Powerful people get away with things. That's one way to demonstrate their difference from the rest of us.

a problem that presents itself as a dilemma carries an unfortunate prescription: to argue instead of act.

This is the power of the powerful to define, to structure, to say, 'This is the way the world works.' It's enormous power. Among the powers of the weak, I think the first one is the power not to believe the powerful.

power is not a thing to be owned. But if you believe that it is such a thing, losing it becomes a possibility to fear. That fear, I think, is one reason for the dark projections of a catastrophic future that are so widespread, in our dual society. The present powerful, being committed to polarization, expect that any new deal will overturn the one that set them in authority; that the last shall be first and the first last, role reversal everywhere, men as slaves, women as masters, in a revolution of contradiction.

Power is the ability not to have to please.

Whatever class and race divergences exist, top cats are tom cats.

If one is going to change things, one has to make a fuss and catch the eye of the world.