--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't want the second-most powerful…" description: "\"You don't want the second-most powerful government on Earth mad at you, if you can avoid it.\" — Daryl Morey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/daryl-morey-9896_avoid_you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful_1872240.jpg" --- # You don't want the second-most powerful government on… ![“You don't want the second-most powerful government on Earth mad at you, if you can avoid it.” quote by Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/daryl-morey-9896_avoid_you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful_1872240.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/daryl-morey-9896_avoid_you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful_1872240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/daryl-morey-9896_avoid_you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful_1872240.jpg) > “You don't want the second-most powerful government on Earth mad at you, if you can avoid it.” [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advises against provoking a powerful rival unless necessary, emphasizing strategic restraint to avoid severe consequences. **In simple terms:** Avoid antagonizing stronger forces. Key Takeaway Choose battles wisely. Themes politics strategy power dynamics Mood cautious strategic Type political advisory When to use this quote - business negotiations - international relations - sports management Key Concepts realpolitik risk management diplomacy Questions to Reflect On - When is it worth confronting a powerful opponent? - What alternatives exist to direct conflict? A Different Perspective May underestimate the benefits of bold action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-earth-348543/) [Mad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad/) [Mad Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad-avoid-2590987/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Powerful government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-government/) [Second Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-powerful-1950797/) ## Related quotes > [“...the thunder from Down Under that gives you the second-most-powerful surge that can flow through your body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-thunder-from-down-under-that-gives-you-the-second-most-powerful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The second most powerful man in the country.” All his life Lyndon Johnson had been taking “nothing jobs” and making them into something—something big.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/the-second-most-powerful-man-in-the-country-all-his-life-lyndon/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [Nature's Laws are the invisible government of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-armand-montapert/nature-s-laws-are-the-invisible-government-of-the-earth/) [Alfred Armand Montapert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-armand-montapert/) > [The people are the ultimate guardians of their own liberties. In every government on earth is some trace of human weakness, some germ of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-people-are-the-ultimate-guardians-of-their-own-liberties-in-every/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A man who doesn't detest a bad government is a fool. And if there were such a thing as a good government on earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/a-man-who-doesn-t-detest-a-bad-government-is-a-fool-and-if-there-were/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [The will of the people is the source and the happiness of the people the end of all legitimate government upon earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/the-will-of-the-people-is-the-source-and-the-happiness-of-the-people/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [I do verily believe that a single, consolidated government would become the most corrupt government on the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-do-verily-believe-that-a-single-consolidated-government-would/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Every government on earth is the personification of violence and force, and yet the doctine of non-resistance is as old as human thought -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/every-government-on-earth-is-the-personification-of-violence-and/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [I want my son to grow up in a place where the people are more powerful than the government and not the other way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-want-my-son-to-grow-up-in-a-place-where-the-people-are-more/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [They need to review this secret world. We have an incredibly powerful government that gets on automatic pilot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/they-need-to-review-this-secret-world-we-have-an-incredibly-powerful/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Globalization is the result of powerful governments, especially that of the United States, pushing trade deals and other accords down the throats of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/globalization-is-the-result-of-powerful-governments-especially-that/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Big Brother in the form of an increasingly powerful government and in an increasingly powerful private sector will pile the records high with reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/big-brother-in-the-form-of-an-increasingly-powerful-government-and-in/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [My supporters and family have limited resources, very limited resources; but the FBI has the unlimited resources of the most powerful government in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/my-supporters-and-family-have-limited-resources-very-limited/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [The more powerful government becomes, the more abuses it commits and the more lies it must tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/the-more-powerful-government-becomes-the-more-abuses-it-commits-and/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [America is the most creative country and the most powerful government in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/america-is-the-most-creative-country-and-the-most-powerful-government/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) ## More by Daryl Morey > [I think Houston is a city players love to play for, love to play in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-think-houston-is-a-city-players-love-to-play-for-love-to-play-in/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [It would be very presumptive of me to think I could help an NFL team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/it-would-be-very-presumptive-of-me-to-think-i-could-help-an-nfl-team/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I lead verbally, not by example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-lead-verbally-not-by-example/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [If you have an intuition of something but no hard evidence to back it up, you might kind of sort of go about putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/if-you-have-an-intuition-of-something-but-no-hard-evidence-to-back-it/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I'm very logical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-m-very-logical/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I used to get the question in Houston which was like 'What would you do if you had Shaq?' My answer was 'I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-used-to-get-the-question-in-houston-which-was-like-what-would-you/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I can't do anything without the ball so when I don't have it I have to go get it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-can-t-do-anything-without-the-ball-so-when-i-don-t-have-it-i-have/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I have all these opinions about the dancers but they should be kept to myself. No one consults me. I keep asking to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-have-all-these-opinions-about-the-dancers-but-they-should-be-kept/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [My goal is to win a championship, so whatever gets us there is what we'll do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/my-goal-is-to-win-a-championship-so-whatever-gets-us-there-is-what-we/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [Everyone 'watches Kobe when the Lakers play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/everyone-watches-kobe-when-the-lakers-play/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I think the more wins you have, it shows that your players are more talented so it opens up your ability to upgrade the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-think-the-more-wins-you-have-it-shows-that-your-players-are-more/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I think if you've got a guy who can create his own shot then you're better off than not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-think-if-you-ve-got-a-guy-who-can-create-his-own-shot-then-you-re/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I think the best way to win in the NBA is to take your talent and figure out how to utilize them the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-think-the-best-way-to-win-in-the-nba-is-to-take-your-talent-and/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I believe in strong civil liberties and a government that intervenes if and only if there is a structural failure that private actions generally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-believe-in-strong-civil-liberties-and-a-government-that-intervenes/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [I just feel incredibly fortunate that I got the chance to be part of the Rockets organization all those years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-just-feel-incredibly-fortunate-that-i-got-the-chance-to-be-part-of/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) [Explore all 69 Daryl Morey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) ## More Avoid quotes > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/) [Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I avoid processed food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-hopkins/i-avoid-processed-food/) [Bernard Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-hopkins/) > [I avoid envy at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-winkleman/i-avoid-envy-at-all-costs/) [Claudia Winkleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-winkleman/) > [Patients' lives are more important than embryos. I do want to avoid the use of embryos if possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinya-yamanaka/patients-lives-are-more-important-than-embryos-i-do-want-to-avoid-the/) [Shinya Yamanaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinya-yamanaka/) > [I studiously avoid any academic dissections of the play and any kind of previous experience of playing. For me, it's all in the play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/i-studiously-avoid-any-academic-dissections-of-the-play-and-any-kind/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [The mark of the man is how he responds to situations. You're not going to avoid tough times. We're all over the barrel some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/the-mark-of-the-man-is-how-he-responds-to-situations-you-re-not-going/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [God knows we are subtle creatures who are more than able to use candour to avoid acknowledging our deceptions of others and ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/god-knows-we-are-subtle-creatures-who-are-more-than-able-to-use/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [Because Techstars is an intensely productive three-month program in which product development and iteration are primary goals, we're constantly looking to streamline our program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cohen/because-techstars-is-an-intensely-productive-three-month-program-in/) [David Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cohen/) > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/) [Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/) > [Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/last-but-not-least-avoid-cliches-like-the-plague/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [When I was younger, I used humour as a tool to avoid getting too serious with people - if there was deep emotional stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/when-i-was-younger-i-used-humour-as-a-tool-to-avoid-getting-too/) [Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/) > [I'm quite tactile, so I like fabrics that feel good. I try to avoid fabrics that crease - especially with my son. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/i-m-quite-tactile-so-i-like-fabrics-that-feel-good-i-try-to-avoid/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) [Browse all 985 Avoid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You don't want the second-most powerful government on Earth mad at you, if you can avoid it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daryl Morey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful-government-on-earth-mad-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Avoid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful-government-on-earth-mad-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/daryl-morey-9896_avoid_you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful_1872240.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/daryl-morey-9896_avoid_you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful_1872240.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/daryl-morey-9896_avoid_you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful_1872240.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You don't want the second-most powerful government on Earth mad at you, if you can avoid it.” — Daryl Morey", "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": "Daryl Morey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You don't want the second-most powerful...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful-government-on-earth-mad-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/you-don-t-want-the-second-most-powerful-government-on-earth-mad-at/#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 } } ] } ```