The effect of power and publicity on all men is the aggravation of self, a sort of tumor that ends by killing the victim's sympathies.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Power and public attention amplify ego and reduce empathy.
- In plain terms
- Being powerful makes people care less about others.
- What can you take from it?
- Power erodes empathy through self-aggrandizement.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does power affect your own behavior?
Another view
Some leaders remain empathetic despite power.
More from Henry Adams
A friend in power is a friend lost.
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