“...Power is lost or won, never created or destroyed. Power is a visitor to, not a possession of, those it empowers. The mad tend to crave it, many of the sane crave it, but the wise worry about its long-term effects. Power is crack cocaine for your ego and battery acid for your soul. Power’s comings and goings, from host to host, via war, marriage, ballet box, diktat, and accident of birth, are the plot of history. The empowered may serve justice, remodel the Earth, transform lush nations into smoking battlefields, and bring down skyscrapers, but power itself is amoral.” Immaculée Constantin now looks up at me. “Power will notice you. Power is watching you now. Carry on as you are, and power will favor you. But power will also laugh at you, mercilessly, as you lie dying in a private clinic, a few fleeting decades from now. Power mocks all its illustrious favorites as they lie dying…”

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About David Mitchell

David Mitchell is a British novelist and short-story writer. His work often explores themes of memory, identity, and the complexities of human connection, blending literary depth with accessible storytelling. Known for novels like *Ghostwritten* and *Number Nine*, he has earned a reputation for rich, introspective narratives.

More from David Mitchell (189 quotes) →
"...Power is lost or won, never created or destroyed. Power is a visit…" — David Mitchell | Daily Quotes