--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What kind of power was it if it would…" description: "\"What kind of power was it if it would never be used?\" — Chinua Achebe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/chinua-achebe-781_ifs_what-kind-of-power-was-it-if-it-would-ne_1802955.png" --- # What kind of power was it if it would never be used? ![“What kind of power was it if it would never be used?” quote by Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/chinua-achebe-781_ifs_what-kind-of-power-was-it-if-it-would-ne_1802955.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/chinua-achebe-781_ifs_what-kind-of-power-was-it-if-it-would-ne_1802955.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/chinua-achebe-781_ifs_what-kind-of-power-was-it-if-it-would-ne_1802955.png) > “What kind of power was it if it would never be used?” [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power that is never exercised remains theoretical and ineffective. **In simple terms:** Unused power is meaningless. Key Takeaway Avoid hoarding power without purpose. Themes authority responsibility potential Mood reflective critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - leadership - policy making - organizational management Key Concepts political theory ethics Questions to Reflect On - Who holds power you never use? - What are the costs of unused authority? A Different Perspective Power without action can breed resentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-power-325928/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-used-1167662/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [If this power could be used for good, it wouldn't be this power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-nielsen-hayden/if-this-power-could-be-used-for-good-it-wouldn-t-be-this-power/) [Teresa Nielsen Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-nielsen-hayden/) > [Not my power, but the power of the position, a power which could be used to help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-ford/not-my-power-but-the-power-of-the-position-a-power-which-could-be/) [Betty Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-ford/) > [“Power is to be used in the service of others and only secondarily, if at all, for the benefit of oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-elmer/power-is-to-be-used-in-the-service-of-others-and-only-secondarily-if/) [Duane Elmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-elmer/) > [A man in a position of power over me used that said power to try and take advantage of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-reinhart/a-man-in-a-position-of-power-over-me-used-that-said-power-to-try-and/) [Lili Reinhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-reinhart/) > [People in power, they're so used to people kind of playing up to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaha-hadid/people-in-power-they-re-so-used-to-people-kind-of-playing-up-to-them/) [Zaha Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaha-hadid/) > [Power must be used, but it must be tempered by soul-searching and the recognition of our human capacity for error. That is the maxim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/power-must-be-used-but-it-must-be-tempered-by-soul-searching-and-the/) [Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/) > [But everyone has some kind of power to hurt people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/but-everyone-has-some-kind-of-power-to-hurt-people/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [Through the power which we win over the forces of nature we get also a gruesome kind of power over our fellow human beings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/through-the-power-which-we-win-over-the-forces-of-nature-we-get-also/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [I'm the lucky one. I didn't think that I would ever want someone to have the kind of power over me that you hold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aurora-rose-reynolds/i-m-the-lucky-one-i-didn-t-think-that-i-would-ever-want-someone-to/) [Aurora Rose Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aurora-rose-reynolds/) > [There are many different kinds of power. True power comes from serving and helping others. Such behavior makes people respect you. They are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-many-different-kinds-of-power-true-power-comes-from-serving/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“Having a positive attitude gives you power. This isn't the same kind of power that dictators and warlords seek after, but rather a spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-rietzsch/having-a-positive-attitude-gives-you-power-this-isn-t-the-same-kind/) [Lindsey Rietzsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-rietzsch/) > [Love has the kind of power criticism only wishes it had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/love-has-the-kind-of-power-criticism-only-wishes-it-had/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“A petty kind of power is still power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/a-petty-kind-of-power-is-still-power/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“I don't want to ever give someone that kind of power to destroy me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/i-don-t-want-to-ever-give-someone-that-kind-of-power-to-destroy-me/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [“Children have their own kind of power. When you're teaching them, protecting them, you are more than you thought you could be. More understanding,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/children-have-their-own-kind-of-power-when-you-re-teaching-them/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) ## More by Chinua Achebe > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/do-not-despair-i-know-you-will-not-despair-you-have-a-manly-and-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [My son even if you want to fall, at least fall where your bones can be gathered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/my-son-even-if-you-want-to-fall-at-least-fall-where-your-bones-can-be/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“And so Mr. Brown came to be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/and-so-mr-brown-came-to-be-respected-even-by-the-clan-because-he-trod/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-have-learned-that-a-man-who-makes-trouble-for-others-is-also-making/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [In fact, I thought that Christianity was very a good and a very valuable thing for us. But after a while, I began to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-fact-i-thought-that-christianity-was-very-a-good-and-a-very/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I find Nigeria very frustrating. I am not alone in this. There are many Nigerians abroad. As you know, the brain drain is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-find-nigeria-very-frustrating-i-am-not-alone-in-this-there-are-many/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I do not actually see how art, literature can be anything other that being in that domain of trying to tell us, trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-do-not-actually-see-how-art-literature-can-be-anything-other-that/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Democracy is not something you put away for ten years, and then in the 11th year you wake up and start practicing again. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/democracy-is-not-something-you-put-away-for-ten-years-and-then-in-the/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When I began going to school and learned to read, I encountered stories of other people and other lands. In one of my essays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-i-began-going-to-school-and-learned-to-read-i-encountered/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane. H. P. LOVECRAFT, attributed, Telling It Like It Is Dancing is very important nowadays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/almost-nobody-dances-sober-unless-they-happen-to-be-insane-h-p/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [This is why I find racism impossible, because this is against humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/this-is-why-i-find-racism-impossible-because-this-is-against-humanity/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Then listen to me,' he said and cleared his throat. 'It's true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/then-listen-to-me-he-said-and-cleared-his-throat-it-s-true-that-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [What you must accept is that your life is not going to be the same while you are writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/what-you-must-accept-is-that-your-life-is-not-going-to-be-the-same/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) [Explore all 368 Chinua Achebe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. 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The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. 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