A great empire and little minds go ill together.
I know of nothing sublime which is not some modification of power.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True greatness and beauty arise from the ability to wield power wisely and thoughtfully.
In this quote, Edmund Burke suggests that all forms of excellence or sublimity are derived from some form of power. He implies that whether itβs in nature, art, or human endeavors, the ability to influence, control, or harness power is essential in creating something truly remarkable and awe-inspiring. This power can manifest in various ways, whether through physical strength, intellectual capability, or creative expression, highlighting the interconnectedness of power and greatness.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about leadership, one might say, 'I know of nothing sublime which is not some modification of power,' to emphasize the role of empowerment in achieving greatness.
More from Edmund Burke
All quotes βTo read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.
Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver.
The hottest fires in hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of moral crisis.
Society can overlook murder, adultery or swindling; it never forgives preaching of a new gospel.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Similar quotes
As far as your personal requirements are concerned, the ideal is to _x000D_ have fewer involvements, fewer obligations, and fewer affairs, _x000D_ business or whatever. However, so far as the interest of the larger _x000D_ community is concerned, you must have as many involvements as _x000D_ possible and as many activities as possible.
How frighteningly few are the persons whose death would spoil our appetite and make the world seem empty.
Our physiological constitution is obviously a product of Darwinian processes, insofar as you buy the evolutional theory as a generative, as an account of the mechanism that generated us. Our physiology evolved, our behaviors evolved, and our accounts of those behaviors, both successful and unsuccessful, evolved.
Gender is not an easy conversation to have. It makes people uncomfortable, sometimes even irritable. Both men and women are resistant to talk about gender or are quick to dismiss the problems of gender. Because thinking of changing the status quo is always uncomfortable.
Most simply, 'present shock' is the human response to living in a world that's always on real time and simultaneous. You know, in some ways it's the impact of living in a digital environment, and in other ways it's just really what happens when you stop leaning so forward to the millennium and you finally arrive there.
Too much free time is certainly a monkey's paw in disguise. Most people can't handle a structureless life.