UN General Assembly
1968

65. Once again, we must note the distance between man’s admirable ability in our century to overcome technical difficulties, to work out through scientific research ways of prolonging life, of reducing work fatigue, of conquering space, and his subjection to the most ancient passions, passions which lead through breaches of the law and through violence to conflict. Of course, these are what we like to call local conflicts; but surely each of us should be constantly fearful that one or another of these local conflicts may directly or indirectly lead to war, a war in which every discovery of technology and science will inexorably serve to bring about the downfall, abasement and death of mankind. 66. Politics are not ethics, for ethics are a thing of the mind while politics mean action. Any action, however nobly inspired, must obey the law of success, which requires that reality must be known if it is to be understood, obeyed and mastered.