Thomas Powers famous quotes

Last updated: Sep 5, 2024

The logic of war seems to be if the belligerent can fight, he will fight. That leaders will not surrender until surrender is academic. How is a national leader to explain the sacrifice of so much for nothing?
-- Thomas Powers

#War #Sacrifice #Fighting
The first rule in keeping secrets is nothing on paper: paper can be lost or stolen or simply inherited by the wrong people; if you really want to keep something secret, don't write it down.
-- Thomas Powers

#Writing #Keeping Secrets #People
Betrayal, in one form or another, is at the very heart of the world of intelligence.
-- Thomas Powers

#Loyalty #Betrayal #Heart
The first rule in keeping secrets is nothing on paper.
-- Thomas Powers

#Keeping Secrets #Secret #Firsts
The composer Stravinsky had written a new piece with a difficult violin passage. After it had been in rehearsal for several weeks, the solo violinist came to Stravinsky and said he was sorry, he had tried his best, the passage was too difficult, no violinist could play it. Stravinsky said, 'I understand that. What I am after is the sound of someone trying to play it.'
-- Thomas Powers

#Sorry #Play #Trying
I find myself being quite cynical - and I think we all kind of are - towards the idea that it's associated with being a musician; you know... the kind of rock-star attitude. So, I hope that people know it's a joke.
-- Thomas Powers

#Attitude #Thinking #People

Violence begets violence by whomever used. War is a dirty business and entails the use of degrading means, whoever wages it.
We communicate happiness to others not often by great acts of devotion and self-sacrifice, but by the absence of fault-finding and censure, by being ready to sympathize with their notions and feelings, instead of forcing them to sympathize with ours.
Become strong again in spirit, strong in will, strong in endurance, strong to bear all sacrifices
You see, it's been our misfortune to have the wrong religion. Why didn't we have the religion of the Japanese, who regard sacrifice for the Fatherland as the highest good? The Mohammedan religion [Islam] too would have been more compatible to us than Christianity. Why did it have to be Christianity with its meekness and flabbiness?
It is a mistake to make propaganda many-sided, like scientific instruction, for instance... As soon as you sacrifice this slogan and try to be many-sided, the effect will piddle away, for the crowd can neither digest nor retain the material offered.
Is there a chance? A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel? A reason to fight? Is there a chance you may change your mind? Or are we ashes and wine?
A loud noise will get your fight-or-flight response going. This, over the years, can cause real cardiovascular damage.
For great men, religion is a way of making friends; small people make religion a fighting tool.
At the same time the Muslims are commanded to exercise self-restraint as much as possible. Force is a dangerous weapon. It may have to be used for self-defense or self-preservation, but we must always remember that self-restraint is pleasing in the eyes of Allah. Even when we are fighting, it should be for a principle not out of passion.
Above all, you must fight conceit, envy, and every kind of ill-feeling in your heart.

Thomas Powers famous quotes

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