Struggle for Control Quotes

There is no power on earth that can loosen a man's grip on his own throat

The characters in my novels, from the very first one, are always on some quixotic effort of attempting to control something that is uncontrollable - some element of the world that is essentially random and out of control.

The more civilized a nation, the more conformed its population, until that civilization's last age arrives, when multiplicity wages war with conformity. The former grows ever wilder, ever more dysfunctional in its extremities; whilst the latter seeks to increase its measure of control, until such efforts acquire diabolical tyranny.' - Traveller

I've come to believe that part of lovesickness comes from this conflict between control and desire. In love we have no control. Our hearts and minds are tormented, teased, enticed and delighted by the overwhelming strength of emotions that make us try to forget the real world.

No one really has the power, and everybody's trying to get through the day, and everybody's nervous and desperate.

Invader and invaded held on to their fistfuls of earth, but in the end, the earth outlived the hands that held it.

When you are wrestling for possession of a sword, the man with the handle always wins.

I'm interested, I suppose, in tortured power.

I am struggling to maintain the government, not to overthrow it. I am struggling especially to prevent others from overthrowing it.

To cast in it with Hyde was to die a thousand interests and aspirations.

He could hear himself screaming and he knew it was his death cry. Still he fought on, as he had fought all his life. I...will...control... The words came from his mouth, stained with his blood... I will control... Reaching out, his hands closed over the Staff on Magius. I will!

Conflict is part of the human condition and can never be eliminated. Neither can the desire for power and the tendency to abuse it.

If you were handed power on a plate you'd be left fighting over a plate.

I fought against her, trying to mount some kind of defense, but it was like fighting Dimitri on crack.

Why have I so little control? It is the case of much waste and pain in my life.

The Hulk is the most difficult Marvel property because it's always about balance. Is he a monster? Is he a hero? Are you going to root for a protagonist who spends all his time trying to stop the reason you came to the movie from happening? It's always a dance