WIST Quotations

Orwell, George -- Essay (1946-11-29), “As I Please” column, Tribune Newspaper

Dave — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:25:57 +0000

It is not easy to find a direct economic explanation of the behaviour of the people who now rule the world. The desire for pure power seems to be much more dominant than the desire for wealth. This has often been pointed out, but curiously enough the desire for power seems to be taken for granted as a natural instinct, equally prevalent in all ages, like the desire for food. Actually it is no more natural, in the sense of being biologically necessary, than drunkenness or gambling. And if it has reached new levels of lunacy in our own age, as I think it has, then the question becomes: What is the special quality in modern life that makes a major human motive out of the impulse to bully others? If we could answer that question — seldom asked, never followed up — there might occasionally be a bit of good news on the front page of your morning paper.

George Orwell (1903–1950) English journalist, essayist, writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1946-11-29), “As I Please” column, Tribune Newspaper

Joubert, Joseph -- Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 14 “Des Gouvernements [On Governments],” ¶ 16 (1850 ed.) [tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 13, ¶ 7]

Dave — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:08:16 +0000

Just as a savage will sacrifice his whole subsistence to his hunger, the despot sacrifices his authority to his love of power; his reign devours the reign of his successors.

[Comme le sauvage sacrifie sa subsistance à sa faim, le despote sacrifie sa puissance à son pouvoir; son règne dévore le règne de ses successeurs.]

Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French moralist, philosopher, essayist, poet
Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 14 “Des Gouvernements [On Governments],” ¶ 16 (1850 ed.) [tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 13, ¶ 7]

(Source (French)). No other translations of the thought found amongst those consulted.

Atwood, Margaret -- The Handmaid’s Tale, ch. 37 (1986)

Dave — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:00:02 +0000

Perhaps he’s reached that stage of intoxication which power is said to inspire, the state in which you believe you are indispensable and can therefore do anything, absolutely anything you feel like, anything at all.

Margaret Atwood (b. 1939) Canadian writer, literary critic, environmental activist
The Handmaid’s Tale, ch. 37 (1986)

Le Guin, Ursula K. -- The Lathe of Heaven, ch. 9 (1971)

Dave — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:03:09 +0000

The quality of the will to power is, precisely, growth. Achievement is its cancellation. To be, the will to power must increase with each fulfillment, making the fulfillment only a step to a further one. The vaster the power gained, the vaster the appetite for more.

Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018) American writer
The Lathe of Heaven, ch. 9 (1971)