Quotes about authority (2823 quotes, page 29)

“It's our *white* responsibility to make sure people who speak out about racism are safe at all times. This means ending structural racism in our societies, authorities and media.”

Carola Rackete (1988) German merchant navy captain

Source: Twitter https://twitter.com/CaroRackete/status/1276803845465636864 (27 June 2020)

People , Time

“My principles which I always follow are that no authority, no power is worth a drop of blood.”

Viktor Yanukovych (1950) Ukrainian politician who was the President of Ukraine

Source: "Yanukovych: 'I Was Wrong' To Ask Russian Troops Into Crimea" in NPR https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/04/02/298385578/yanukovych-i-was-wrong-to-ask-russian-troops-into-crimea (2 April 2014)

“A lot of things need to be done since people are not totally free or happy. We have had a lot of struggles in relation to religious harmony. Due to the certain actions of Buddhist monks, there was unrest in the community. So nobody was able to do anything, not even the authorities/”

Noel Emmanuel (1960)

Source: Expectations rise amidst tension and unrest in Sri Lanka https://www.ucanews.com/news/expectations-rise-amidst-tension-and-unrest-in-sri-lanka/78079 (16 January 2017)

Happiness , People , Communication

“What they do, no authority upon earth can undo.”

William Blackstone book Commentaries on the Laws of England

Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765–1769)
Context: Book I, ch. 2 https://lonang.com/library/reference/tucker-blackstone-notes-reference/tuck-202/: Of the Parliament.

“Exactly one year ago martial law was introduced. The year that has passed was a great test. We have passed it. It has been passed by the party, by the people's authority and all the citizens. But there is the only winner: the Polish nation. This is the shortest-put truth about the past year.”

Wojciech Jaruzelski (1923–2014) Polish military officer and politician

Source: Speech on 1982

People , Truth , Law , Past

“By taking us on a cumulative sequence from our own familiar gods, through those of other ethnic groups, to those of animals, Xenophanes shows that our own images have no more authority than those of animals.”

Catherine Rowett (1956) Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia (born 1956)

Source: Presocratic Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (2004), Ch. 4 : Reality and appearance: more adventures in metaphysics

God , Animals

“1. Strive to be a leader of character, competence, and courage.
2. Lead from the front. Say, "Follow me!" and then lead the way.
3. Stay in top physical shape- physical stamina is the root of mental toughness.
4. Develop your team. If you know your people, are fair in setting realistic goals and expectations, and lead by example, you will develop teamwork.
5. Delegate responsibility to your subordinates and let them do their jobs. You can't do a good job if you don't have a chance to use your imagination or your creativity.
6. Anticipate problems and prepare to overcome obstacles. Don't wait until you get to the top of the ridge and then make up your mind.
7. Remain humble. Don't worry about who receives the credit. Never let power or authority go to your head.
8. Take a moment of self-reflection. Look at yourself in the mirror every night and ask yourself if you did your best.
9. True satisfaction comes from getting the job done. The key to a successful leader is to earn respect- not because of rank or position, but because you are a leader of character.
10. Hang Tough!

Never, ever give up.”

Dick Winters (1918–2011) American military personnel

Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters (2006)
Source: Leadership at the Point of the Bayonet: Ten Principles for Success, p. 293

Night , People , Way , Imagination

“Nobody can educated by himself. Education is the transmission of tradition through a witness. And the educator should be a master. Should be someone with enough to authority, not to impose but propose. But if you are not convinced you are unable to propose.”

Christophe Pierre (1946) French nuncio

Source: A Global Perspective: a Conversation With the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre https://www.thecatholictelegraph.com/a-global-perspective-a-conversation-with-the-apostolic-nuncio-archbishop-christophe-pierre/71427 (3 March 2021)

Education

“If a man be subject to the authority of another, he can at least ask that it not be an occasion for glee.”

John Kenneth Galbraith book The New Industrial State

Source: The New Industrial State (1967), Chapter XXV, Section 2, p. 293 (1985)

“The leader of any country should be aware that in scientific matters there is no authority above the sovereignty of science.”

Ricardo Galvão (1947) Brazilian physicist and engineer

Ricardo Galvão. Ousted Head of Science Agency Criticizes Brazil’s Denial of Deforestation Data, 2019-08-20, 10.1029/2019EO131399, Showstack, R. https://eos.org/articles/ousted-head-of-science-agency-criticizes-brazils-denial-of-deforestation-data,

Country , Science

“When the Bible was the only book people knew, they naturally thought it embodied all that is true; but when their reading expanded, and with it the world, and a sense of other times, other voices, other possibilities and points of view, that authority could not last.”

A. C. Grayling (1949) English philosopher

Source: Life, Sex, and Ideas: The Good Life Without God (2002), Chapter 20, “Intellectuals” (p. 86)

People , Books , World , Time

“What people want, mainly, is to be told by some plausible authority that what they are already doing is right. I don’t know know of a quicker way to become unpopular than to disagree.”

John Brunner book The Jagged Orbit

Source: The Jagged Orbit (1969), Chapter 6, “The Where It’s At and the Whyfore It Should Be There” (p. 26)

People , Way

“The female nude is part of a revered tradition, although she is not to take authority over depictions of her nudity. She is just to be available.”

Carolee Schneemann (1939–2019) American photographer, performance artist, and video artist

Source: Carolee Scheenmann quotes, guardian, March 8, 2019 https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/mar/10/carole-schneemann-naked-art-performance,

Parting

“We desperately need a sociopath test for all politicians. We have the technology to find out if people lack empathy. If they do, they should be banned from running for office, serving on corporate boards, or having any kind of authority.”

Lee Camp (1980) American comedian, writer, and activist

Twitter, https://twitter.com/LeeCamp/status/1282094933231509505 (12 July 2020)

People

“It’s better to teach people than to scare them, Lauren. If you scare them and nothing happens, they lose their fear, and you lose some of your authority with them.”

Octavia E. Butler book Parable of the Sower

Source: Parable of the Sower (1993), p. 65

People , Fear

“The logic of the sanctions is arguably to starve the people and reduce the political consensus for the authorities and thereby overthrow the government. But as a Pastor, I see that people suffer from poverty and it doesn't seem to me that discussions about democracy are a priority for them.”

Joseph Tobji (1971) archeparch of Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo

Archbishop Tobji of Aleppo after the presidential election: "Sanctions cause hunger and do not lead to more democracy" http://www.fides.org/en/news/70210-ASIA_SYRIA_Archbishop_Tobji_of_Aleppo_after_the_presidential_election_Sanctions_cause_hunger_and_do_not_lead_to_more_democracy (28 May 2021)

Democracy , People , Suffering