It is only in folk tales, children's stories, and the journals of intellectual opinion that power is used wisely and well to destroy evil. The real world teaches very different lessons, and it takes willful and dedicated ignorance to fail to perceive them.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Power is rarely used wisely to destroy evil in reality; this ideal exists mainly in fiction and intellectual journals.
- In plain terms
- Real world power isn't used wisely to stop evil; thinking otherwise means ignoring reality.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize that real-world power dynamics differ from idealized stories.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What examples show power used wisely?
- How do we distinguish fiction from reality?
Another view
This view may overlook instances where power has been used for good.
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