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Power was my weakness and my temptation.
J. K. Rowling
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Power can be both a source of weakness and a strong lure.

In this quote, J.K. Rowling reflects on the dual nature of power, suggesting that it can lead to vulnerabilities as well as temptations. The speaker acknowledges how the desire for power might attract individuals, yet it can also reveal their flaws, emphasizing that the pursuit of power is not always a beneficial or straightforward endeavor.

Themes

PowerWeaknessTemptationPhilosophyHuman Nature

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the ethical implications of leadership, this quote can illustrate the complexities faced by those in power.

More from J. K. Rowling

By all means continue destroying my possessions. I daresay I have too many.
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Where are you heading, if you’ve got the choice?” James lifted an invisible sword. “‘Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!’ Like my dad.” Snape made a small, disparaging noise. James turned on him. “Got a problem with that?” “No,” said Snape, though his slight sneer said otherwise. “If you’d rather be brawny than brainy —” “Where’re you hoping to go, seeing as you’re neither?” interjected Sirius.
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Depression isn't just being a bit sad. It's feeling nothing. It's not wanting to be alive anymore.
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I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit.
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Imagine losing fingernails, Harry! That really puts our sufferings into perspective, doesn't it?
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The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed.
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