--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Setting up a community and seeing what…" description: "\"Setting up a community and seeing what happens to it when the megalomaniacs get busy: that's my main preoccupation.\" — Louis de Bernieres" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/louis-de-bernieres-5492_busy_setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-h_2602948.png" --- # Setting up a community and seeing what happens to it when… ![“Setting up a community and seeing what happens to it when the megalomaniacs get busy: that's my main preoccupation.” quote by Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/louis-de-bernieres-5492_busy_setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-h_2602948.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/louis-de-bernieres-5492_busy_setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-h_2602948.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/louis-de-bernieres-5492_busy_setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-h_2602948.png) > “Setting up a community and seeing what happens to it when the megalomaniacs get busy: that's my main preoccupation.” [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When power‑hungry individuals dominate, community outcomes become unpredictable and often chaotic. **In simple terms:** Powerful people disrupt community stability. Key Takeaway Monitor and balance power in groups. Themes community power politics Mood cautious critical Type advice analytical When to use this quote - online forums - local NGOs - workplace teams Key Concepts megalomania group dynamics leadership challenges Questions to Reflect On - How do you prevent domination? - What safeguards protect community health? A Different Perspective Some communities self‑regulate despite strong personalities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) ## Related quotes > [I'm simply saying that our deepest thoughts, desires and preoccupations manifest themselves in art, whether we intend them to or not. That's what art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/i-m-simply-saying-that-our-deepest-thoughts-desires-and/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [Citizens of liberal welfare states become increasingly narcissistic. The great preoccupations of vast numbers of Brits, Frenchmen, Germans and other Western Europeans are how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/citizens-of-liberal-welfare-states-become-increasingly-narcissistic/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [When we let go of yearning for the future, preoccupation with the past, and strategies to protect the present, there is nowhere left to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-yearning-for-the-future-preoccupation-with-the-past/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [I have a very simple mantra and it's this: I want to make black cinema with the power, beauty, and alienation of black music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jafa/i-have-a-very-simple-mantra-and-it-s-this-i-want-to-make-black-cinema/) [Arthur Jafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jafa/) > [To wait for hours to buy a train ticket or to see a doctor is accepted as a normal way of doing things. Privacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-travis/to-wait-for-hours-to-buy-a-train-ticket-or-to-see-a-doctor-is/) [Nancy Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-travis/) > [A priest is a man vowed, trained, and consecrated, a man belonging to a special corps, and necessarily with an intense esprit de corps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/a-priest-is-a-man-vowed-trained-and-consecrated-a-man-belonging-to-a/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [Buddhism resonated very powerfully with a lot of my preoccupations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/buddhism-resonated-very-powerfully-with-a-lot-of-my-preoccupations/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [This constant, unproductive preoccupation with all the things we have to do is the single largest consumer of time and energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-gleeson/this-constant-unproductive-preoccupation-with-all-the-things-we-have/) Kerry Gleeson > [There's a preoccupation with memory and the operation of memory and a rather rapacious interest in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/there-s-a-preoccupation-with-memory-and-the-operation-of-memory-and-a/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [My major preoccupation is the question, 'What is reality?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/my-major-preoccupation-is-the-question-what-is-reality/) [Philip K. 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The innkeeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/one-response-was-given-by-the-innkeeper-when-mary-and-joseph-wanted/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Politics deserves much praise. Politics is a preoccupation of free men, and its existence is a test of freedom. The praise of free men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-crick/politics-deserves-much-praise-politics-is-a-preoccupation-of-free-men/) [Bernard Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-crick/) ## More by Louis de Bernieres > [Family law is institutionally anti-male. I've been lobbying MPs, and I'm not going to give up campaigning for equality until I get equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/family-law-is-institutionally-anti-male-i-ve-been-lobbying-mps-and-i/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“The dead can read tears.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/the-dead-can-read-tears/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [...but then the general trouble with ignorance is always that the ignorant person has no idea that that's what they are. You can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/but-then-the-general-trouble-with-ignorance-is-always-that-the/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Love delayed is lust augmented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/love-delayed-is-lust-augmented/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [No man is a man until he has been a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/no-man-is-a-man-until-he-has-been-a-soldier/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Did you know that childhood is the only time in our lives when insanity is not only permitted to us, but expected?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/did-you-know-that-childhood-is-the-only-time-in-our-lives-when/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [God is an oppressor, He is incapable of human sympathy; behind a smiling face He hides an evil heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/god-is-an-oppressor-he-is-incapable-of-human-sympathy-behind-a/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Your lips are like sugar And your cheeks an apple Your breasts are paradise And your body a lily. O, to kiss the sugar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/your-lips-are-like-sugar-and-your-cheeks-an-apple-your-breasts-are/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/when-you-fall-in-love-it-is-a-temporary-madness-it-erupts-like-an/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [The De Bernieres were very military. I broke the military tradition but I was terribly proud of my father being a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/the-de-bernieres-were-very-military-i-broke-the-military-tradition/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [We should care for each other more than we care for ideas, or else we will end up killing each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/we-should-care-for-each-other-more-than-we-care-for-ideas-or-else-we/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“Pelagia put her hands on her hips, taking advantage of the superiority implicit in the fact that she was standing and he lying down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/pelagia-put-her-hands-on-her-hips-taking-advantage-of-the-superiority/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“There comes a point in life where each one of us who survives begins to feel like a ghost that has forgotten to die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/there-comes-a-point-in-life-where-each-one-of-us-who-survives-begins/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“Men are sometimes driven by things that to a women make no sense, but she did know that Corelli had to be with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/men-are-sometimes-driven-by-things-that-to-a-women-make-no-sense-but/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“All their lovers' talk began with the phrase "After the war". After the war, when we're married, shall we live in Italy? There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/all-their-lovers-talk-began-with-the-phrase-after-the-war-after-the/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) [Explore all 99 Louis de Bernieres quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) Victoria Derbyshire > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) The Shawshank Redemption Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Setting up a community and seeing what happens to it when the megalomaniacs get busy: that's my main preoccupation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louis de Bernieres" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-happens-to-it-when-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Busy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-happens-to-it-when-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/louis-de-bernieres-5492_busy_setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-h_2602948.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/louis-de-bernieres-5492_busy_setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-h_2602948.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/louis-de-bernieres-5492_busy_setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-h_2602948.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Setting up a community and seeing what happens to it when the megalomaniacs get busy: that's my main…” — Louis de Bernieres", "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": "Louis de Bernieres", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Setting up a community and seeing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-happens-to-it-when-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/setting-up-a-community-and-seeing-what-happens-to-it-when-the/#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 } } ] } ```