--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it is important to ask ourselves…" description: "\"I think it is important to ask ourselves as citizens, not as Democrats attacking the administration, but as citizens, whether a world power can really ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_administration_i-think-it-is-important-to-ask-ourselves_2546975.jpg" --- # I think it is important to ask ourselves as citizens, not… ![“I think it is important to ask ourselves as citizens, not as Democrats attacking the administration, but as citizens, whether a world power can really provide global leadership on the basis of fear and anxiety?” quote by Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_administration_i-think-it-is-important-to-ask-ourselves_2546975.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_administration_i-think-it-is-important-to-ask-ourselves_2546975.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_administration_i-think-it-is-important-to-ask-ourselves_2546975.jpg) > “I think it is important to ask ourselves as citizens, not as Democrats attacking the administration, but as citizens, whether a world power can really provide global leadership on the basis of fear and anxiety?” [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning if a dominant nation can lead globally through fear and anxiety. **In simple terms:** Can power lead without intimidation? Key Takeaway Consider ethical foundations of leadership. Themes politics global governance ethics Mood critical thought‑provoking Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - international diplomacy - policy making - national security - public opinion Key Concepts soft power fear-based leadership Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives to fear‑based leadership exist? - How do citizens influence global power dynamics? A Different Perspective Fear can undermine legitimacy and long‑term stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear And Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-and-anxiety/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-power/) ## Related quotes > [It is important to ask ourselves, as citizens, whether a world power can provide global leadership on the basis of fear and anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/it-is-important-to-ask-ourselves-as-citizens-whether-a-world-power/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [“Fear and anxiety and sadness are not necessarily always undesirable or unhelpful states of mind; rather, they are often representatives of the necessary pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/fear-and-anxiety-and-sadness-are-not-necessarily-always-undesirable/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [A lot of the characters I've played before are heroic or invincible in some ways and not tuned into fear and anxiety and pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-statham/a-lot-of-the-characters-i-ve-played-before-are-heroic-or-invincible/) [Jason Statham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-statham/) > [“Certainly we want to protect our children from new and painful experiences that are beyond their emotional comprehension and that intensify anxiety; and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/certainly-we-want-to-protect-our-children-from-new-and-painful/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [“The odd thing is that fear and anxiety are running away from something, but they don’t know what to run to. They know danger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-t-welch/the-odd-thing-is-that-fear-and-anxiety-are-running-away-from/) [Edward T. Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-t-welch/) > [I'm just suggesting that when you're faced with fear and anxiety, don't medicate. Meditate instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-m-just-suggesting-that-when-you-re-faced-with-fear-and-anxiety-don/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Problem is that my athletic abilities in my mind are greater than what my body can accomplish. And my level of fear and anxiety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/problem-is-that-my-athletic-abilities-in-my-mind-are-greater-than/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [When we go through being rejected and abandoned like I did as a kid, you have a lot of fear and anxiety issues that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-franklin/when-we-go-through-being-rejected-and-abandoned-like-i-did-as-a-kid/) [Kirk Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-franklin/) > [A failed personal experience is just fear and anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/a-failed-personal-experience-is-just-fear-and-anxiety/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [The wind of divine grace is always blowing. You just need to spread your sail. Whenever you do anything, do it with your whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-wind-of-divine-grace-is-always-blowing-you-just-need-to-spread/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > ['Amusement' is appealing because we don't have to think; it spares us the fear and anxiety that might otherwise prey on our thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/amusement-is-appealing-because-we-don-t-have-to-think-it-spares-us/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“Yeah. I'm sorry I can never talk about it. Fear...and anxiety...all that stuff...it's hard to talk about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuki-midorikawa/yeah-i-m-sorry-i-can-never-talk-about-it-fear-and-anxiety-all-that/) [Yuki Midorikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuki-midorikawa/) > [Doesn't our knowledge of death make life more precious?' What good is a preciousness based on fear and anxiety? It's an anxious quivering thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life-more-precious-what-good-is-a/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Fear and anxiety are great motivators for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/fear-and-anxiety-are-great-motivators-for-me/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“Fear and anxiety many times indicates that we are moving in a positive direction, out of the safe confines of our comfort zone, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman/fear-and-anxiety-many-times-indicates-that-we-are-moving-in-a/) [Charles F. Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman/) ## More by Zbigniew Brzezinski > [The United States can certainly defeat North Vietnam, but the United States cannot defeat a guerrilla war which is being raged from a sanctuary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/the-united-states-can-certainly-defeat-north-vietnam-but-the-united/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [The future is inherently full of discontinuities, and lessons of the past must be applied with enormous caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/the-future-is-inherently-full-of-discontinuities-and-lessons-of-the/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Look at Islam in a rational manner and without demagoguery or emotion. It is the leading religion of the world with 1.5 billion followers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/look-at-islam-in-a-rational-manner-and-without-demagoguery-or-emotion/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [A waning United States would likely be more nationalistic, more defensive about its national identity, more paranoid about its homeland security, and less willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/a-waning-united-states-would-likely-be-more-nationalistic-more/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Peace between Israel and Palestine would be a giant step toward greater regional stability, and it would finally let both Israelis and Palestinians benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/peace-between-israel-and-palestine-would-be-a-giant-step-toward/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [It is axiomatic that the security of America and Europe are linked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/it-is-axiomatic-that-the-security-of-america-and-europe-are-linked/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [In the longer run, I happen to think that Russia really has no choice but to become gradually more associated with the Euro-Atlantic community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/in-the-longer-run-i-happen-to-think-that-russia-really-has-no-choice/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Basically, I see Iran as an authentic nation-state. And that authentic identity gives it cohesion, which most of the Middle East lacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/basically-i-see-iran-as-an-authentic-nation-state-and-that-authentic/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Like so many empires before it, the Soviet Union eventually imploded and fragmented, falling victim not so much to a direct military defeat as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/like-so-many-empires-before-it-the-soviet-union-eventually-imploded/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [In Iraq we must succeed. Failure is not an option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/in-iraq-we-must-succeed-failure-is-not-an-option/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [One has to define very clearly what one's objectives are, determine in advance how much one is prepared to pay to achieve that objective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/one-has-to-define-very-clearly-what-one-s-objectives-are-determine-in/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Saddam Hussein was an odious dictator, but he was also a very effective opponent of Iran. 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He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What was unique about me being in City Hall during the Giuliani Administration, I was the only one who wasn't an attorney. I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lhota/what-was-unique-about-me-being-in-city-hall-during-the-giuliani/) [Joe Lhota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lhota/) > [The Trump administration launched the cruise missile strikes in Syria, an act of war, without a U.N. resolution or Congressional authorization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-trump-administration-launched-the-cruise-missile-strikes-in-syria/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The only way I'll ever run a marathon is if I'm involved in the administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/the-only-way-i-ll-ever-run-a-marathon-is-if-i-m-involved-in-the/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [Obama spent the first two years of his administration practicing political unilateral disarmament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/obama-spent-the-first-two-years-of-his-administration-practicing/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/) [Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. 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