--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The possession of power over others is…" description: "\"The possession of power over others is inherently destructive both to the possessor of the power and to those over whom it is exercised.\" — George Davi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/george-davis-herron-94075_destructive_the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-i_746718.png" --- # The possession of power over others is inherently… ![“The possession of power over others is inherently destructive both to the possessor of the power and to those over whom it is exercised.” quote by George Davis Herron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/george-davis-herron-94075_destructive_the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-i_746718.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/george-davis-herron-94075_destructive_the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-i_746718.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/george-davis-herron-94075_destructive_the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-i_746718.png) > “The possession of power over others is inherently destructive both to the possessor of the power and to those over whom it is exercised.” George Davis Herron ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power over others harms both the ruler and the ruled, creating mutual destruction. **In simple terms:** Abuse of power destroys all involved. Key Takeaway Practice ethical, shared authority. Themes power authority destruction ethics society Mood critical concerned Type analysis philosophical When to use this quote - leadership training - policy making - activism - community organizing Key Concepts political science philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does power corrupt? - What structures prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Power can be wielded responsibly with checks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power over others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-over-others/) ## Related quotes > [To understand something changing form as a destructive act is a very modern, Western gut reaction to things, and I get it. But what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-robleto/to-understand-something-changing-form-as-a-destructive-act-is-a-very/) [Dario Robleto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-robleto/) > [“True creativity is inherently destructive, and truly creative individuals always, without exception, seek to destroy the mediums they work within.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-haddow/true-creativity-is-inherently-destructive-and-truly-creative/) Douglas Haddow > [“A blanket could be used as an inherently destructive force, if you can just get past the brick stage. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-as-an-inherently-destructive-force-if-you-can/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [the possession of power brings on madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-franklin/the-possession-of-power-brings-on-madness/) [Ariana Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-franklin/) > [Anyone can be seduced by the possession of power and influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cai-guo-qiang/anyone-can-be-seduced-by-the-possession-of-power-and-influence/) [Cai Guo-Qiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cai-guo-qiang/) > [The possession of power inevitably spoils the free use of reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/the-possession-of-power-inevitably-spoils-the-free-use-of-reason/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Nothing, indeed, but the possession of some power can with any certainty discover what at the bottom is the true character of any man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/nothing-indeed-but-the-possession-of-some-power-can-with-any/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [There is a tendency in all parties, when they have been for a long time in possession of power, to augment it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/there-is-a-tendency-in-all-parties-when-they-have-been-for-a-long/) [John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) > [Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-employ-to-gain-power-over-others/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The old images seem like a caricature now: the shadowy world of secret rituals, the aging dons behind high-walled estates, the passion for vengeance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-mcfadden/the-old-images-seem-like-a-caricature-now-the-shadowy-world-of-secret/) Robert D. McFadden > [I hope you are never victims, but I hope you have no power over other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-hope-you-are-never-victims-but-i-hope-you-have-no-power-over-other/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Animal cruelty is one of the most unfortunate and barbaric demonstrations of human beings manipulating ill conceived notions of ‘power’ over other species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/animal-cruelty-is-one-of-the-most-unfortunate-and-barbaric/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) > [Real magic is not about gaining power over others: it is about gaining power over yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-ellen-guiley/real-magic-is-not-about-gaining-power-over-others-it-is-about-gaining/) [Rosemary Ellen Guiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-ellen-guiley/) > [But remember: All this talk of tolerance and diversity is basically just a way for one group of white people to pursue power over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/but-remember-all-this-talk-of-tolerance-and-diversity-is-basically/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [If you worship power, you will feel weak and afraid, needing ever more power over others to keep the fear at bay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/if-you-worship-power-you-will-feel-weak-and-afraid-needing-ever-more/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## More by George Davis Herron > [No man has ever ruled other men for their own good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-davis-herron/no-man-has-ever-ruled-other-men-for-their-own-good/) George Davis Herron Explore all 2 George Davis Herron quotes ## More Destructive quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [What I was concerned about when I wrote the 'Downward Spiral' record was being a self-centred destructive force. 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Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) Browse all 1,057 Destructive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The possession of power over others is inherently destructive both to the possessor of the power and to those over whom it is exercised.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Davis Herron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-davis-herron/the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-inherently-destructive-both-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Destructive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-davis-herron/the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-inherently-destructive-both-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/george-davis-herron-94075_destructive_the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-i_746718.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/george-davis-herron-94075_destructive_the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-i_746718.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/george-davis-herron-94075_destructive_the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-i_746718.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The possession of power over others is inherently destructive both to the possessor of the power and to…” — George Davis Herron", "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": "George Davis Herron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-davis-herron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The possession of power over others...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-davis-herron/the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-inherently-destructive-both-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-davis-herron/the-possession-of-power-over-others-is-inherently-destructive-both-to/#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 } } ] } ```