--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The endeavor to change universal power by…" description: "\"The endeavor to change universal power by selfish supplication I do not believe in.\" — Thomas A. Edison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/thomas-a-edison-866_believe_the-endeavor-to-change-universal-power-b_590759.jpg" --- # The endeavor to change universal power by selfish… ![“The endeavor to change universal power by selfish supplication I do not believe in.” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/thomas-a-edison-866_believe_the-endeavor-to-change-universal-power-b_590759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/thomas-a-edison-866_believe_the-endeavor-to-change-universal-power-b_590759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/thomas-a-edison-866_believe_the-endeavor-to-change-universal-power-b_590759.jpg) > “The endeavor to change universal power by selfish supplication I do not believe in.” [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejects the idea of changing universal power through selfish motives, advocating for altruistic or collective approaches to power. **In simple terms:** Rejects selfish control of universal power. Key Takeaway Promote collective benefit over self‑interest. Themes ethics power altruism society leadership Mood serious thoughtful Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy making - community leadership - energy distribution Key Concepts political theory social responsibility philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance individual rights with collective power? - What mechanisms ensure power is used responsibly? A Different Perspective Implementing altruism can be politically challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Supplication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supplication/) ## Related quotes > [“Change is the only universal law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-mostafa/change-is-the-only-universal-law/) [Ahmed Mostafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-mostafa/) > [“Change is the universal truth If you don't change Changes will definitely Change you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rehaman-m/change-is-the-universal-truth-if-you-don-t-change-changes-will/) [Rehaman M](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rehaman-m/) > [We recognize the universal power of music to touch the hearts of men and women everywhere and in all generations-to inspire and encourage, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/we-recognize-the-universal-power-of-music-to-touch-the-hearts-of-men/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [It would reduce the whole instrument to a single phrase, that of instituting a Congress with power to do whatever would be for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-would-reduce-the-whole-instrument-to-a-single-phrase-that-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I believe that it is important to have faith in a cosmic, universal power and identify the reasons for one's existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/i-believe-that-it-is-important-to-have-faith-in-a-cosmic-universal/) [Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/) > [In all countries, and in all ages, from the Druids down to brother Beecher, priests have aimed at universal power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-royall/in-all-countries-and-in-all-ages-from-the-druids-down-to-brother/) [Anne Royall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-royall/) > [When one trusts this inner universal power, it automatically draws forth the trust of the people one deals with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell/when-one-trusts-this-inner-universal-power-it-automatically-draws/) [Walter Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell/) > [The Infinite Universal Power is more than just a narrow-minded gatekeeper to a spiritual County Club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-hoff/the-infinite-universal-power-is-more-than-just-a-narrow-minded/) [Benjamin Hoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-hoff/) > [“at the root of all religions is a respect for a universal power greater than ourselves and a dictate to love one another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-byrd/at-the-root-of-all-religions-is-a-respect-for-a-universal-power/) Cathy Byrd > [The easiest way to get touch with this universal power is through silent Prayer. Shut your eyes, shut your mouth, and open your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/the-easiest-way-to-get-touch-with-this-universal-power-is-through/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [The idea that a good God would send people to a burning hell is utterly damnable to me. I don't want to have anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-burbank/the-idea-that-a-good-god-would-send-people-to-a-burning-hell-is-2/) [Luther Burbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-burbank/) > [What are the sciences but maps of universal laws, and universal laws but the channels of universal power; and universal power but the outgoings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomson/what-are-the-sciences-but-maps-of-universal-laws-and-universal-laws/) [Edward Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomson/) > [“This All is universal power, of infinite extent and infinite in potency, a god so great that all his parts are infinite. Name any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plotinus/this-all-is-universal-power-of-infinite-extent-and-infinite-in/) [Plotinus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plotinus/) > [The sun, the moon, the stars, the birds, the animals, the flowers, are all proof that a universal power exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/the-sun-the-moon-the-stars-the-birds-the-animals-the-flowers-are-all/) RVM > [I think there's mind in nature. There's a power in nature, and there's a universal power that you'd better not ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-think-there-s-mind-in-nature-there-s-a-power-in-nature-and-there-s/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) ## More by Thomas A. Edison > [We are striking it big in the electric light, better than my vivid imagination first conceived. Where this thing is going to stop Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/we-are-striking-it-big-in-the-electric-light-better-than-my-vivid/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-will-not-say-i-failed-1000-times-i-will-say-that-i-discovered-there/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Friendship is the heaven of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/friendship-is-the-heaven-of-life/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Even though I am nearly deaf, I seem to be gifted with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/even-though-i-am-nearly-deaf-i-seem-to-be-gifted-with-a-kind-of-inner/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Being busy does not always mean real work. 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Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I remember that I was never able to get along at school. I was at the foot of the class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-remember-that-i-was-never-able-to-get-along-at-school-i-was-at-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Invention is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/invention-is-10-inspiration-and-90-perspiration/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [There seems to be no limit to which some men will go to avoid the labor of thinking. Thinking is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/there-seems-to-be-no-limit-to-which-some-men-will-go-to-avoid-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Somewhere between the ages of eleven and fifteen, the average child begins to suffer from an atrophy, the paralysis of curiosity and the suspension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/somewhere-between-the-ages-of-eleven-and-fifteen-the-average-child/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Not only will atomic power be released, but someday we will harness the rise and fall of the tides and imprison the rays of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/not-only-will-atomic-power-be-released-but-someday-we-will-harness/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) [Explore all 345 Thomas A. Edison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. 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And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. 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