Appetite Quote by Daniel Berrigan
“Every nation-state tends towards the imperial - that is the point. Through banks, armies, secret police, propaganda, courts and jails, treaties, taxes, laws and orders, myths of civil obedience, assumptions of civic virtue at the top. Still it should be said of the political left, we expect something better. And correctly. We put more trust in those who show a measure of compassion, who denounce the hideous social arrangements that make war inevitable and human desire omnipresent; which fosters corporate selfishness, panders to appetites and disorder, waste the earth.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Imperial Tendency of Nations,” date unknown
Nation‑states inherently seek power through institutions, yet left‑wing ideals hope for compassionate governance; however, systemic selfishness and environmental neglect persist.
In simple terms: Power structures dominate; left seeks compassion but faces systemic selfishness.
Key Takeaway
Promote compassion, challenge systemic greed.
Themes
politics
environment
ethics
Mood
urgent
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy reform
- activism
- education
- community organizing
Key Concepts
political theory
social critique
environmental ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can compassion overcome entrenched power?
- What concrete steps reduce corporate selfishness?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑rooted systems is extremely difficult.
