--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Have felt it myself. The glitter of…" description: "\"Have felt it myself. The glitter of nuclear weapons. It is irresistible if you come to them as a scientist. To feel it's there in your hands, to releas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/freeman-dyson-1435_arrogance_have-felt-it-myself-the-glitter-of-nucle_2409664.png" --- # Have felt it myself. The glitter of nuclear weapons. It is… ![“Have felt it myself. The glitter of nuclear weapons. It is irresistible if you come to them as a scientist. To feel it's there in your hands, to release this energy that fuels the stars, to let it do your bidding. To perform these miracles, to lift a million tons of rock into the sky. It is…” quote by Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/freeman-dyson-1435_arrogance_have-felt-it-myself-the-glitter-of-nucle_2409664.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/freeman-dyson-1435_arrogance_have-felt-it-myself-the-glitter-of-nucle_2409664.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/freeman-dyson-1435_arrogance_have-felt-it-myself-the-glitter-of-nucle_2409664.png) > “Have felt it myself. The glitter of nuclear weapons. It is irresistible if you come to them as a scientist. To feel it's there in your hands, to release this energy that fuels the stars, to let it do your bidding. To perform these miracles, to lift a million tons of rock into the sky. It is something that gives people an illusion of illimitable power and it is, in some ways, responsible for all our troubles - this, what you might call technical arrogance, that overcomes people when they see what they can do with their minds.” [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientists can feel empowered by the immense power of nuclear technology, but this can breed arrogance and ethical blind spots. **In simple terms:** Power can blind judgment. Key Takeaway Balance awe with responsibility. Themes science ethics power hubris Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - nuclear research - policy making - public communication - education Key Concepts technological capability human humility Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent technical arrogance? - How do you stay humble with great power? A Different Perspective Overconfidence may lead to misuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) [Bidding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bidding/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Fuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuel/) [Fuels Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuels-stars-6062423/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Glitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glitter/) [Glitter Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glitter-nuclear-6062424/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Irresistible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresistible/) [Lifts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifts/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) [Overcomes People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcomes-people-4666862/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Release](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/release/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Scientist Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist-feel-1095381/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Stars Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars-let-1781747/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [“The strong one is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong one is the one who controls himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sahih-al-bukhari/the-strong-one-is-not-the-one-who-overcomes-the-people-by-his/) [Sahih Al-Bukhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sahih-al-bukhari/) > [The strong is not the one who overcomes people by his strength, but the one who controls himself while in anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-strong-is-not-the-one-who-overcomes-people-by-his-strength-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [most people prefer to carry out the kinds of experiments that allow the scientist to feel that he is in full control of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/most-people-prefer-to-carry-out-the-kinds-of-experiments-that-allow/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [As a scientist, you feel a sense of team spirit for your country but you also have a sense of team spirit for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-perlmutter/as-a-scientist-you-feel-a-sense-of-team-spirit-for-your-country-but/) [Saul Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-perlmutter/) > [One scientist will interpret data one way, another in another way. One scientist may feel that an experiment is valid, another feels it's invalid.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/one-scientist-will-interpret-data-one-way-another-in-another-way-one/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [“Oh, I could let the world go by, Its loud new wonders and its wars, BUt how will I give up the sky When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-teasdale/oh-i-could-let-the-world-go-by-its-loud-new-wonders-and-its-wars-but-2/) [Sara Teasdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-teasdale/) > [Never underrate the power of stars in you...,Let it reiqn\_and let cometh joy For GOD has a purpose for all HIS wardz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/old-roger/never-underrate-the-power-of-stars-in-you-let-it-reiqn-and-let-cometh/) [Old Roger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/old-roger/) > [“Look tonight at the stars. Let them overwhelm you in the postures of their bright dance. Face the vastness which they dot like silver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-barlow/look-tonight-at-the-stars-let-them-overwhelm-you-in-the-postures-of/) [Robert H. Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-barlow/) > [“Oh, I could let the world go by, Its loud new wonders and its wars, BUt how will I give up the sky When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-teasdale/oh-i-could-let-the-world-go-by-its-loud-new-wonders-and-its-wars-but/) [Sara Teasdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-teasdale/) > [Me without you is like a night sky without shining stars. So let's keep shining together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlee-bell/me-without-you-is-like-a-night-sky-without-shining-stars-so-let-s/) [Carlee Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlee-bell/) > [“Truth can't be found in the stars; let the story speak for itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-fields/truth-can-t-be-found-in-the-stars-let-the-story-speak-for-itself/) [L.M. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-fields/) > [“A few stars had been let out early. Teppic looked up at them. Perhaps, he thought, there is life somewhere else. On the stars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-few-stars-had-been-let-out-early-teppic-looked-up-at-them-perhaps/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [To Succeed, you must reach for the stars, and let your imagination find its own path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/to-succeed-you-must-reach-for-the-stars-and-let-your-imagination-find/) [Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/) > [If I was the sun, I would shine, just so I no your day will be fine. If I was the moon, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-thomas/if-i-was-the-sun-i-would-shine-just-so-i-no-your-day-will-be-fine-if/) [Greg Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-thomas/) > [“To love someone is like wishing upon the stars and to let go is no longer believing in what you wish upon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manahil/to-love-someone-is-like-wishing-upon-the-stars-and-to-let-go-is-no/) [Manahil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manahil/) ## More by Freeman Dyson > [For a physicist mathematics is not just a tool by means of which phenomena can be calculated, it is the main source of concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/for-a-physicist-mathematics-is-not-just-a-tool-by-means-of-which/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“It is impossible to make real progress in technology without gambling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-is-impossible-to-make-real-progress-in-technology-without-gambling/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“Sanity is, in essence, nothing more than the ability to live in harmony with nature's laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/sanity-is-in-essence-nothing-more-than-the-ability-to-live-in-harmony/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“I do not feel like an alien in this universe. The more I examine the universe and study the details of its architecture, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/i-do-not-feel-like-an-alien-in-this-universe-the-more-i-examine-the/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [It makes very little sense to believe the output of the climate models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-makes-very-little-sense-to-believe-the-output-of-the-climate-models/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [The laws of nature are constructed in such a way as to make the universe as interesting as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-laws-of-nature-are-constructed-in-such-a-way-as-to-make-the/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [The history of mathematics is a history of horrendously difficult problems being solved by young people too ignorant to know that they were impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-history-of-mathematics-is-a-history-of-horrendously-difficult/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [You ask: what is the meaning or purpose of life? I can only answer with another question: do you think we are wise enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/you-ask-what-is-the-meaning-or-purpose-of-life-i-can-only-answer-with/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [When World War II came along, which was when I was a teenager, we all expected we would have anthrax bombs and this kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/when-world-war-ii-came-along-which-was-when-i-was-a-teenager-we-all/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [It has become part of the accepted wisdom to say that the twentieth century was the century of physics and the twenty-first century will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-has-become-part-of-the-accepted-wisdom-to-say-that-the-twentieth/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Lucky individuals in each generation find technology appropriate to their needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/lucky-individuals-in-each-generation-find-technology-appropriate-to/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [A model is done when nothing else can be taken out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/a-model-is-done-when-nothing-else-can-be-taken-out/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [I am hoping that the scientists and politicians who have been blindly demonizing carbon dioxide for 37 years will one day open their eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/i-am-hoping-that-the-scientists-and-politicians-who-have-been-blindly/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Intelligence may indeed be a benign influence creating isolated groups of philosopher-kings far apart in the heavens... On the other hand, intelligence may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/intelligence-may-indeed-be-a-benign-influence-creating-isolated/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Most of the crackpot papers which are submitted to The Physical Review are rejected, not because it is impossible to understand them, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/most-of-the-crackpot-papers-which-are-submitted-to-the-physical/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) [Explore all 241 Freeman Dyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## More Arrogance quotes > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [What you see of me on TV and all of that, that is me - that's truly how I feel. I'm just multiplying it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-corbin/what-you-see-of-me-on-tv-and-all-of-that-that-is-me-that-s-truly-how/) [Baron Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-corbin/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Never mistake someones quietness for their arrogance as you can surely miss out on an awsome personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-mistake-someones-quietness-for-their-arrogance-as-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“I was consumed by a selfishness and arrogance that I didn't dare let go of until I found a new persona to hide behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-was-consumed-by-a-selfishness-and-arrogance-that-i-didn-t-dare-let/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [Arrogance is the outgrowth of prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/arrogance-is-the-outgrowth-of-prosperity/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [Timing and arrogance are decisive factors in the successful use of talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/timing-and-arrogance-are-decisive-factors-in-the-successful-use-of/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [Closed some doors, not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they no longer lead somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenz-jeffrey/closed-some-doors-not-because-of-pride-incapacity-or-arrogance-but/) [Frenz Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenz-jeffrey/) > [My success isn't a result of arrogance - it's a result of belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/my-success-isn-t-a-result-of-arrogance-it-s-a-result-of-belief/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) [Miguel Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cervantes/) > [An increasing number of people are growing uncomfortable with the gulf between the world's rich and the poor. Ostentatiously splashing your money around simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalle-lasn/an-increasing-number-of-people-are-growing-uncomfortable-with-the/) [Kalle Lasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalle-lasn/) [Browse all 1,418 Arrogance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Have felt it myself. The glitter of nuclear weapons. It is irresistible if you come to them as a scientist. To feel it's there in your hands, to release this energy that fuels the stars, to let it do your bidding. To perform these miracles, to lift a million tons of rock into the sky. 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