus on maintaining power rather than seeking improvement.
In this quote, James Russell Lowell suggests that individuals who hold positions of power often become preoccupied with maintaining their authority and ensuring stability, rather than striving for advancement and growth in their roles. This highlights a common dilemma in leadership where the temptation to prioritize safety and security can overshadow the pursuit of innovation and progress.
Themes
AuthorityLeadershipProgressStatecraftSecurity
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the challenges of leadership, this quote could be used to illustrate the tension between security and innovation.
More from James Russell Lowell
All quotes βThe foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions.
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Not failure, but low aim, is crime.
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Good luck is the willing handmaid of upright, energetic character, and conscientious observance of duty.
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Puritanism, believing itself quick with the seed of religious liberty, laid, without knowing it, the egg of democracy.
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Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind.
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