--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea that power was an end in itself…" description: "\"“The idea that power was an end in itself, rather than a means to provide the security and opportunity necessary for the pursuit of happiness, seemed t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/bill-clinton-11499_critical-thought_the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself_2806375.jpg" --- # The idea that power was an end in itself, rather than a… ![“The idea that power was an end in itself, rather than a means to provide the security and opportunity necessary for the pursuit of happiness, seemed to him stupid and self-defeating." (about Senator Fulbright)” quote by Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/bill-clinton-11499_critical-thought_the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself_2806375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/bill-clinton-11499_critical-thought_the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself_2806375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/bill-clinton-11499_critical-thought_the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself_2806375.jpg) > ““The idea that power was an end in itself, rather than a means to provide the security and opportunity necessary for the pursuit of happiness, seemed to him stupid and self-defeating." (about Senator Fulbright)”” [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power should serve to protect security and opportunity for happiness, not be pursued for its own sake. **In simple terms:** Power as means, not end. Key Takeaway Seek purpose over power. Themes political philosophy ethical leadership public service Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - policy making - campaign strategy - public discourse Key Concepts political theory ethics Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to wield power selflessly? - What safeguards prevent power abuse? 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Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > [“The trouble is that we have a bad habit, encouraged by pedants and sophisticates, of considering happiness as something rather stupid. Only pain is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/the-trouble-is-that-we-have-a-bad-habit-encouraged-by-pedants-and/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Lauren Berlant has called such a fantasy of happiness a "stupid" form of optimism: "the faith that adjustment t o certain forms or practices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lauren-berlant-has-called-such-a-fantasy-of-happiness-a-stupid-form/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The trouble is that we have a bad habit, encouraged by pendants and sophisticates, of considering happiness as something rather stupid. 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Reeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-reeder/) > [The vocabulary of one’s self-criticism is so impoverished and clichéd. We are at our most stupid in our self-hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-phillips/the-vocabulary-of-one-s-self-criticism-is-so-impoverished-and-clich-d/) [Adam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-phillips/) > [“I was a stupid, self-assuming girl. Sitting at that table? Smug in my confidence of my ownership?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-torre/i-was-a-stupid-self-assuming-girl-sitting-at-that-table-smug-in-my/) [Alessandra Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-torre/) > [“For most of us, even if the 'with us or against us' mandate sounds a little like oversimplified BS, it still feels easier and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/for-most-of-us-even-if-the-with-us-or-against-us-mandate-sounds-a/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“Inside Critics The critical voices in our own heads are far more vicious than what we might hear from the outside. 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We are for better government and smaller government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/if-you-are-for-smaller-government-then-our-candidate-is-for-you-we/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [In a world darkened by ethnic conflicts that tear nations apart, Canada stands as a model of how people of different cultures can live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/in-a-world-darkened-by-ethnic-conflicts-that-tear-nations-apart/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [“That depends on what your definition of 'is' is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/that-depends-on-what-your-definition-of-is-is/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [Why would anyone make a hard decision again? What if we had immediate recall of every teacher, every preacher? 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So live your dreams and remember, whatever you choose to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/you-are-carrying-the-future-of-america-in-your-heart-and-your-mind-so/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/it-depends-upon-what-the-meaning-of-the-word-is-means/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [“If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you'll be a better person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/if-you-live-long-enough-you-ll-make-mistakes-but-if-you-learn-from/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [Individual character involves honoring and embracing certain core ethical values; honesty, respect, responsibility . . . Parents must teach their children from the earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/individual-character-involves-honoring-and-embracing-certain-core/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [“In other words, our constitution was designed by people who were idealistic but not ideological. There's a big difference. You can have a philosophy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/in-other-words-our-constitution-was-designed-by-people-who-were/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [There are large numbers of people who simply don't have the values and vision necessary to be part of an inter-dependent world. They think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/there-are-large-numbers-of-people-who-simply-don-t-have-the-values/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [She could do any job. Let me just say this, I've never known anybody in politics that was more able than her -- including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/she-could-do-any-job-let-me-just-say-this-i-ve-never-known-anybody-in/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [No government really rooted in limited, parliamentary democracy should have the power to make its citizens fight and kill and die in a war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/no-government-really-rooted-in-limited-parliamentary-democracy-should/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) [Explore all 59 Bill Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) ## More Critical-thought quotes > [“Inside Critics The critical voices in our own heads are far more vicious than what we might hear from the outside. 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I yearn for a chance to let go of all fear, the negative self-image,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anoir-ou-chad/i-want-a-complete-transformation-i-need-a-new-identity-i-yearn-for-a/) [Anoir Ou-Chad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anoir-ou-chad/) > [“If critical analysis of repression is itself inseparable from repression, then surely to think with any efficacy has to be think in some distinctly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-kosofsky-sedgwick/if-critical-analysis-of-repression-is-itself-inseparable-from/) [Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-kosofsky-sedgwick/) > [“Highly educated = Highly indoctrinated”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mishelle-boniface/highly-educated-highly-indoctrinated/) [Mishelle Boniface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mishelle-boniface/) > [“Perhaps the most important thought any human can have is to remember not everyone else thinks like you, best to be diplomatic if possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-a-a-savastano/perhaps-the-most-important-thought-any-human-can-have-is-to-remember/) [C.A.A. 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It produced preformatted, standardized, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajinder-jhol/the-public-education-system-did-not-promote-the-enlightenment-of-the/) [Rajinder Jhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajinder-jhol/) [Browse all 22 Critical-thought quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-thought/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The idea that power was an end in itself, rather than a means to provide the security and opportunity necessary for the pursuit of happiness, seemed to him stupid and self-defeating.\" (about Senator Fulbright)”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Clinton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself-rather-than-a-means-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Critical-thought" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself-rather-than-a-means-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/bill-clinton-11499_critical-thought_the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself_2806375.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/bill-clinton-11499_critical-thought_the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself_2806375.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/bill-clinton-11499_critical-thought_the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself_2806375.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The idea that power was an end in itself, rather than a means to provide the security and opportunity…” — Bill Clinton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Clinton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The idea that power was an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself-rather-than-a-means-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/the-idea-that-power-was-an-end-in-itself-rather-than-a-means-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```