Quotes about Influence

A world is supported by four things…." She held up four big-knuckled fingers. "…the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the righteous and the valor of the brave. But all of these are as nothing…." She closed her fingers into a fist. "…without a ruler who knows the art of ruling. Make that

The problem with leadership is that leaders are human beings. And when they make mistakes, their mistakes are amplified by the numbers who follow without question.

Muad'Dib gave us a particular kind of knowledge about prophetic insight, about the behaviour which surrounds such insight and its influence upon events whcih are seen to be on line. (That is, events which are set to occur in a related system which the prophet reveals and interprets.) As has been noted elsewhere, such insight operates as a peculiar trap for the prophet himself. He can become the victim of what he knows — which is a relatively common human failing.

The man without emotions is the one to fear. But deep emotions…ah, now, those can be bent to your needs.

Understand yourself, Piter. You want her because she was a Duke's woman, a symbol of his power—beautiful, useful, exquisitely trained for her role.

Words can carry any burden we wish. All that's required is an agreement and a tradition upon which to build.

Many histories are largely worthless because prejudiced, written to please one powerful group or another.

Power tends to isolate those who hold too much of it. Eventually, they lose touch with reality . . . and fall.

Behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: 'I feed on your energy.

A leader, you see, is one of the things that distinguishes a mob from a people. He maintains the level of individuals. Too few individuals, and a people revert to a mob.

But why not? He deserved it. It took years to take control of this school—to oust the resisters, to implant the sympathizers, to blind the parents to what was happening to their children. It was no small task.

Without men to do your killing, the woman will have power over you!" "She doesn't know that!