Tyrants are stupid and dictators are dumb because they seek public power.
Sure, on some level, those who climb to these positions are worthy of respect; they had the cunning to spy out a path, as well as the audacity to walk it. However, the very nature of their power makes them fragile. Power overtly exercised manufactures opposition. Power visibly possessed puts a target on the possessor’s back. That’s why figures like Trump don’t bother me overmuch: sure, he can cause some havoc, but that’s mainly because he wants other people to recognise his dominance. I find little to fear in someone who seeks influence and wants others to know that he has it.
No, more demanding of my cautious attention are those with private power. Those cunning enough to understand how to get power, audacious enough to gather it into their hands, but wise enough to mask the full extent of the influence they possess. These are the ones I am wary of. These are the ones who will maintain their positions long after they have consolidated them. Mainly because, if they are successful in their aims, their hand in events will never be detected, and thus, will never be eradicated.
Swell & Cut 