Most tyrants are, by nature, short-sighted. Though they aspire to an eternal panoply of statues and symphonies in their honor, they rarely focus on constructive present actions that will lead to a future where their name is even known, let alone praised. As time goes on, they either fall into the delusion of omnipotence, or else become obsessed with holding onto embattled power until the bitter end. Neither mental state leads to laying a healthy foundation for posterity.

graham ericsson
Graham Ericsson (b. 1961) American technologist, writer, aphorist
Journal (2026-04-22)