--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And the truth is that as a man's real…" description: "\"“And the truth is that as a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows narrower: until at last he chooses nothin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/ursula-k-le-guin-2-80829_duty_and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-po_2815087.png" --- # And the truth is that as a man's real power grows and his… ![“And the truth is that as a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows narrower: until at last he chooses nothing, but does only and wholly what he must do…” quote by Ursula K Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/ursula-k-le-guin-2-80829_duty_and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-po_2815087.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/ursula-k-le-guin-2-80829_duty_and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-po_2815087.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/ursula-k-le-guin-2-80829_duty_and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-po_2815087.png) > ““And the truth is that as a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows narrower: until at last he chooses nothing, but does only and wholly what he must do…”” Ursula K Le Guin ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She notes that as power and knowledge grow, choices narrow, leading to inevitable action. **In simple terms:** More power and knowledge narrow choices, forcing action. Key Takeaway Accept responsibility of growth. Themes philosophy power knowledge choice inevitability Mood reflective serious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - political theory - personal development Key Concepts Leadership ethical dilemmas growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you retain freedom? - What choices persist despite knowledge? A Different Perspective May be deterministic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Real power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-power/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [As a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows narrower: until at last he chooses nothing,but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/as-a-man-s-real-power-grows-and-his-knowledge-widens-ever-the-way-he/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“You thought, as a boy, that a mage is one who can do anything. So I thought, once. So did we all. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/you-thought-as-a-boy-that-a-mage-is-one-who-can-do-anything-so-i/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“As a man's knowledge grows, and his power increases, the road he takes grows ever narrower, until at last he does only and wholly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/as-a-man-s-knowledge-grows-and-his-power-increases-the-road-he-takes/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“He cites Ibn as-Sîd al-Batalyawsî (d. 521/1127) to the effect that the higher the station is which a person reaches in the world, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/he-cites-ibn-as-s-d-al-batalyaws-d-521-1127-to-the-effect-that-the/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [Power grows out of Organized Knowledge, but mind you, it grows out of it, through Application and Use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/power-grows-out-of-organized-knowledge-but-mind-you-it-grows-out-of/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Like our muscles, our thinking power grows when we struggle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/like-our-muscles-our-thinking-power-grows-when-we-struggle/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Perseverance is a silent power that grows irresistibly greater with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/perseverance-is-a-silent-power-that-grows-irresistibly-greater-with/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Truth and reality in art do not arise until you no longer understand what you are doing and are capable of but nevertheless sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/truth-and-reality-in-art-do-not-arise-until-you-no-longer-understand/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/political-power-grows-out-of-the-barrel-of-a-gun/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [When threats become unspeakable, unshareable and even unreadable, their power over us only grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lucas/when-threats-become-unspeakable-unshareable-and-even-unreadable-their/) [Caroline Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lucas/) > [Computer power grows according to Moore's law, as does the sophistication of handheld devices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/computer-power-grows-according-to-moore-s-law-as-does-the/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“Political power grows out of the barrel of the gun...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-tse-tung/political-power-grows-out-of-the-barrel-of-the-gun/) [Mao Tse-tung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-tse-tung/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Even a moderniser like Alexander II - who emancipated the serfs in 1861 - had no intention of devolving real power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/even-a-moderniser-like-alexander-ii-who-emancipated-the-serfs-in-1861/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [Progressive Conservative candidates from Quebec want to exert real power in Ottawa, not simply be content with playing a secondary role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/progressive-conservative-candidates-from-quebec-want-to-exert-real/) [Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/) ## More by Ursula K Le Guin > [Love doesnt just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin-2/love-doesnt-just-sit-there-like-a-stone-it-has-to-be-made-like-bread/) Ursula K Le Guin > [The children of the revolutionare always ungrateful, and the revolution must be grateful that it is so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin-2/the-children-of-the-revolutionare-always-ungrateful-and-the/) Ursula K Le Guin Explore all 3 Ursula K Le Guin quotes ## More Duty quotes > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. I fought as hard as I could on the Remain side, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/few-political-debates-have-been-as-divisive-as-the-european-one-i/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [“Is that what they teach you at the convent? That the gods demand the hearts from our bodies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/is-that-what-they-teach-you-at-the-convent-that-the-gods-demand-the/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“You have a right to be sad, and a duty to move on. Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/) [Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/) > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Regardless of how you feel about war and peace those serving military are doing a duty for the rest of us and they're protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/regardless-of-how-you-feel-about-war-and-peace-those-serving-military/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Politics...You see, it depends on what kind of politics. What we did during my father's generation was a duty. And it was beautiful because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/politics-you-see-it-depends-on-what-kind-of-politics-what-we-did/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-do-not-so-much-rejoice-that-god-hath-made-me-to-be-a-queen-as-to-be/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Browse all 5,178 Duty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And the truth is that as a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows narrower: until at last he chooses nothing, but does only and wholly what he must do…”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ursula K Le Guin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin-2/and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-power-grows-and-his-knowledge/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Duty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin-2/and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-power-grows-and-his-knowledge/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/ursula-k-le-guin-2-80829_duty_and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-po_2815087.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/ursula-k-le-guin-2-80829_duty_and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-po_2815087.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/ursula-k-le-guin-2-80829_duty_and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-po_2815087.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And the truth is that as a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows…” — Ursula K Le Guin", "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": "Ursula K Le Guin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And the truth is that as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin-2/and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-power-grows-and-his-knowledge/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin-2/and-the-truth-is-that-as-a-man-s-real-power-grows-and-his-knowledge/#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 } } ] } ```