--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hegemony is not defined by rivers or…" description: "\"Hegemony is not defined by rivers or conventional borders - it's dominance, it's influence. So we get to decide in our hearts, are we in Iraq to help r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/dar-williams-3902_apples_hegemony-is-not-defined-by-rivers-or-con_1743316.jpg" --- # Hegemony is not defined by rivers or conventional borders… ![“Hegemony is not defined by rivers or conventional borders - it's dominance, it's influence. So we get to decide in our hearts, are we in Iraq to help restore something, or are we there to establish dominance? How can you torture people and say, well, that's just a few bad apples in our culture?” quote by Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/dar-williams-3902_apples_hegemony-is-not-defined-by-rivers-or-con_1743316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/dar-williams-3902_apples_hegemony-is-not-defined-by-rivers-or-con_1743316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/dar-williams-3902_apples_hegemony-is-not-defined-by-rivers-or-con_1743316.jpg) > “Hegemony is not defined by rivers or conventional borders - it's dominance, it's influence. So we get to decide in our hearts, are we in Iraq to help restore something, or are we there to establish dominance? How can you torture people and say, well, that's just a few bad apples in our culture?” [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power is defined by influence, not geography; we must choose whether to help or dominate, and not excuse cruelty as isolated incidents. **In simple terms:** Power is about influence, not borders; choose help over domination. Key Takeaway Question motives behind actions. Themes politics ethics power Mood serious inquisitive Type philosophical political When to use this quote - international aid - military intervention - policy making Key Concepts dominance influence moral responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What drives a nation to dominate? - How can we hold leaders accountable? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex geopolitical realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) [Bad apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-apple/) [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Hegemony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hegemony/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) ## Related quotes > [“Research suggests that there are two fundamental paths to influence: dominance and prestige. When we establish dominance, we gain influence because others see us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/research-suggests-that-there-are-two-fundamental-paths-to-influence/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [My expectations are to establish my dominance and kick butt. And I want to become a leader in the sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/my-expectations-are-to-establish-my-dominance-and-kick-butt-and-i/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [Empires are doomed. 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Each morning a shock to return to the cut soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/trapped-in-his-own-bad-apple-each-morning-a-shock-to-return-to-the/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [There's bad apples in whatever way you want to group people - doesn't matter if it's religious, political or social. The big mistake is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/there-s-bad-apples-in-whatever-way-you-want-to-group-people-doesn-t/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [I agree that there are some bad apples on Wall Street. 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She always says if you state the facts, Mom won't argue with you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-turk/i-picked-up-a-lot-of-my-arguing-with-mom-techniques-from-mimsy-she/) Courtney Turk > [“Even in good families a bad apple can begin an avalanche of troubles,' Dutch said as he sat back in his well-seasoned armchair, lighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-victoria-douglas/even-in-good-families-a-bad-apple-can-begin-an-avalanche-of-troubles/) [Judith Victoria Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-victoria-douglas/) > [“Spoilt people live rotten lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/spoilt-people-live-rotten-lives/) [Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/) > [Without getting into brothels, there are ethical capitalists the problem is that there aren't enough of them. It is not "just a few bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/without-getting-into-brothels-there-are-ethical-capitalists-the/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) ## More by Dar Williams > [“So I'll keep you wondering what time I'm arriving And you'll drive me crazy with your backseat driving And I'll talk in my sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/so-i-ll-keep-you-wondering-what-time-i-m-arriving-and-you-ll-drive-me/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [There's a marketing scheme that tells you that pregnancy and child rearing will make you into a moron, that your kids are only happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/there-s-a-marketing-scheme-that-tells-you-that-pregnancy-and-child/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [I remember doing "As Cool As I Am" and Steve Miller, the producer, saying "I really hear a drum loop here. 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That's never going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/the-only-i-would-say-is-a-little-different-is-when-i-know-my-parents/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [It's just that you don't have to bring it to every stage. You can do a fundraiser for people that you support. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/it-s-just-that-you-don-t-have-to-bring-it-to-every-stage-you-can-do-a/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [ I really lucked out with that song \["As Cool As I Am"\]. Men were becoming much more comfortable with all the different facets and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/i-really-lucked-out-with-that-song-as-cool-as-i-am-men-were-becoming/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [“Well, my friends give me purple flowers and orange tea and goosedown spinning quilts and torquoise chairs we greet one another in a wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/well-my-friends-give-me-purple-flowers-and-orange-tea-and-goosedown/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [Every time you opt in to kindness Make one connection, used to divide us It echoes all over the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/every-time-you-opt-in-to-kindness-make-one-connection-used-to-divide/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) [Explore all 119 Dar Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) ## More Apples quotes > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. Kelly, on the other hand, is the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-think-however-that-astaire-s-coordination-is-better-than-kelly-s/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I have a friend who is a juggler. 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It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) Horace Dediu > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Therein lies the rub of a place like Berkeley Bowl. 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