--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well it's not possible to win this kind…" description: "\"“Well it's not possible to win this kind of thing. This is a continuous striving that people have done for a long time. Of course, there is many indivi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/julian-assange-1566_collaborators_well-it-s-not-possible-to-win-this-kind_43602.jpg" --- # Well it's not possible to win this kind of thing. This is… ![“Well it's not possible to win this kind of thing. This is a continuous striving that people have done for a long time. Of course, there is many individual battles that we win, but it is the nature of human beings that human beings lie and cheat and deceive and organized groups of people who do not…” quote by Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/julian-assange-1566_collaborators_well-it-s-not-possible-to-win-this-kind_43602.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/julian-assange-1566_collaborators_well-it-s-not-possible-to-win-this-kind_43602.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/julian-assange-1566_collaborators_well-it-s-not-possible-to-win-this-kind_43602.jpg) > ““Well it's not possible to win this kind of thing. This is a continuous striving that people have done for a long time. Of course, there is many individual battles that we win, but it is the nature of human beings that human beings lie and cheat and deceive and organized groups of people who do not lie and cheat and deceive find each other and get together... and because they have that temperament, are more efficient. Because they are not lying and cheating and deceiving each other. And that is an old, a very old struggle between opportunists and collaborators. And so I don't see that going away. I think we can make some significant advances and it is perhaps, it is the making of these advances and being involved in that struggle that is good for people. So the process is in part the end game. It's not just to get somewhere in the end, rather this process of people feeling that it is worthwhile to be involved in that sort of struggle, is in fact worthwhile for people.”” [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human progress emerges from a perpetual tension between selfish opportunism and collective collaboration, where the struggle itself provides meaning. **In simple terms:** Struggle between self‑interest and cooperation drives advancement. Key Takeaway The process of confronting ethical conflict is valuable. Themes Ethics Human nature Collaboration Conflict Progress Motivation Mood Reflective Cautious Type Philosophical Political When to use this quote - Political reform movements - Open‑source development - Activist campaigns - Corporate governance debates - Academic research collaborations Key Concepts Opportunity vs. integrity Collective action Moral struggle Practical Applications - Designing incentive structures that reward honesty - Facilitating transparent teamwork platforms Questions to Reflect On - How does the tension between self‑interest and collaboration shape societal outcomes? - Can the value of struggle be measured beyond moral satisfaction? A Different Perspective Some argue that competition, not cooperation, is the primary engine of innovation, suggesting the struggle may hinder efficiency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collaborators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaborators/) [End game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-game/) [Lying and cheating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying-and-cheating/) [Wikileaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wikileaks/) ## Related quotes > [As a woman, absolutely, I have had to deal with people making advances at me, but not just people from the business of film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huma-qureshi/as-a-woman-absolutely-i-have-had-to-deal-with-people-making-advances/) [Huma Qureshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huma-qureshi/) > [The blues is not the creation of a crushed-spirited people. It is the product of a forward-looking, upward-striving people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-murray/the-blues-is-not-the-creation-of-a-crushed-spirited-people-it-is-the/) [Albert Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-murray/) > [Ultimately, what we're striving for is people being allowed to do what they want and not feeling they should or shouldn't do certain things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-mayberry/ultimately-what-we-re-striving-for-is-people-being-allowed-to-do-what/) [Lauren Mayberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-mayberry/) > [In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who were involved in the struggle knew why they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/in-that-sense-i-became-politicized-because-the-people-in-the-coal/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one. There is involved in this struggle the question whether your children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/there-is-more-involved-in-this-contest-than-is-realized-by-every-one/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I admire young people who are concerned with the affairs of their community and nation perhaps because I also became involved in struggle whist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-admire-young-people-who-are-concerned-with-the-affairs-of-their/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Say something worthwhile and people will listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/say-something-worthwhile-and-people-will-listen/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Truth to tell, the longer I live, the more I'm tempted to think that the only moderately worthwhile people in the world are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-to-tell-the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-m-tempted-to-think-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life's just one great journey. It's a road we travel as we go from point A to point B. What makes that journey worthwhile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/life-s-just-one-great-journey-it-s-a-road-we-travel-as-we-go-from/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [A lot of people in the Isle of Man support me and it makes it all worthwhile when people are interested in what you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cavendish/a-lot-of-people-in-the-isle-of-man-support-me-and-it-makes-it-all/) [Mark Cavendish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cavendish/) > [“It is a wonderful quirk of our species that the incentives of social life don’t reward strictly ruthless behavior. Leaders who are too domineering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-simler/it-is-a-wonderful-quirk-of-our-species-that-the-incentives-of-social/) [Kevin Simler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-simler/) > [Although you keep lying and cheating and prove yourself, remember truth gains power against falsehood.., maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nushra/although-you-keep-lying-and-cheating-and-prove-yourself-remember/) [Nushra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nushra/) > [You can easily tell if a person is lying and cheating on you if they say, I love you. I would never lie to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/you-can-easily-tell-if-a-person-is-lying-and-cheating-on-you-if-they/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [“Many of us don't even know what it means to have a Christian perspective on our work. Oh, we know that being a Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/many-of-us-don-t-even-know-what-it-means-to-have-a-christian/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [I love men, even though they're lying, cheating scumbags.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-love-men-even-though-they-re-lying-cheating-scumbags/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) ## More by Julian Assange > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the-thirty-three-thousand/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [We always expect tremendous criticism. It is my role to be the lightning rod ... to attract the attacks against the organization for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-always-expect-tremendous-criticism-it-is-my-role-to-be-the/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [It is impossible to correct abuses unless we know that theyre going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/it-is-impossible-to-correct-abuses-unless-we-know-that-theyre-going-on/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [WikiLeaks is a source protection organization. We are famous for never having exposed one of our sources over 10 years. That's why sources trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/wikileaks-is-a-source-protection-organization-we-are-famous-for-never/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Everyone should understand that when they add their friends to Facebook, they are doing free work for United States intelligence agencies in building this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/everyone-should-understand-that-when-they-add-their-friends-to/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [And if Bradley Manning really did as he is accused, he is a hero, an example to us all and one of the world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/and-if-bradley-manning-really-did-as-he-is-accused-he-is-a-hero-an/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [All over the world, the barriers between what is inside an organisation and outside an organisation are being smoothed out. In the military, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/all-over-the-world-the-barriers-between-what-is-inside-an/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Non-conformity is the only real passion worth being ruled by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/non-conformity-is-the-only-real-passion-worth-being-ruled-by/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Society develops a type of self-censorship, with the knowledge that surveillance exists - a self-censorship that is even expressed when people communicate with each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/society-develops-a-type-of-self-censorship-with-the-knowledge-that/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [During the period of house arrest, I had an electronic manacle around my leg for 24 hours a day, and for someone who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/during-the-period-of-house-arrest-i-had-an-electronic-manacle-around/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [There's an early 2014 email from Hillary Clinton, not so long after she left the State Department, to her campaign manager John Podesta that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/there-s-an-early-2014-email-from-hillary-clinton-not-so-long-after/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [ The U.N. \[the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention\] has looked into this whole situation. They spent eighteen months in formal, adversarial litigation.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/the-u-n-the-united-nations-working-group-on-arbitrary-detention-has/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [I always believed that WikiLeaks as a concept would perform a global role, and to some degree it was clear that it was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/i-always-believed-that-wikileaks-as-a-concept-would-perform-a-global/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [It's interesting that Swiss banks also hide their assets from the Swiss by using offshore bank structuring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/it-s-interesting-that-swiss-banks-also-hide-their-assets-from-the/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) [Explore all 227 Julian Assange quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) ## More Collaborators quotes > [Even if a civil society were to be dissolved by the consent of all its members (e.g., if a people inhabiting an island decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/even-if-a-civil-society-were-to-be-dissolved-by-the-consent-of-all/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [It was astonishing when at one point, I got the idea of how to make artifical clouds with a collaborator, we had pictures made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benoit-mandelbrot/it-was-astonishing-when-at-one-point-i-got-the-idea-of-how-to-make/) [Benoit Mandelbrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benoit-mandelbrot/) > [With every script, I write a note to my collaborator that says: 'I write full script. But see it as a guide. You take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-michael-bendis/with-every-script-i-write-a-note-to-my-collaborator-that-says-i-write/) [Brian Michael Bendis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-michael-bendis/) > [Even though I design my own jewelry, one of the great things about my job is being able to bring in really talented collaborators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monika-chiang/even-though-i-design-my-own-jewelry-one-of-the-great-things-about-my/) [Monika Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monika-chiang/) > [With the exceptional talent that is Guy Sigsworth as producer and collaborator, we have recorded a collection of original songs that sees me moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/with-the-exceptional-talent-that-is-guy-sigsworth-as-producer-and/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Spending a lot of time in London not only gave me inspiration, but also the opportunity to meet in person some great collaborators, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santhosh-narayanan/spending-a-lot-of-time-in-london-not-only-gave-me-inspiration-but/) [Santhosh Narayanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santhosh-narayanan/) > [Why hire these geniuses if they're forced to stick with the script? You want to empower your actors as collaborators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-levy/why-hire-these-geniuses-if-they-re-forced-to-stick-with-the-script/) [Shawn Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-levy/) > [I think that in the minds of many, the press is being seen less and less as a neutral observer in the impeachment enterprise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/i-think-that-in-the-minds-of-many-the-press-is-being-seen-less-and/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [You have to know that your collaborators want you to make the movie that you want. Don't back down because you think it's nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-decker/you-have-to-know-that-your-collaborators-want-you-to-make-the-movie/) [Josephine Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-decker/) > [I've been very fortunate in my collaborators throughout my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-neuwirth/i-ve-been-very-fortunate-in-my-collaborators-throughout-my-career/) [Bebe Neuwirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-neuwirth/) > [I did not set out to explain the extinction of the dinosaurs. I'm a particle physicist, and I was actually thinking about dark matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/i-did-not-set-out-to-explain-the-extinction-of-the-dinosaurs-i-m-a/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [I think the power of the short film is incredibly underrated. It is way easier to get someone to watch a 15-minute film then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-ozeki/i-think-the-power-of-the-short-film-is-incredibly-underrated-it-is/) [Nicholas Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-ozeki/) > [Particularly, the actors, to have analyzed the script in great detail from the point of view of their specific character. So that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/particularly-the-actors-to-have-analyzed-the-script-in-great-detail/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [I have an incredible team of collaborators that work with me on all my films. I adore them and respect them tremendously. I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dori-berinstein/i-have-an-incredible-team-of-collaborators-that-work-with-me-on-all/) [Dori Berinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dori-berinstein/) > [Collaboration is just, really, a group of people getting in a room with their eye on a very similar prize and wanting to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/collaboration-is-just-really-a-group-of-people-getting-in-a-room-with/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) [Browse all 152 Collaborators quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaborators/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Well it's not possible to win this kind of thing. This is a continuous striving that people have done for a long time. 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