Far better to think historically, to remember the lessonsof the past. Thus, far better to conceive of power as consisting in part ofthe knowledge of when not to use all the power you have. Far better to be onewho knows that if you reserve the power not to
Themore adaptability exists for a given kind of decision, the less risky it isto make plans for the future, and therefore the more likely it is that morepeople will make more plans in such areas.
Onecomes to believe whatever one repeats to oneself sufficiently often, whetherthe statement be true or false. It comes to be dominating thought in one'smind.
Conflictis the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. Itinstigates to invention. It shocks us out of sheeplikepassivity, and sets us at noting and contriving.
Whateverfailures I have known, whatever errors I have committed, whatever follies Ihave witnessed in private and public life have been the consequence of actionwithout thought.
