Quotes About Authority

The President of the Universe holds no real power. His sole purpose is to take attention away from where the power truly exists...

Ford looked at him severely. And no sneaky knocking down Mr Dent's house whilst he's away, alright? he said. The mere thought, growled Mr Prosser, hadn't even begun to speculate, he continued, settling himself back, about the merest possibility of crossing my mind.

To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.

One day old Thrashbarg said that Almighty Bob had declared that he, Thrashbarg, was to have first pick of the sandwiches. The villagers asked him when this had happened, exactly, and Thrashbarg said it had happened yesterday, when they weren't looking. 'Have faith,' Old Thrashbarg said, 'or burn!' They let him have first pick of the sandwiches. It seemed easiest.

There were three of them, three police cars left askew across the road in a way that transcended mere parking. It sent out a massive signal to the world saying that the law was here now taking charge of things, and that anyone who just had normal, good and cheerful business to conduct in Lupton Road could just fuck off.

He didn't know why he had become president of the galaxy, except that it seemed a fun thing to be.

On the wall was a Duran Duran poster on which someone had scrawled in fat red felt tip, Take this down please. Beneath that another hand had scrawled, No. Beneath that again the first hand had written, I insist that you take it down. Beneath that the second hand had written, Won't! Beneath that - You're fired. Beneath that - Good! And there the matter appeared to have rested.

To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.

To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it.

Resumamos: es un hecho bien conocido que las personas que más deseos tienen de gobernar a la gente son, ipso facto, las menos adecuadas para ello. Abreviemos el resumen: a cualquiera que sea capaz de nombrarse Presidente a sí mismo, no debería permitírsele en modo alguno realizar dicha tarea. Abreviemos el resumen del resumen: la gente es un problema.

He had been told that when looking for a good oracle, it was best to find the oracle that other oracles went to.

It is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it... anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.

The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.

To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.

it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.

Out," he said. People who can supply that amount of firepower don't need to supply verbs as well.

Mr. Prosser said, "You were quite entitled to make any suggestions or protests at the appropriate time, you know.

it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.

Incidentally, am I alone in finding the expression "it turns out" to be incredibly useful? It allows you to make swift, succinct, and authoritative connections between otherwise randomly unconnected statements without the trouble of explaining what your source or authority actually is.

You see, if I keep it up I can eventually get promoted to Senior Shouting Officer, and there aren't usually many vacancies for nonshouting and nonpushing-people-about officers, so I think I'd better stick to what I know.

Try and understand his problem,' insisted Ford. 'Here he is, poor lad, his entire life's work is stamping around, throwing people off spaceships . . .' 'And shouting,' added the guard. 'And shouting, sure,' said Ford patting the blubbery arm clamped round his neck in friendly condescension, '. . . and he doesn't even know why he's doing it!

I've been ordered to take you down to the bridge.

No government owns it," snapped the robot, "it's been stolen.

of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them. To