He is such a hysteric that they need not take him seriously, and so he will not carry out his threat unfortunately. But it is all or nothing for him now. If I know him, he will make one desperate attempt to get into power. If this fails and he does not get his way, he is finished. He will burst into pieces like a frog.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The subject is viewed as unstable and unlikely to follow through on threats, yet his all-or-nothing mentality leaves him no room for failure.
- In plain terms
- He is too hysterical to be taken seriously, but if he fails his last desperate move, he is done.
- What can you take from it?
- Hysteria undermines credibility, but desperation drives final actions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does instability affect political power?
- What happens when a leader risks everything?
Another view
The characterization relies on subjective judgment of mental state.
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