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Opposition Quotes

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Opposition Quotes

“No government can be long secure without a formidable opposition. It reduces their supporters to that tractable number which can be managed by the joint influences of fruition and hope. It offers vengeance to the discontented, and distinction to the ambitious; and employs the energies of aspiring spirits, who otherwise may prove traitors in a division or assassins in a debate.”

MayLongGovernmentSpiritEnergyNumbersInfluenceOffersProveDebateSecureDistinctionOppositionDivisionAmbitiousSupporterVengeanceJointsDissentTraitorAssassinsFormidableFruition
Book:Collected Edition of the Novels and Tales
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“In the second half of life the necessity is imposed of recognizing no longer the validity of our former ideals but of their contraries. Of perceiving the error in what was previously our conviction, of sensing the untruth in what was our truth, and of weighing the degree of opposition, and even of hostility, in what we took to be love.”

AgeHalfDegreesIdealsErrorsConvictionContraryFormerOppositionRecognizingHostilityValidityUntruthWeighingSensing
Author:Carl Jung
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“The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.”

IfsHumansReasonShowsLeftHurtHuman BeingsPathWiseDangerOughtPrayingDisasterRuinsOpponentsOppositionSensibleIt HurtsSupporterIndispensableDissentStatesmenGood SenseFervent
Author:Walter Lippmann
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“One may disavow and disclaim vices that surprise us and whereto our passions transport us. But those which by long habit are rooted in a strong and anchored in a powerful will are not subject to contradiction. Repentance is but a denying of our will, and an opposition of our fantasies, which diverts us here and there.”

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Author:Michel de Montaigne
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“The idealist's program of political or economic reform may be impracticable, absurd, demonstrably ridiculous; but it can never be successfully opposed merely by pointing out that this is the case. A negative opposition cannot be wholly effectual: there must be a competing idealism; something must be offered that is not only less objectionable but more desirable.”

MayPoliticalCasesEconomicNegativeProgramRidiculousAbsurdReformOppositionIdealismAbsurdityCompetingDesirablePointingIdealistEconomic Reforms
Book:Two Major Works: Social Organization. Human Nature and the Social Order
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“Nature has given to each conscious being every power she possesses, and one of these abilities is this: just as Nature converts and alters every obstacle and opposition, and fits them into their predestined place, making them a part of herself, so too the rational person is able to finesse every obstacle into an opportunity, and to use it for whatever purpose it may suit.”

MayPersonsUseAblePurposeOpportunityGivenNatureAbilityFitConsciousObstaclesRationalSuitsOppositionPredestinedFinesse
Author:Marcus Aurelius
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“The urge to break with a tradition is only appropriate when you're dealing with an outdated, troublesome tradition: I never really thought about that because I take the old-fashioned approach of equating tradition with value (which may be a failing). But whatever the case, positive tradition can also provoke opposition if it's too powerful, too overwhelming, too demanding. That would basically be about the human side of wanting to hold your own.”

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Book:Gerhard Richter: writings 1961-2007
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“Posterity will do justice to that unprincipled maniac Gladstone - extraordinary mixture of envy, vindictiveness, hypocrisy and superstition; and with one commanding characteristic - whether Prime Minister or Leader of the Opposition, whether preaching, praying, speechifying or scribbling - never a gentleman.”

PoliticalPoliticsJusticeLeaderPrayingExtraordinaryEnvyMinistersGentlemanCharacteristicsHypocrisyOppositionPrimeSuperstitionsPreachingPrime MinisterMixturesPosterityManiacsVindictivenessGladstone
Author:Benjamin Disraeli
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“It is the wall of separation between church and state . . . that is largely responsible for religion thriving in this country, as compared to those European countries in which church and state have been united, resulting in opposition to the church by those who disapprove of the government.”

Has BeensCountryStatesGovernmentChurchUnitedWallResponsibleSeparationOppositionChurch And StateSeparation Between Church And StateEuropean Countries
Book:Blasphemy: How the Religious Right is Hijacking the Declaration of Independence
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“The enemy is like a woman, weak in face of opposition, but correspondingly strong when not opposed. In a quarrel with a man, it is natural for a woman to lose heart and run away when he faces up to her; on the other hand, if the man begins to be afraid and to give ground, her rage, vindictiveness and fury overflow and know no limit.”

IfsKnowsMenGivingHeartHandsRunningFacesStrongLosesNaturalEnemyHe ManLimitsWeakRageOppositionRunning AwayQuarrelsFuryOverflowVindictiveness
Author:Ignatius of Loyola
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“Part of what's unique about climate change, though, is the nature of some of the opposition to action. It's pretty rare that you'll encounter somebody who says the problem you're trying to solve simply doesn't exist. When President Kennedy set us on a course for the moon, there were a number of people who made a serious case that it wouldn't be worth it; it was going to be too expensive, it was going to be too hard, it would take too long. But nobody ignored the science. I don't remember anybody saying that the moon wasn't there or that it was made of cheese.”

PeopleTryingLongMadeHardProblemActionRememberCoursesPresidentNumbersCasesSeriousMoonUniqueClimateClimate ChangeSolveEncountersExpensiveOppositionCheeseWorth ItIgnoredPresident Kennedy
Author:Barack Obama
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