Absolute power Quote by Michael Jackson
“Pierre Bordieu was right: "The all powerful is he who does not wait but makes others wait. Absolute power is the power to make oneself unpredictable and deny other people any reasonable anticipation, to place them in total uncertainty by offering no scope for their capacity to predict."”
About This Quote
Source Book: Power Dynamics, 2010
True power lies in making others wait and remain uncertain, denying them predictability.
In simple terms: Power is about controlling others' expectations.
Key Takeaway
Use unpredictability wisely, not destructively.
Themes
power
control
uncertainty
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- leadership
- negotiations
- competitive markets
Key Concepts
strategic dominance
psychological manipulation
Questions to Reflect On
- When is unpredictability effective?
- What are the ethical limits of such power?
A Different Perspective
Unpredictability can erode trust and cooperation.
![“As Israel made the wants of his national existence the law of the world, as under the dominance of these wants he deified even his political vindictiveness; so the Christian made the requirements of human feeling the absolute powers and laws of the world. [T]hat is, indeed, only of man considered…” quote by Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dd1/ludwig-feuerbach-3406_abrahamism_as-israel-made-the-wants-of-his-national_31284.jpg)