--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since the discovery of printing…" description: "\"Since the discovery of printing, knowledge has been called to power, and power has been used to make knowledge a slave.\" — Napoleon Bonaparte" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/napoleon-bonaparte-206_discovery_since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledg_3041669.jpg" --- # Since the discovery of printing, knowledge has been called… ![“Since the discovery of printing, knowledge has been called to power, and power has been used to make knowledge a slave.” quote by Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/napoleon-bonaparte-206_discovery_since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledg_3041669.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/napoleon-bonaparte-206_discovery_since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledg_3041669.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/napoleon-bonaparte-206_discovery_since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledg_3041669.jpg) > “Since the discovery of printing, knowledge has been called to power, and power has been used to make knowledge a slave.” [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Printing democratized knowledge, but those in power often manipulate it to control others. **In simple terms:** Knowledge can be weaponized by power Key Takeaway Beware how information is used by authorities Themes power knowledge control Mood critical hopeful Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - political campaigning - media consumption - education policy - activism Key Concepts information theory propaganda social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect knowledge from exploitation? - What safeguards ensure free access to information? A Different Perspective Power can also empower marginalized voices, not just dominate ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Called Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-power-1871941/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Called](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-called-2039295/) [Knowledge Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-slave-5016537/) [Make Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-knowledge-410272/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Printing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/printing/) [Printing Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/printing-knowledge-5016538/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [The period before the dawn of knowledge is called the age of darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wasif-ali-wasif/the-period-before-the-dawn-of-knowledge-is-called-the-age-of-darkness/) [Wasif Ali Wasif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wasif-ali-wasif/) > [A man's ignorance sometimes is not only useful, but beautiful-while his knowledge, so called, is oftentimes worse than useless, besides being ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-man-s-ignorance-sometimes-is-not-only-useful-but-beautiful-while/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“A man’s ignorance sometimes is not only useful, but beautiful, while his knowledge, so called, is oftentimes worse than useless beside being ugly. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-man-s-ignorance-sometimes-is-not-only-useful-but-beautiful-while-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ “That which does not allow one to enter into agnan (worldly knowledge) is called Gnan \[Knowledge of the Real Self, the Soul\]. When agnan… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/that-which-does-not-allow-one-to-enter-into-agnan-worldly-knowledge/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“For the sake of one soul. For one loved one. For one life." I called power into my blasting rod, and its tip glowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/for-the-sake-of-one-soul-for-one-loved-one-for-one-life-i-called-2/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [I'm really obsessed with this show right now called 'Power,' produced by 50 Cent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martine-syms/i-m-really-obsessed-with-this-show-right-now-called-power-produced-by/) [Martine Syms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martine-syms/) > [“Women, it is said, possess corresponding power. Through consciousness-raising, women found that women's so-called power was the other side of female powerlessness. A women's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-a-mackinnon/women-it-is-said-possess-corresponding-power-through-consciousness/) [Catharine A. MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-a-mackinnon/) > [Purpose in the human being is a much more complex phenomenon than what used to be called will power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/purpose-in-the-human-being-is-a-much-more-complex-phenomenon-than/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“I finally understand the reason it’s called power exchange, but with Mount and me, it’s more accurately termed a power struggle. He takes. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-march/i-finally-understand-the-reason-it-s-called-power-exchange-but-with/) [Meghan March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-march/) > [I called my show 'Power' because, for me, the whole series is about the way my main character, Ghost, is power-less over his circumstances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-a-kemp/i-called-my-show-power-because-for-me-the-whole-series-is-about-the/) [Courtney A. Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-a-kemp/) > [Wisdom is not knowledge, but lies in the use we make of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilakanta-sri-ram/wisdom-is-not-knowledge-but-lies-in-the-use-we-make-of-knowledge/) [Nilakanta Sri Ram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilakanta-sri-ram/) > [Why do we make so much of knowledge, struggle so hard to get some little skill not worth the effort?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/why-do-we-make-so-much-of-knowledge-struggle-so-hard-to-get-some/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [A primary task of management in the developed countries in the decades ahead will be to make knowledge productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/a-primary-task-of-management-in-the-developed-countries-in-the/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“Information is agnostic. Meaning isn't. The meaning you make with this knowledge is up to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-lotto/information-is-agnostic-meaning-isn-t-the-meaning-you-make-with-this/) [Beau Lotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-lotto/) > [“Culture is the endeavour to know the best and to make this knowledge prevail for the good of all humankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/culture-is-the-endeavour-to-know-the-best-and-to-make-this-knowledge/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) ## More by Napoleon Bonaparte > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Men grow old quickly on the battlefield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/men-grow-old-quickly-on-the-battlefield/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-a-government-is-dependent-upon-bankers-for-money-they-and-not/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [All becomes easy when we follow the current of opinion; it is the ruler of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/all-becomes-easy-when-we-follow-the-current-of-opinion-it-is-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The bullet that will kill me is not yet cast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-bullet-that-will-kill-me-is-not-yet-cast/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reputation is a great noise, the more there is of it, and the further does it swell. Land, monuments, Nations, all fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reputation-is-a-great-noise-the-more-there-is-of-it-and-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Character is victory organized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/character-is-victory-organized/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Republican despotism is more fertile in acts of tyranny, because everyone has a hand in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/republican-despotism-is-more-fertile-in-acts-of-tyranny-because/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [My decision to destroy the authority of the blacks in Saint Domingue (Haiti) is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/my-decision-to-destroy-the-authority-of-the-blacks-in-saint-domingue/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The army is the true nobility of our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-army-is-the-true-nobility-of-our-country/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [There is only one favorable moment in war; talent consists in knowing how to seize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/there-is-only-one-favorable-moment-in-war-talent-consists-in-knowing/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reserve and severity of manners are necessary for the command of those who are older than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reserve-and-severity-of-manners-are-necessary-for-the-command/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) [Explore all 914 Napoleon Bonaparte quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More Discovery quotes > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Throughout my work, I have assumed that the standard model is correct, and hence, the Higgs boson should be found. Although this is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashoke-sen/throughout-my-work-i-have-assumed-that-the-standard-model-is-correct/) [Ashoke Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashoke-sen/) > [There is usually no dreamer so unworldly as the anthologist. He wanders in a vast garden, lost in wonder, unable to decide often between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-webb/there-is-usually-no-dreamer-so-unworldly-as-the-anthologist-he/) [Mary Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-webb/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The discovery that heartbreak is indeed heartbreaking consoles us about our humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-discovery-that-heartbreak-is-indeed-heartbreaking-consoles-us/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [ “\[W\]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves-to-the-discovery-that-some-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [We cannot predict the new forces, powers, and discoveries that will be disclosed to us when we reach the other planets and set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/we-cannot-predict-the-new-forces-powers-and-discoveries-that-will-be/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [ That has been another interesting discovery: that basically a city \[Lagos\] could recover from a really deep, deep, deep pit. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rem-koolhaas/that-has-been-another-interesting-discovery-that-basically-a-city/) [Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rem-koolhaas/) > [Every fact of science was once Damned. Every invention was considered impossible. Every discovery was a nervous shock to some orthodoxy. Every artistic innovation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/every-fact-of-science-was-once-damned-every-invention-was-considered/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [When we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery. Love is more a decision than an emotion! Christ-like love applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/when-we-look-at-the-love-of-christ-we-make-a-wonderful-discovery-love/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/) > [The European talks of progress because by the aid of a few scientific discoveries he has established a society which has mistaken comfort for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-european-talks-of-progress-because-by-the-aid-of-a-few-scientific/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/education-is-a-progressive-discovery-of-our-own-ignorance/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [The characters in my novels are my own unrealized possibilities. That is why I am equally fond of them all and equally horrified by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-characters-in-my-novels-are-my-own-unrealized-possibilities-that/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Browse all 3,125 Discovery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since the discovery of printing, knowledge has been called to power, and power has been used to make knowledge a slave.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Bonaparte" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledge-has-been-called-to-power/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Discovery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledge-has-been-called-to-power/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/napoleon-bonaparte-206_discovery_since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledg_3041669.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/napoleon-bonaparte-206_discovery_since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledg_3041669.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/napoleon-bonaparte-206_discovery_since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledg_3041669.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since the discovery of printing, knowledge has been called to power, and power has been used to make…” — Napoleon Bonaparte", "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": "Napoleon Bonaparte", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since the discovery of printing, knowledge...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledge-has-been-called-to-power/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/since-the-discovery-of-printing-knowledge-has-been-called-to-power/#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 } } ] } ```