Quotes About Authority

truths are discovered by breaking rules: you need to break some to learn which are just for show and which ones matter.

The responsibility of people in power is to continually eliminate useless traditions and introduce valuable ones.

Of course, it's wrong to set a fire on purpose, but if you have a small fire already burning, let it burn and see who, if anyone, complains, runs away, or comes to help. Similar truths are discovered by breaking rules: you need to break some to learn which are just for show and which ones matter.

Persuasion is stronger than dictation

In any organization, large projects require leverage, but few employees have any. People who have grand ideas but little influence wonder why no one supports them. They think the lack of support is a judgment on their ideas rather than the politics of authority.

It's deep in human nature to look to the top to define our own behavior,

Here's why famous experts who write books never go back to regular jobs: regular jobs are hard. Regular jobs mean you answer to others. Regular jobs mean you do regular, and often repetitive, things. Regular jobs mean you are not the center of attention and have to follow rules made by other people.

It makes logical sense that 168 is a greater number than 17, so why would you shelve 168 first? Because a librarian is always right. To the common man, this looks wrong, but to the librarian, this is right, because a librarian is never wrong.

the laws of God, like the law of gravity, do not depend upon how I feel about them.

It was strange, how readily authority could be conjured with nothing but a bit of strutting jackassery.

What is government but theft by consent?

W]hen you find yourself face to face with one [Bondsmage], you bow and scrape and mind your 'sirs' and 'madams.'" ... 'Nice bird, asshole,' said Locke.

You can knock down kingdoms on a whim. What you need is someone to make sure you don't get hit by a carriage when you cross the street.

The more in control the mark thinks they are, the more easily they respond to real control.

The functionaries in the courtyard of the Palace threw open their wooden shutters and settled in for a long day of saying "fuck off in the name of the duke" to all comers.

What is government but theft by consent? You'll be moving in a society of kindred spirits.

If your father says 'Bark like a dog,' I say 'What breed, Your Honor?

You think I'm inclined to walk in on a day like today and deliberately twist his breeches? If your father says 'bark like a dog,' I say 'What breed, Your Honor?' 

You can knock down kingdoms on a whim. What you need is someone to make sure you don't get hit by a carriage when you cross the street.

The more in control the mark thinks they are, the more easily the respond to real control.

Get the dogshit out of your ears, you witless corpse-fart,' growled Jean. 'Do you want to do as you're told, or do you want to kiss that pavement?' It turned out he wanted to do as he was told.

The authorities of Tal Verrar, in a magnanimous gesture of hospitality, have decreed that no foreigner upon the Golden Steps may be pressed into slavery. As a result, there are few places west of Camorr where it is safer for strangers to drink their brains out and fall asleep in the gutters and gardens.

This man is my boatswain.

Wars, disease, taxes. Bowing heads and kissing boots. There's plenty of hungry damn things prowling on land, Orin. It's just that the ones at sea tend not to wear crowns.