"I only wish that ordinary people had an unlimited capacity for doing harm; then they might have an unlimited power for doing good"
- Socrates
About this Quote
Socrates' quote suggests that if average people had a limitless capacity for doing harm, they would certainly additionally have an unlimited power for doing good. He implies that the possibility for both good and also bad lies within each person, which it is up to us to make a decision which course to take. He suggests that if we had the power to do great damage, we would certainly also have the power to do great good. This quote motivates us to use our power completely, as opposed to for evil. It is a reminder that we have the prospective to make a positive difference in the world, and that we must aim to utilize our power for the improvement of culture. Inevitably, Socrates' quote functions as a reminder that we have the power to make a difference, which we must use it for good.