The phrase "with great power comes great responsibility" is common. In the young generation it’s been made famous by Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben who used the phrase on Peter a little bit before being shot dead.
Where exactly did this phrase come from though? According to records kept by British Parliament, the phrase goes as far back as 1817 and maybe before. The Parliamentary Debates from the Year 1803 to the Present Time chronicles the goings on of Parliament.
During 1817, this volume notes "that the possession of great power necessarily implies great responsibility." While not exactly the same wording as the phrase we use today, the idea is the same.
Of course it's possible that this statement goes back further than 1817, but at the very least we know it's a few centuries old. Having survived for so long, I suppose we should all heed its advice.
Where exactly did this phrase come from though? According to records kept by British Parliament, the phrase goes as far back as 1817 and maybe before. The Parliamentary Debates from the Year 1803 to the Present Time chronicles the goings on of Parliament.
During 1817, this volume notes "that the possession of great power necessarily implies great responsibility." While not exactly the same wording as the phrase we use today, the idea is the same.
Of course it's possible that this statement goes back further than 1817, but at the very least we know it's a few centuries old. Having survived for so long, I suppose we should all heed its advice.