Fellow man Quote by Lionel Trilling
““In the most secret heart of every intellectual ... there lies hidden ... the hope of power, the desire to bring his ideas to reality by imposing them on his fellow man.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Intellectual and the Power” by Lionel Trilling, 1961
Intellectuals harbor a hidden desire to impose their ideas on others, driven by a hope for power.
In simple terms: Intellectuals want power through ideas.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and check the urge to dominate with ideas.
Themes
power
intellect
ethics
politics
ambition
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- academic discourse
- political leadership
- social movements
- education reform
Key Concepts
authority
ideology
hubris
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal ambition affect scholarly responsibility?
- Can ideas be shared without imposing them?
A Different Perspective
Desire for power can corrupt objectivity and lead to oppression.
![“That is [Edward Said] proposal as to how the term should be used. It surely does not describe those who are called "intellectuals" in standard usage, as he would be the first to agree.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e21/noam-chomsky-42_agree_that-is-edward-said-proposal-as-to-how-t_222039.jpg)
![“Intellectuals (in the standard sense of the term, not [ Edward] Said's prescriptive sense) are the people who write history.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/736/noam-chomsky-42_history_intellectuals-in-the-standard-sense-of-t_76135.jpg)
