He was burning with a sense of outrage. He had been tricked and made a fool of; he had been used and flung aside. And now there was nothing he could do - he was utterly helpless. What affected him most was his sense of the overwhelming magnitude of the powers which had made him their puppet; of the utter futility of the efforts that he or any other man could make against them. They were like elemental, cosmic forces; they held all the world in their grip, and a common man was as much at their mercy as a bit of chaff in a tempest.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A man feels helpless after being betrayed by powerful forces that seem like cosmic elements beyond human control.
- In plain terms
- He feels useless against big powers that control the world like a storm controls chaff.
- What can you take from it?
- Individuals often feel powerless against systemic forces.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can individuals fight systemic power?
- What gives strength in helplessness?
Another view
Feeling helpless can paralyze effective resistance.
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