---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I felt guilty throughout the whole time…"
description: "\"I felt guilty throughout the whole time, but I was seduced. The power of these drugs, sex, power, and money, was extremely strong for me.\" — John Perkins"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/john-perkins-17246_extremely_i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time_1089036.png"
---

#  I felt guilty throughout the whole time, but I was…

![“I felt guilty throughout the whole time, but I was seduced. The power of these drugs, sex, power, and money, was extremely strong for me.” quote by John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/john-perkins-17246_extremely_i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time_1089036.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/john-perkins-17246_extremely_i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time_1089036.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/john-perkins-17246_extremely_i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time_1089036.png)

> “I felt guilty throughout the whole time, but I was seduced. The power of these drugs, sex, power, and money, was extremely strong for me.”

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker confesses being overwhelmed by the allure of drugs, sex, power, and money, feeling guilt yet unable to resist.

**In simple terms:** Guilt and temptation clash with powerful vices.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and resist seductive influences.

Themes

guilt temptation power money addiction

Mood

conflicted reflective

Type

advice personal

When to use this quote

- personal decision making
- career choices
- relationship dynamics
- financial planning

Key Concepts

psychology ethics social influence

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives you toward harmful temptations?
- How can you create stronger boundaries?

A Different Perspective

The allure may persist despite awareness, making change difficult.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [Most people, 95% of people, are good people. It's the 5% who get seduced by power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hickenlooper/most-people-95-of-people-are-good-people-it-s-the-5-who-get-seduced/)

[George Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hickenlooper/)

> [We were seduced, we were abused and we felt very guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-pilatus/we-were-seduced-we-were-abused-and-we-felt-very-guilty/)

[Rob Pilatus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-pilatus/)

> [Most people, 95% of people, are good people. Its the 5% who get seduced by power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hickenlooper/most-people-95-of-people-are-good-people-its-the-5-who-get-seduced-by/)

[George Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hickenlooper/)

> [The key things are about power and about growing up and realizing as you grow up that there are consequences for the choices you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/the-key-things-are-about-power-and-about-growing-up-and-realizing-as/)

[Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/)

> [When the National Security Agency recruited me, they put me through a day of lie detector tests. They found out all my weaknesses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/when-the-national-security-agency-recruited-me-they-put-me-through-a/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [The thing about drugs and sex is that you lose all your inhibitions. I've had sex in trains, planes, wine bars... and quite a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-williams/the-thing-about-drugs-and-sex-is-that-you-lose-all-your-inhibitions-i/)

[Robbie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-williams/)

> [“However, I broke off our relationship during my senior year, after discovering drugs, sex, and rock n’ roll—companions to my best friend, alcohol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcoholics-anonymous/however-i-broke-off-our-relationship-during-my-senior-year-after/)

[Alcoholics Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcoholics-anonymous/)

> [“Little kids, little problems. Wait till you’ve got drugs and sex and social media to worry about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/little-kids-little-problems-wait-till-you-ve-got-drugs-and-sex-and/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [Drugs, sex, booze, all the stuff that we wanted to do. The problem was that we didn't want to learn the top 40 'cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-kramer/drugs-sex-booze-all-the-stuff-that-we-wanted-to-do-the-problem-was/)

[Wayne Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-kramer/)

> [Old people go to the polls because they can't get erections, young people stay home, do drugs and have sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/old-people-go-to-the-polls-because-they-can-t-get-erections-young/)

[Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/)

> [Drugs and sex go hand in hand when you're a rock and roll musician. Whereas if I were a violinist, it might be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slash/drugs-and-sex-go-hand-in-hand-when-you-re-a-rock-and-roll-musician/)

[Slash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slash/)

> [ In this \[show\] business you do something rock 'n' roll and then that's it, finished, heads roll. It's best not to take drugs, go… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konnie-huq/in-this-show-business-you-do-something-rock-n-roll-and-then-that-s-it/)

[Konnie Huq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konnie-huq/)

> [“Dealing with the Hippie is generally straightforward. His childlike nature will usually respond positively to drugs, sex, and/or rock and roll, although in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/dealing-with-the-hippie-is-generally-straightforward-his-childlike/)

[Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/)

> [The way Lou Reed wrote and sang about drugs and sex, about the people around him — it was so matter-of-fact,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/the-way-lou-reed-wrote-and-sang-about-drugs-and-sex-about-the-people/)

[Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/)

> [Chasing the sensation. Whether it was drugs or sex or whatever. Those things had become my main focus in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-allen/chasing-the-sensation-whether-it-was-drugs-or-sex-or-whatever-those/)

[Rick Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-allen/)

## More by John Perkins

> [I was initially recruited while I was in business school back in the late sixties by the National Security Agency, the nation's largest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-was-initially-recruited-while-i-was-in-business-school-back-in-the/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [I've never met anyone who wanted to be a terrorist. They are desperate people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-ve-never-met-anyone-who-wanted-to-be-a-terrorist-they-are-desperate/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [But when 9/11 struck, I had a change of heart. I knew the story had to be told because what happened at 9/11 is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/but-when-9-11-struck-i-had-a-change-of-heart-i-knew-the-story-had-to/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [Basically, what Economic Hit Men are trained to do is to build up the American empire. To create situations where as many resources as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/basically-what-economic-hit-men-are-trained-to-do-is-to-build-up-the/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [The Treasury Department would use the interest from these securities to hire U.S. companies to build Saudi Arabia - new cities, new infrastructure -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/the-treasury-department-would-use-the-interest-from-these-securities/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [When the National Security Agency recruited me, they put me through a day of lie detector tests. They found out all my weaknesses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/when-the-national-security-agency-recruited-me-they-put-me-through-a/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [“How, I asked myself, do you convince men and women who live comfortably to change a system that provides their comforts--even when they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/how-i-asked-myself-do-you-convince-men-and-women-who-live-comfortably/)

[john perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [“The first question we must address deals with optimism, the possibility of achieving our goal. Are we in a position where we can actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/the-first-question-we-must-address-deals-with-optimism-the/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [And in Iraq we tried to implement the same policy that was so successful in Saudi Arabia, but Saddam Hussein didn't buy. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/and-in-iraq-we-tried-to-implement-the-same-policy-that-was-so/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [None of the quick fixes to the world's problems are going to work, unless we change the dream of greed and scarcity that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/none-of-the-quick-fixes-to-the-world-s-problems-are-going-to-work/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [“Stop being so greedy," she said, "and so selfish. Realize that there is more to the world than your big houses and fancy stores.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/stop-being-so-greedy-she-said-and-so-selfish-realize-that-there-is/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [Had Roosevelt been caught, we would have been in a lot of trouble. It would have been very embarrassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/had-roosevelt-been-caught-we-would-have-been-in-a-lot-of-trouble-it/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [“The income ratio of the one-fifth of the world's population in the wealthiest countries to the one-fifth in the poorest went from 30 to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/the-income-ratio-of-the-one-fifth-of-the-world-s-population-in-the/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [These were big ones. Those companies would then go in and build an electrical system or ports or highways, and these would basically serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/these-were-big-ones-those-companies-would-then-go-in-and-build-an/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [“This book was written so that we may take heed and remold our story. I am certain that when enough of us become aware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/this-book-was-written-so-that-we-may-take-heed-and-remold-our-story-i/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

[Explore all 30 John Perkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

## More Extremely quotes

> [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/)

[Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/)

> [I have a tremendous amount of respect for military families. To have to worry about your loved ones and still try and live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-have-a-tremendous-amount-of-respect-for-military-families-to-have/)

[Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/)

> [I like to play people that are real, a real person, and then something that's interesting with that person. I think it's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-bostick/i-like-to-play-people-that-are-real-a-real-person-and-then-something/)

[Devon Bostick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-bostick/)

> [Being a geek is extremely liberating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/being-a-geek-is-extremely-liberating/)

[Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/)

> [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/)

[Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/)

> [But even before I was in the military, I was extremely jumpy when asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/but-even-before-i-was-in-the-military-i-was-extremely-jumpy-when/)

[Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/)

> [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [I think the act of condensing months or years of work down to a couple hours of entertainment is pretty wild and extremely rewarding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-king/i-think-the-act-of-condensing-months-or-years-of-work-down-to-a/)

[Richard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-king/)

> [Most of my writer friends are women, and they're all extremely talented, so of course I think the state of contemporary fiction for women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/most-of-my-writer-friends-are-women-and-they-re-all-extremely/)

[Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/)

> [I think brutal honesty is extremely important. Don't be afraid of being up-front about your feelings and your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minka-kelly/i-think-brutal-honesty-is-extremely-important-don-t-be-afraid-of/)

[Minka Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minka-kelly/)

> [The rich are different. Their wants are very high maintenance. They'll pick eye color and hair color, all the way down to what she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-stanger/the-rich-are-different-their-wants-are-very-high-maintenance-they-ll/)

[Patti Stanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-stanger/)

> [If you're not keen on crowds, it might be best to give Edinburgh a miss during festival time when it can get extremely busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-fletcher/if-you-re-not-keen-on-crowds-it-might-be-best-to-give-edinburgh-a/)

[Dexter Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-fletcher/)

> [Candidates should be extremely cautious in displaying a sense of humor. If he or she tells a joke with a point, there is almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-germond/candidates-should-be-extremely-cautious-in-displaying-a-sense-of/)

[Jack Germond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-germond/)

> [My 94-year-old grandmother has always been so inspiring to me. She is kind, smart, brave, and independent. After graduating number one in her medical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-chow/my-94-year-old-grandmother-has-always-been-so-inspiring-to-me-she-is/)

[Kelsey Chow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-chow/)

> [Developing a good, healthy culture is extremely important at a startup. Culture reflects the essence of a startup's operation because it directly affects the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/developing-a-good-healthy-culture-is-extremely-important-at-a-startup/)

[Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/)

Browse all 609 Extremely quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I felt guilty throughout the whole time, but I was seduced. The power of these drugs, sex, power, and money, was extremely strong for me.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Perkins"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time-but-i-was-seduced-the-power/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Extremely"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time-but-i-was-seduced-the-power/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/john-perkins-17246_extremely_i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time_1089036.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/john-perkins-17246_extremely_i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time_1089036.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/john-perkins-17246_extremely_i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time_1089036.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I felt guilty throughout the whole time, but I was seduced. The power of these drugs, sex, power, and money…” — John Perkins",
                "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": "John Perkins",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I felt guilty throughout the whole...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time-but-i-was-seduced-the-power/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-felt-guilty-throughout-the-whole-time-but-i-was-seduced-the-power/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
