"I've been on the other side of the table many times, trying to get people to be sympathetic to projects, and I've been the victim of that kind of intense kindness masking extreme stupidity"
- Tilda Swinton
About this Quote
This quote by Tilda Swinton speaks with the power characteristics of decision-making. She is suggesting that often those in positions of power can be extremely kind in order to mask their own absence of understanding or intelligence. This can be viewed as a kind of control, as those in power can utilize their kindness to make those they are speaking to feel obligated to concur with them. This quote also speaks to the value of being able to acknowledge when someone is being overly kind in order to control a scenario. It is important to be able to recognize when somebody is attempting to use their power to get what they want, and to be able to stand up for oneself and one's beliefs. Swinton's quote is a reminder to be familiar with the power dynamics at play in any circumstance, and to be able to acknowledge when someone is trying to utilize their power to manipulate a scenario.