--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But when we crave power over life—endless…" description: "\"“But when we crave power over life—endless wealth, unassailable safety, immortality—then desire becomes greed. And if knowledge allies itself to that g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/ursula-k-le-guin-138_greed_but-when-we-crave-power-over-life-endles_2237646.jpg" --- # But when we crave power over life—endless wealth… ![“But when we crave power over life—endless wealth, unassailable safety, immortality—then desire becomes greed. And if knowledge allies itself to that greed, then comes evil. Then the balance of the world is swayed, and ruin weighs heavy in the scale.” quote by Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/ursula-k-le-guin-138_greed_but-when-we-crave-power-over-life-endles_2237646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/ursula-k-le-guin-138_greed_but-when-we-crave-power-over-life-endles_2237646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/ursula-k-le-guin-138_greed_but-when-we-crave-power-over-life-endles_2237646.jpg) > ““But when we crave power over life—endless wealth, unassailable safety, immortality—then desire becomes greed. And if knowledge allies itself to that greed, then comes evil. Then the balance of the world is swayed, and ruin weighs heavy in the scale.”” [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. Desiring absolute control, wealth, safety, or immortality turns desire into greed, and when knowledge serves that greed it creates evil, upsetting the world’s balance. **In simple terms:** Wanting total power becomes greed, leading to evil and imbalance. Key Takeaway Beware the corrupting lure of limitless ambition. Themes power greed knowledge balance evil Mood cautionary reflective Type moral philosophical When to use this quote - political leadership - technological development - personal ambition - environmental policy Key Concepts philosophy ethics political theory Questions to Reflect On - What limits should society set on the pursuit of power? - How can knowledge be used responsibly? A Different Perspective Unchecked ambition can also inspire innovation and progress, not just ruin. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [One cannot completely get rid of the six passions: lust, anger, greed, and the like. Therefore one should direct them to God. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/one-cannot-completely-get-rid-of-the-six-passions-lust-anger-greed/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [Greed will always leave you dissatisfied because you'll never be able to get everything you desire. 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I have lots of good intentions, but no control. There's a story that wants to be told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-have-no-control-over-my-writing-i-have-lots-of-good-intentions-but/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“I did a lot today. That is, I did something. The only thing I have ever done. I pressed a button. It took the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-did-a-lot-today-that-is-i-did-something-the-only-thing-i-have-ever/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [To me the female principle is, or at least historically has been, basically anarchic. It values order without constraint, rule by custom not by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/to-me-the-female-principle-is-or-at-least-historically-has-been/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Hector had no virtue?” “Of course he did. He won all his battles, till the last one.” “We all do,” Aeneas remarked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/hector-had-no-virtue-of-course-he-did-he-won-all-his-battles-till-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“I was willing to believe him that most modern writing was trash, on the evidence that so much old writing was trash; but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-was-willing-to-believe-him-that-most-modern-writing-was-trash-on/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Can women operate as women in a male institution without becoming imitation men?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/can-women-operate-as-women-in-a-male-institution-without-becoming/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) [Explore all 1,114 Ursula K. Le Guin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) ## More Greed quotes > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. 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