Authority Quotes | Beyond Motive 2/5

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Authority Quotes

"Instead, I was interested in what I guess I could call narrative indeterminacy, in questioning the apparent, taken-for-granted authority of any particular representation of the events in question."

"Instead, I was interested in what I guess I could call narrative indeterminacy, in questioning the apparent, taken-for-granted authority of any particular representation of the events in question."

Peter Straub, American Writer

Authority, Events, Question, Questioning

21

"It is not a sign of arrogance for the king to rule. That is what he is there for."

"It is not a sign of arrogance for the king to rule. That is what he is there for."

William F. Buckley, Jr., American Journalist

Authority, Arrogance, William F. Buckley, Jr.

21

"How do you know who s the leader? When he says nothing, but everybody understands what has to be done."

"How do you know who s the leader? When he says nothing, but everybody understands what has to be done."

Alin Sav, Romanian Author

Authority, Leadership, Understanding, Communication, Action

21

"Most kids will not volunteer to eat veggies. At times you must step up to the plate and enforce the rule of authority as a parent."

"Most kids will not volunteer to eat veggies. At times you must step up to the plate and enforce the rule of authority as a parent."

Lee Haney, American Athlete

Authority, Kids, Will

21

"Punishment may make us obey the orders we are given, but at best it will only teach an obedience to authority, not a self-control which enhances our self-respect."

"Punishment may make us obey the orders we are given, but at best it will only teach an obedience to authority, not a self-control which enhances our self-respect."

Bruno Bettelheim, Italian Writer

Authority, May, Obedience, Punishment

21

"We have to give value to authority. We have to give value to office, being in office, holding office."

"We have to give value to authority. We have to give value to office, being in office, holding office."

James Hillman, American Psychologist

Authority, Being, Office, Value

21

"Don't name it, as they say, because instantly you offer it to this peculiar authority."

"Don't name it, as they say, because instantly you offer it to this peculiar authority."

Robert Creeley, American Poet

Authority, Name

20

"In order to be respected, authority has got to be respectable."

"In order to be respected, authority has got to be respectable."

Tom Robbins, American Author

Authority, Order

20

"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence."

"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence."

Leonardo da Vinci, Italian Artist

Authority, Nothing, Silence

20

"The Gentlemen of England serve under the greatest cad in Europe."

"The Gentlemen of England serve under the greatest cad in Europe."

John Burns, English Activist

Authority, Engleurope, Gentlemen

20

"A leading authority is anyone who has guessed right more than once."

"A leading authority is anyone who has guessed right more than once."

Frank Howard Clark, American Writer

Authority, Leading, Right

20

"You come before me this morning with clean hands and clean collars. I want you to have clean tongues, clean manners, clean morals and clean characters."

"You come before me this morning with clean hands and clean collars. I want you to have clean tongues, clean manners, clean morals and clean characters."

John Burns, English Activist

Authority, Manners, Morals, Want

20

"Yes, they have to have a victor. Without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers' faces. They'd have failed the Capitol. Might possibly even be executed, slowly and painfully, while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country."

"Yes, they have to have a victor. Without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers' faces. They'd have failed the Capitol. Might possibly even be executed, slowly and painfully, while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country."

Suzanne Collins, American Novelist

Authority, Power, Control, Survival

20

"I also administer the Internet Assigned Names Authority, which is the central coordinator for the Internet address space, domain names and Internet protocol conventions essential to the use and operation of the Internet."

"I also administer the Internet Assigned Names Authority, which is the central coordinator for the Internet address space, domain names and Internet protocol conventions essential to the use and operation of the Internet."

Jon Postel, American Scientist

Authority, Internet, Names, Space

20

"People respond more to the authority of status, than the authority of truth."

"People respond more to the authority of status, than the authority of truth."

A.J. Darkholme, American Author

Authority, Truth, Power, Influence

20

"Celebrity distorts democracy by giving the rich, beautiful, and famous more authority than they deserve."

"Celebrity distorts democracy by giving the rich, beautiful, and famous more authority than they deserve."

Maureen Dowd, American Journalist

Authority, Celebrity, Democracy, Famous

19

"The dead and past stories that I have told again in divers fashions, are not set down without authority."

"The dead and past stories that I have told again in divers fashions, are not set down without authority."

Marie de France, French Poet

Authority, Past

19

"The Captain of the Watch says if you're still in the City by sunrise he will personally have you buried alive."

"The Captain of the Watch says if you're still in the City by sunrise he will personally have you buried alive."

Terry Pratchett, English Author

Authority, Power, Fear, City, Justice

19

"I wasn't good with authority, went to lots of schools, didn't like the fact that there was no autonomy."

"I wasn't good with authority, went to lots of schools, didn't like the fact that there was no autonomy."

Nigella Lawson, British Journalist

Authority, Fact, Schools

18

"Eighty percent of the problems that beset unification immediately disappeared when the President signed the bill increasing the authority and the responsibility of the Secretary of Defense."

"Eighty percent of the problems that beset unification immediately disappeared when the President signed the bill increasing the authority and the responsibility of the Secretary of Defense."

Louis A. Johnson, American Public Servant

Authority, Defense, President, Problems

18

"Admittedly, scientific authority is not distributed evenly throughout the body of scientists; some distinguished members of the profession predominate over others of a more junior standing."

"Admittedly, scientific authority is not distributed evenly throughout the body of scientists; some distinguished members of the profession predominate over others of a more junior standing."

Michael Polanyi, Hungarian Scientist

Authority, Body, Profession, Scientists

18

"She knew the power of bureaucracy well enough to be aware she had to sit and be admonished until this stranger felt she had expressed sufficient disappointment in a girl she would never have to see again."

"She knew the power of bureaucracy well enough to be aware she had to sit and be admonished until this stranger felt she had expressed sufficient disappointment in a girl she would never have to see again."

Thomm Quackenbush, American Author

Authority, Bureaucracy, Power, Awareness

18

"Whenever there is authority, there is a natural inclination to disobedience."

"Whenever there is authority, there is a natural inclination to disobedience."

Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Canadian Author

18

"I make no claim to be an authority on writing or illustrating for children."

"I make no claim to be an authority on writing or illustrating for children."

Hugh Lofting, British Author

Authority, Children, Writing

17

"I prize the conditions under which I have lived because they have permitted me to choose my opportunities, to inquire into such matters as interested me, and to publish what I believed to be true, uncontrolled by any central authority."

"I prize the conditions under which I have lived because they have permitted me to choose my opportunities, to inquire into such matters as interested me, and to publish what I believed to be true, uncontrolled by any central authority."

Arthur Keith, Scottish Scientist

17

"Conventional dogmas, even if endowed with the authority of an Aristotle - ancient or modern - must be tested vigorously. If they are found wanting, we need not bother with them. But if they are found to be substantially correct, we may not overlook them."

"Conventional dogmas, even if endowed with the authority of an Aristotle - ancient or modern - must be tested vigorously. If they are found wanting, we need not bother with them. But if they are found to be substantially correct, we may not overlook them."

Norman Lamm, American Educator

17

"Distrust of authority should be the first civic duty."

"Distrust of authority should be the first civic duty."

Norman Douglas, British Writer

Authority, Distrust, Duty, First

17

"Scientists and scholars should constitute themselves as an international NGO of exceptional authority."

"Scientists and scholars should constitute themselves as an international NGO of exceptional authority."

John Charles Polanyi, Canadian Scientist

Authority, Scientists

17

"The being cannot be termed rational or virtuous, who obeys any authority, but that of reason."

"The being cannot be termed rational or virtuous, who obeys any authority, but that of reason."

Mary Wollstonecraft, British Writer

Authority, Being, Reason

17

"Lawyer acted without authority from our band. He had no right to sell the Wallowa country."

"Lawyer acted without authority from our band. He had no right to sell the Wallowa country."

Chief Joseph, American Leader

Authority, Country, Right

17

"I created no authority that wasn't already there under the constitution."

"I created no authority that wasn't already there under the constitution."

John Engler, American Politician

Authority, Constitution

17

"Any commander who fails to exceed his authority is not of much use to his subordinates."

"Any commander who fails to exceed his authority is not of much use to his subordinates."

Arleigh Burke, American Soldier

17

"A quotation in a speech, article or book is like a rifle in the hands of an infantryman. It speaks with authority."

"A quotation in a speech, article or book is like a rifle in the hands of an infantryman. It speaks with authority."

Brendan Francis, American Playwright

Authority, Quotation, Speech

17

"The exercise of authority over the same area by two States is a contradiction."

"The exercise of authority over the same area by two States is a contradiction."

Benjamin Tucker, American Activist

Authority, Contradiction, Exercise, States

17

"Your former Fathers the Spaniards have now no further Authority over you."

"Your former Fathers the Spaniards have now no further Authority over you."

Zebulon Pike, American Soldier

Authority, Fathers, Now

16

"It was necessary to bluff the Japanese camp commanders, with whatever authority I could muster, that I had come officially to ensure that the surrender terms were being complied with and that living conditions for the POWs were being immediately improved."

"It was necessary to bluff the Japanese camp commanders, with whatever authority I could muster, that I had come officially to ensure that the surrender terms were being complied with and that living conditions for the POWs were being immediately improved."

Wilfred Burchett, Australian Journalist

Authority, Being, Commanders, Living

16

"Of the sayings of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels that can be compared to those in the fourth Gospel, there are one or two which I venture to think can only have been recorded on the authority of St. John."

"Of the sayings of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels that can be compared to those in the fourth Gospel, there are one or two which I venture to think can only have been recorded on the authority of St. John."

Alfred Noyes, English Poet

Authority, Christ, Sayings

16

"Mankind are apt to be strongly prejudiced in favor of whatever is countenanced by antiquity, enforced by authority, and recommended by custom."

"Mankind are apt to be strongly prejudiced in favor of whatever is countenanced by antiquity, enforced by authority, and recommended by custom."

Robert Hall, English Clergyman

Authority, Custom, Mankind

16

"I've always had trouble with authority."

"I've always had trouble with authority."

John Milius, American Director

Authority, Trouble

16

"In revolutions authority remains with the greatest scoundrels."

"In revolutions authority remains with the greatest scoundrels."

Georges Jacques Danton, French Revolutionary

16

"My parents are both college professors, and it made me want to question authority, standards and traditions."

"My parents are both college professors, and it made me want to question authority, standards and traditions."

Maya Lin, American Architect

Authority, College, Parents, Question

16

"I grew up to always respect authority and respect those in charge."

"I grew up to always respect authority and respect those in charge."

Charles de Gaulle, French Leader

Authority, Respect

15

"Rock gives children, on a silver platter, with all the public authority of the entertainment industry, everything their parents always used to tell them they had to wait for until they grew up and would understand later."

"Rock gives children, on a silver platter, with all the public authority of the entertainment industry, everything their parents always used to tell them they had to wait for until they grew up and would understand later."

Allan Bloom, American Philosopher

Authority, Children, Entertainment, Parents

15

"'Referring the matter to a committee' can be a device for diluting authority, diffusing responsibility and delaying decisions."

"'Referring the matter to a committee' can be a device for diluting authority, diffusing responsibility and delaying decisions."

Antony Jay, British Writer

Authority, Committee, Decisions, Responsibility

15

"Whatever is enforced by command is more imputed to him who exacts than to him who performs."

"Whatever is enforced by command is more imputed to him who exacts than to him who performs."

Michel de Montaigne, French Philosopher

Authority, Power, Responsibility, Morality, Law

15

"Authority is something from which we are constantly subtracting, of which there remains always a residue, and which we attempt to make smaller and smaller."

"Authority is something from which we are constantly subtracting, of which there remains always a residue, and which we attempt to make smaller and smaller."

Frederica Montseny, Spanish Politician

15

"Now they call in all of the authority figures they can find and hire them - the cost has gone up. The picture may or may not get better, but definitely, it gets more cumbersome."

"Now they call in all of the authority figures they can find and hire them - the cost has gone up. The picture may or may not get better, but definitely, it gets more cumbersome."

Don Bluth, American Artist

Authority, May, Now

15

"I do not espouse the unitarian position. President Clinton's assertion of directive authority over administration, more than President Reagan's assertion of a general supervisory authority, raises serious constitutional questions."

"I do not espouse the unitarian position. President Clinton's assertion of directive authority over administration, more than President Reagan's assertion of a general supervisory authority, raises serious constitutional questions."

Elena Kagan, American Judge

Authority, President, Questions

15

"In order to be a lieutenant, you've got to have authority in your voice. No matter how young your face looks, you've got to let your guys know that you're in charge."

"In order to be a lieutenant, you've got to have authority in your voice. No matter how young your face looks, you've got to let your guys know that you're in charge."

Esai Morales, American Actor

Authority, Order, Voice

14

"The last job I applied for was to be a bus driver for the Chicago Transit Authority in 1957."

"The last job I applied for was to be a bus driver for the Chicago Transit Authority in 1957."

Vernon Jordan, American Businessman

Authority, Chicago, Job

14

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