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We know that the great majority of people have a strong need for authority which it can admire, to which it can submit, and which dominates and sometimes even ill-treats it.
Sigmund Freud
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Interpretation

What this quote means

People often seek authority figures to guide them, even if it leads to submission or mistreatment.

Sigmund Freud's quote reflects on the inherent human need for authority and leadership. He suggests that many individuals feel a strong desire to admire and submit to powerful figures, which can lead to unhealthy dynamics where authority might dominate or mistreat the followers. This need can stem from various psychological factors and societal structures that shape human relationships.

Themes

AuthoritySubmissionPsychologyLeadershipPower

In practice

Example use cases

During a discussion about leadership styles, you might reference Freud's quote to illustrate the complexities of authority in human interactions.

More from Sigmund Freud

"He sido un hombre afortunado en la vida, nada me ha sido facil." "I've been a fortunate man in life, nothing has come easy"
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I take up the standpoint that the tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man, and I come back now to the statement that it constitutes the most powerful obstacle to culture.
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One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.
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We are never so defenseless against suffering as when we love, never so forlornly unhappy as when we have lost our love object or its love.
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I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.
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The tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man... it constitutes the powerful obstacle to culture.
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