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About this quote

What does it mean?
Waugh suggests that if leaders were less ambitious and more content, society might be happier.
In plain terms
Less ambitious leaders could mean a happier society.
What can you take from it?
Ambition in leadership can sometimes reduce happiness.

Where it applies

  • political commentary
  • social critique
  • philosophical reflection

Putting it to work

  • critique of leadership
  • reflection on happiness

Questions to consider

  • Does ambition always lead to unhappiness?
  • Is laziness a virtue in leaders?

Another view

It overlooks the necessity of effort in governance.

More from Evelyn Waugh

  1. I think to be oversensitive about cliches is like being oversensitive about table manners.

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  2. In the dying world I come from quotation is a national vice. It used to be the classics, now it's lyric verse.

    Permalink to quote #58
  3. Quomondo sedet sola civitas. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

    Permalink to quote #55

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