I doubt very much if a man whose main literary interests were in works by Mr. Zane Grey, admirable as they may be, is particularly equipped to be the chief executive of this country, particularly where Indian Affairs are concerned.
Dean AchesonRead
The great corrupter of public man is the ego. Looking at the mirror distracts one's attention from the problem.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ego can cloud one's judgment and divert attention from important issues.
This quote by Dean Acheson highlights the detrimental impact of ego on a person's ability to engage with public issues effectively. By becoming overly focused on oneself, individuals risk losing sight of larger societal problems, making it crucial to maintain humility and awareness to foster better public discourse and solutions.
Themes
EgoPublicAttentionProblemsSelf-Awareness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote would be great for a discussion on leadership ethics in a seminar.
More from Dean Acheson
All quotes βNegotiating in the classic diplomatic sense assumes parties more anxious to agree than to disagree.
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The manner in which one endures what must be endured is more important than the thing that must be endured.
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Negotiation in the classic diplomatic sense assumes parties more anxious to agree than to disagree.
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No people in history have ever survived who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies.
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I learned from the example of my father that the manner in which one endures what must be endured is more important than the thing that must be endured.
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