--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ability to destroy is the least form of…" description: "\"“ability to destroy is the least form of power, though it is the first form that any power will take. Even an infant is able to destroy things, weak th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/michael-g-manning-49775_power_ability-to-destroy-is-the-least-form-of_1907795.jpg" --- # ability to destroy is the least form of power, though it… ![“ability to destroy is the least form of power, though it is the first form that any power will take. Even an infant is able to destroy things, weak though it may be. Using your talent to build, to create, or to restore, those are the greater forms of power; and those forms require time and…” quote by Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/michael-g-manning-49775_power_ability-to-destroy-is-the-least-form-of_1907795.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/michael-g-manning-49775_power_ability-to-destroy-is-the-least-form-of_1907795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/michael-g-manning-49775_power_ability-to-destroy-is-the-least-form-of_1907795.jpg) > ““ability to destroy is the least form of power, though it is the first form that any power will take. Even an infant is able to destroy things, weak though it may be. Using your talent to build, to create, or to restore, those are the greater forms of power; and those forms require time and cultivation to mature.”” [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True power lies in creation and restoration, not in destruction, which is the easiest but lowest form of power. **In simple terms:** Building is stronger than destroying. Key Takeaway Cultivate constructive abilities over destructive ones. Themes power ethics creation Mood inspirational ethical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - leadership - artistic work - community building - conflict resolution Key Concepts constructive power moral development growth Questions to Reflect On - What skills can you develop to build rather than destroy? - How does patience affect creative power? A Different Perspective Destruction may be tempting for quick results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Our ability to destroy ourselves is the mirror image of our ability to save ourselves,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-ability-to-destroy-ourselves-is-the-mirror-image-of-our-ability/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [To foster the people's willing spirit is often as important as to possess the more concrete forms of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/to-foster-the-people-s-willing-spirit-is-often-as-important-as-to/) [B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) > [Love is giving someone the ability to destroy you, but trusting them not to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemis-khan/love-is-giving-someone-the-ability-to-destroy-you-but-trusting-them/) [Kemis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemis-khan/) > [“We have to rise up against all forms of power—but not just power in the narrow sense of the word, referring to the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/we-have-to-rise-up-against-all-forms-of-power-but-not-just-power-in/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [“Communiation has power. But as with any form of power, it needs to be harnessed effectively or it can all too often backfire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helio-fred-garcia/communiation-has-power-but-as-with-any-form-of-power-it-needs-to-be/) [Helio Fred Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helio-fred-garcia/) > [Lists are a form of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lists-are-a-form-of-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“culture is not neutral in relation to power but a form of power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/culture-is-not-neutral-in-relation-to-power-but-a-form-of-power/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“And knowledge is the purest form of power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/and-knowledge-is-the-purest-form-of-power/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Fearlessness can be its own form of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/fearlessness-can-be-its-own-form-of-power/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Nothing can prevent your picture from coming into concrete form except the same power which gave it birth – yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-can-prevent-your-picture-from-coming-into-concrete-form-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone holds a certain type of power. For young people, it's their youth, their attractiveness, and their energy. But they're terrified that as those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/everyone-holds-a-certain-type-of-power-for-young-people-it-s-their/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“generosity is its own form of power”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/godofnukesww3/generosity-is-its-own-form-of-power/) Godofnukesww3 > [The greatest form of power is the power to control one's self not the power to control others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-form-of-power-is-the-power-to-control-one-s-self-not-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [(The short story) is a form that has all the power of the novel - some would say more - but none of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-o-connor/the-short-story-is-a-form-that-has-all-the-power-of-the-novel-some/) [Joseph O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-o-connor/) > [Nothing can prevent your picture from coming into concrete form except the same power which gave it birth – yourself. (Genevieve Behrend)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/nothing-can-prevent-your-picture-from-coming-into-concrete-form/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) ## More by Michael G. Manning > [“What name do you use then, for two people who help each other?” “Why are they helping each other?” “Simply to be kind, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/what-name-do-you-use-then-for-two-people-who-help-each-other-why-are/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“I’m starting to think Mordecai bound you to someone’s grandmother instead of the earth, because that’s what you’re starting to sound like!” barked Harold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/i-m-starting-to-think-mordecai-bound-you-to-someone-s-grandmother/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“If other furniture items could see his actions that day, and if that same furniture then had dreams… well they’d have been horrific nightmares…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/if-other-furniture-items-could-see-his-actions-that-day-and-if-that/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“The key word is shouldn’t,” he said grimly. “It isn’t a word I like to hear when it comes to battle. That word has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/the-key-word-is-shouldn-t-he-said-grimly-it-isn-t-a-word-i-like-to/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“Quite a bit of his swearing was pure nautical genius.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/quite-a-bit-of-his-swearing-was-pure-nautical-genius/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“Stupid never dies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/stupid-never-dies/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) [Explore all 7 Michael G. Manning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) ## More Power quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. 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