If you're looking at people like Patrice Lumumba, you are looking at people who had a very definite plan, and events overran them.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
The murder of Lumumba, in which the U.S. was involved, in the Congo destroyed Africa's major hope for development. Congo is now total horror story, for years.
There's very few people - like Shakespeare - who, no matter what, were gonna do what they did. For the rest of us, there's a lot of events that have to happen in order for things to end up the way they are.
People have their complexities. They have their heroic moments and their villainous moments, too.
I think that people who are famous tend to be underdeveloped in their humanity skills.
From the very beginning, I had an ambition for 'The Luminaries': a direction - but not a real idea.
People like leaders who look like they are dominant, optimistic, friendly to their friends, and quick on the trigger when it comes to enemies. They like boldness and despise the appearance of timidity and protracted doubt.
People are just fascinated by assassinations.
I've not seen in my lifetime any politician who is a heroic figure. The manipulation that all politicians use on one level or another is so transparent.
Julius Caesar was an aristocrat who sided with the Roman people. He's not my hero, but he was one of a long line of what we'll call 'populares,' which were popular leaders who tried to institute these reforms that the people were fighting for.
Leaders need to be optimists. Their vision is beyond the present.
No opposing quotes found.