--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who seek power at any price detect…" description: "\"“Those who seek power at any price detect a societal weakness, a fear that they can ride into office. It could be ethnic differences, as it was then, p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83d/carl-sagan-160_drug-use_those-who-seek-power-at-any-price-detect_368812.jpg" --- # Those who seek power at any price detect a societal… ![“Those who seek power at any price detect a societal weakness, a fear that they can ride into office. It could be ethnic differences, as it was then, perhaps different amounts of melanin in the skin; different philosophies or religions; or maybe it’s drug use, violent crime, economic crisis, school…” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83d/carl-sagan-160_drug-use_those-who-seek-power-at-any-price-detect_368812.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83d/carl-sagan-160_drug-use_those-who-seek-power-at-any-price-detect_368812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83d/carl-sagan-160_drug-use_those-who-seek-power-at-any-price-detect_368812.jpg) > ““Those who seek power at any price detect a societal weakness, a fear that they can ride into office. It could be ethnic differences, as it was then, perhaps different amounts of melanin in the skin; different philosophies or religions; or maybe it’s drug use, violent crime, economic crisis, school prayer, or “desecrating” (literally, making unholy) the flag.”” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power seekers exploit societal insecurities to gain authority, using any divisive issue as a rallying point. **In simple terms:** Leaders use fear and division to gain power. Key Takeaway Beware manipulation of fear for control. Themes politics social manipulation division leadership Mood cautious critical analytical Type observational political When to use this quote - election campaigns - public policy debates - media framing - community organizing Key Concepts psychology social dynamics identity politics Questions to Reflect On - What insecurities are most exploited today? - How can societies build resilience to divisive rhetoric? A Different Perspective Such tactics can backfire if the public unites against manipulation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drug use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug-use/) [Economic crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-crisis/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [Those who seek power at any price detect a societal weakness, a fear that they can ride into office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/those-who-seek-power-at-any-price-detect-a-societal-weakness-a-fear-2/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Men dissimulate their dearest, most constant, and most virtuous inclination from weakness and a fear of being condemned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-dissimulate-their-dearest-most-constant-and-most-virtuous/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [That awkward moment when your biggest strength becomes your biggest weakness & the fear of losing someone so precious becomes excruciating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-your-biggest-strength-becomes-your-biggest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I need a friend, and I have none to whom I can admit my weakness, my fear, my errors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-need-a-friend-and-i-have-none-to-whom-i-can-admit-my-weakness-my/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [We are born male. We must learn to be men. Remember, strength is a force. It is an attribute of the heart. Its opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-nerburn/we-are-born-male-we-must-learn-to-be-men-remember-strength-is-a-force/) [Kent Nerburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-nerburn/) > [Your greatest strength is love. Your greatest weakness is fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/your-greatest-strength-is-love-your-greatest-weakness-is-fear/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/the-terrorists-thought-they-would-change-my-aims-and-stop-my/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Fear is a confession of weakness. What you fear is stronger than you, or you think it is, else you wouldn't be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/fear-is-a-confession-of-weakness-what-you-fear-is-stronger-than-you/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [Often admitting our weakness and fear is the first step to finding rest in God. Our trust in Him isn't conveyed though superhuman confidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracie-peterson/often-admitting-our-weakness-and-fear-is-the-first-step-to-finding/) [Tracie Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracie-peterson/) > [What a joy to remember that she is our Mother! Since she loves us and knows our weakness, what have we to fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/what-a-joy-to-remember-that-she-is-our-mother-since-she-loves-us-and/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [“Paul admitted to knowing fear, but it never stopped him. “I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling,” he reported…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders-2/paul-admitted-to-knowing-fear-but-it-never-stopped-him-i-came-to-you/) [J Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders-2/) > [An enemy always represents a weakness. This might be fear of physical pain, but it could also be a premature sense of victory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/an-enemy-always-represents-a-weakness-this-might-be-fear-of-physical/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Resistance is weakness and fear masquerading as strength. What the ego sees as weakness is your Being in its purity, innocence, and power. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/resistance-is-weakness-and-fear-masquerading-as-strength-what-the-ego/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I have found strength where one does not look for it: in simple, mild, and pleasant people, without the least desire to rule --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-have-found-strength-where-one-does-not-look-for-it-in-simple-mild/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“You don't seek power or popularity. You simply ask, is the thing right in itself? If it is, then I must do it, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/you-don-t-seek-power-or-popularity-you-simply-ask-is-the-thing-right/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. 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