Percy Bysshe Shelley, (1792-1822) British poet Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page Percy Bysshe Shelley Quote “Power, like a desolating pestilence, Pollutes whate'er it touches; and obedience, Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth, Makes slaves of men, and of the human frame, A mechanized automaton.”Percy Bysshe Shelley ~ Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) British poetQueen Mab [1813], pt. III Collectivist , Conformity , Disobedience , Free Thought , Freedom , Individualism , Liberty , Slavery , Subservience , Truth , Virtue , Wisdom Ratings and Comments 1 Reply Mike, Norwalk 6/9/23 Of course there are exceptions — BUT — very well said as a general overview. Reply Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 6/9/23 Aren't we, with this quote, just referring to the boys and girls "power" playing? Don't adults direct away from the playing and cultivate knowledge and understanding? And isn't Socialism the vision of social abilities to create? Reply Mike, Norwalk 6/9/23 Sillik, the answer to your questions is NO ! ! ! Your perception of children, adults and the mentally ill is very / VERY skewed. Knowledge and understanding definitively explains that Socialism is a vision of social abilities to create chaos, poverty, pain, violence, death; AND a loss of personal sovereignty, inalienable rights and liberty at nature's law. 1 Reply E Archer, NYC 6/14/23 The quote is right on.Sillik is right off (again).Socialism is not a 'vision,' it is authoritarian social engineering that does not respect individual ideas or self-determination. It is arrogance at its core. Socialism's first task is to kill off everyone that doesn't agree to its 'vision.' See China, USSR, Cuba, Nazi Germany — all 'socialists' until they have the power, then totalitarian. SaveOk2 SaveOk2 View CommentsClick to view or comment. Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print This Percy Bysshe Shelley quote is found in these categories: Collectivist quotes Conformity quotes Disobedience quotes Free Thought quotes Freedom quotes Individualism quotes Liberty quotes Slavery quotes Subservience quotes Truth quotes Virtue quotes Wisdom quotes About Percy Bysshe Shelley Bio of Percy Bysshe Shelley Quotations by Percy Bysshe Shelley Books by/about Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley videos Percy Bysshe Shelley on Wikipedia Astrological chart for Percy Bysshe Shelley