Power without abuse loses its charm.

The line suggests a cynical psychology of domination: for some, the “charm” of power lies less in responsibility or achievement than in the license to overstep limits. Read this way, abuse is not an accidental byproduct but a constitutive temptation—power feels vivid when it can be exercised arbitrarily, humiliatingly, or without accountability. The aphorism also functions as a warning about institutions: if a system grants power without strong norms and checks, it may attract those who seek precisely the thrill of transgression. At the same time, it implies an ethical counterpoint: power that remains humane and bounded may seem less intoxicating, but it is the only kind compatible with justice.