“Political passions, aroused everywhere, demand their victims.” — Albert Einstein, April 1955
Just days before his death, Albert Einstein wrote these chilling words in an unpublished manuscript. He was reflecting on the state of the world—not just scientifically, but morally, socially, and politically. This was no abstract musing. Einstein had lived through two world wars, fled Nazi Germany, watched fascism rise and fall, and witnessed the birth of nuclear weapons—the very tools he had once feared might destroy us.
So when he wrote, “Political passions, aroused everywhere, demand their victims,” it was not a metaphor. It was a diagnosis.
The Price of Political Passion
Political passion, at its best, can galvanize positive change. It can ignite civil rights movements, elevate silenced voices, and usher in progress. But unchecked passion, particularly when rooted in fear, grievance, or identity, can also become tribal, combustible, and dangerous.
Einstein saw the dangers of blind allegiance to party, nation, or ideology. He watched how fervor and fear could strip people of their reason—and their humanity. He understood how “us versus them” thinking could lead to scapegoating, suppression, and violence.
And here we are again.
Victims of Today’s Passions
In today’s world, political passions have not cooled. The heat may be rising.
- Polarization dominates our public discourse. Whether in democracies or authoritarian regimes, compromise is often viewed as a sign of weakness, and dissent is frequently portrayed as a betrayal.
- Misinformation spreads faster than facts. Rage travels farther than reason. And nuance—once the hallmark of a thoughtful mind—is now often treated as cowardice.
- Cultural “others” are regularly cast as enemies: immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, people of different faiths or races, intellectuals, or even scientists. They become convenient targets in battles they did not start.
The victims Einstein warned of may not be literal in every case. Still, careers are ruined, reputations are shattered, lives are threatened, and democracy itself is bruised when passion outweighs principle.
We see it in political purges, cancel culture, authoritarian crackdowns, and even in workplace dynamics where ideological litmus tests trump dialogue and diversity of thought.
A Scientist’s Soul, a Humanitarian’s Heart
Einstein was no stranger to political engagement. He supported civil rights in America, was a passionate anti-racist, and denounced McCarthyism. He once wrote to W.E.B. Du Bois to offer public support when Du Bois was under FBI scrutiny. Einstein even said, “The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it.”
However, he was wary of fervor that was untethered to ethics.
He once said, “Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of humanity.” To Einstein, nationalism—one form of political passion—was not a strength, but a regression.
And long before today’s social media-fueled mob mentalities, he warned, “Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.”
Einstein did not support indifference or apathy. He advocated independent thought, critical thinking, and compassion.
The Antidote to Passion Gone Awry
So what do we do in a world still aflame with political passion? We start by remembering that passion, by itself, is not a virtue. Passion must be tempered by empathy, reason, and restraint.
Even when our side feels correct, we must not give in to tribalism. We need to do what Einstein thought was most important: believe for ourselves. And, perhaps most importantly, we need to learn how to distinguish between friends and adversaries, and between facts and feelings.
Einstein believed in moral courage, but he also believed in doubt-the kind of doubt that asks, “Am I certain?” before demanding someone else’s silence or shame.
In a world where passions still demand their victims, we are challenged not to be passive but to be more mindful.
Let us be passionate about truth, but not so impassioned that we create new victims in the name of old ideals.
Let us fight for justice, but never forget that justice without humility can become vengeance.
And let us remember that Einstein’s final warning was not just for 1955.
It was for us.
Author’s Note:
Albert Einstein died on April 18, 1955. His quote appears in Subtle is the Lord, a biography by Abraham Pais. It offers a rare glimpse into the mind of a man who, until the end, used his voice to warn not just of scientific dangers, but of moral ones.
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