quote · Legacy record
The convoluted wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. You have done violence to him, consumed his energy. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: "I feed on your energy.
The convoluted wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. You have done violence to him, consumed his energy. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: "I feed on your energy.
Approximate author period: c. 1953 AD · modern
Meaning not yet available
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- Author or tradition
- Frank Herbert
Attribution: attributed - Country attributed
- Not established
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- Approximate author period: c. 1953 AD · modern
Approximate author-period anchor from life dates 1920 to 1986; Wikidata Q7934, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7934 (accessed 2026-10-08). Not a quotation composition date.
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Supplied reference C; CSV row 293944; supplied attribution, independently unverified
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