--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you know how a man makes his way here?…" description: "\"Do you know how a man makes his way here? By brilliant genius or by skilful corruption. You must either cut your way through these masses of men like a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/honor-de-balzac-197_balls_do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here_2289637.jpg" --- # Do you know how a man makes his way here? By brilliant… ![“Do you know how a man makes his way here? By brilliant genius or by skilful corruption. You must either cut your way through these masses of men like a cannon ball, or steal among them like a plague.” quote by Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/honor-de-balzac-197_balls_do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here_2289637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/honor-de-balzac-197_balls_do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here_2289637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/honor-de-balzac-197_balls_do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here_2289637.jpg) > “Do you know how a man makes his way here? By brilliant genius or by skilful corruption. You must either cut your way through these masses of men like a cannon ball, or steal among them like a plague.” [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advancement requires either bold, forceful action or cunning subversion, reflecting moral ambiguity in ambition. **In simple terms:** Success needs force or cunning, often morally gray. Key Takeaway Choose ethical paths to achieve goals. Themes ambition ethics power strategy corruption Mood cynical reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - career advancement - political campaigns - business negotiations - activism Key Concepts moral compromise social mobility political maneuvering Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever justified to use deceit for success? - What are the costs of aggressive ambition? A Different Perspective Such tactics can erode trust and integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) [Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) [Cannons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannons/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Know Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-man/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Masses Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masses-men-1559078/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Plague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plague/) [Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal/) [Steal Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal-like-2236064/) [Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“Love, comes to steal you like a thief in the night. It aims to take your most precious from you. It gags, you, binds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolenya-caltman/love-comes-to-steal-you-like-a-thief-in-the-night-it-aims-to-take/) [Nicolenya Caltman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolenya-caltman/) > [I can't steal you like you stole me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-jenner/i-can-t-steal-you-like-you-stole-me/) [Kendall Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-jenner/) > [It is common to assume that human progress affects everyone - that even the dullest man, in these bright days, knows more than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/it-is-common-to-assume-that-human-progress-affects-everyone-that-even/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [When history is written as it ought to be written, it is the moderation and long patience of the masses at which men will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-history-is-written-as-it-ought-to-be-written-it-is-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-is-but-little-virtue-in-the-action-of-masses-of-men/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Civilization exists precisely so that there may be no masses but rather men alert enough never to constitute masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bernanos/civilization-exists-precisely-so-that-there-may-be-no-masses-but/) [Georges Bernanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bernanos/) > [“It was a sad truth that all the masses of men in their causes would be led by ambitious men, by power-hungry, cunningly self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oakley-hall/it-was-a-sad-truth-that-all-the-masses-of-men-in-their-causes-would/) [Oakley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oakley-hall/) > [A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-wise-man-will-not-leave-the-right-to-the-mercy-of-chance-nor-wish-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A grass blade believes that men build palaces for it to grow in. Grass wedges its way between the closest blocks of marble and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-grass-blade-believes-that-men-build-palaces-for-it-to-grow-in-grass/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [We must have books for recreation and entertainment, as well as books for instruction and for business; the former are agreeable, the latter useful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/we-must-have-books-for-recreation-and-entertainment-as-well-as-books/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Man, who thinks he knows everything. But what does man know...Man cares only for himself, in his fear and hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-clement-davies/man-who-thinks-he-knows-everything-but-what-does-man-know-man-cares/) [David Clement-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-clement-davies/) > [“I know him, that man walking- toward me up the crowded street of the city, I have lived with him seven years now, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-browne/i-know-him-that-man-walking-toward-me-up-the-crowded-street-of-the/) [Susan Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-browne/) > [If you wish to know what a man is, make him king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-wish-to-know-what-a-man-is-make-him-king/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [You know how we do man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daddy-yankee/you-know-how-we-do-man/) [Daddy Yankee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daddy-yankee/) > [“You know the legend, lady, but you don’t know the man. And damn if I’m not tempted to introduce you to the man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/you-know-the-legend-lady-but-you-don-t-know-the-man-and-damn-if-i-m/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) ## More by Honore de Balzac > [“Oh, my friend, when you love, love a woman whom you are sure that you can love always. Never forsake a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/oh-my-friend-when-you-love-love-a-woman-whom-you-are-sure-that-you/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“You have broken the ice, though you have not even scratched its glossy surface: you have placed your hand upon the croup of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/you-have-broken-the-ice-though-you-have-not-even-scratched-its-glossy/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In a world of hunchbacks, a fine figure becomes a monstrosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/in-a-world-of-hunchbacks-a-fine-figure-becomes-a-monstrosity/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [It is quite right what they say: the three most beautiful sights in the world are a ship in full sail, a galloping horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-is-quite-right-what-they-say-the-three-most-beautiful-sights-in/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [My writing table has seen all my wretchedness, knows all my plans, has overheard all my thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/my-writing-table-has-seen-all-my-wretchedness-knows-all-my-plans-has/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Foppery, being the chronic condition of women, is not so much noticed as it is when it breaks out on the person of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/foppery-being-the-chronic-condition-of-women-is-not-so-much-noticed/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A married woman is a slave you must know how to seat upon a throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-married-woman-is-a-slave-you-must-know-how-to-seat-upon-a-throne/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [I am a galley slave to pen and ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/i-am-a-galley-slave-to-pen-and-ink/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/one-can-imagine-the-look-the-two-lovers-exchanged-it-was-like-a-flame/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All men can bear a familiar, definite misfortune better than the cruel alternations of a fate which, from one moment to another, brings excessive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-men-can-bear-a-familiar-definite-misfortune-better-than-the-cruel/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The mind, too, has its regimen. It needs gymnastics, just like the body does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-mind-too-has-its-regimen-it-needs-gymnastics-just-like-the-body/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Hatred like love feeds on the merest trifles. Everything adds to it. Just as the being we love can do no wrong, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/hatred-like-love-feeds-on-the-merest-trifles-everything-adds-to-it/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All human power is a compound of time and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-human-power-is-a-compound-of-time-and-patience/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) [Explore all 793 Honore de Balzac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## More Balls quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I don't feel like I have to live up to anything because I've proven that I can play. Give me the ball and let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-portis/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-to-live-up-to-anything-because-i-ve-proven/) [Clinton Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-portis/) > [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) [Jerry Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-glanville/) [Browse all 3,005 Balls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do you know how a man makes his way here? By brilliant genius or by skilful corruption. You must either cut your way through these masses of men like a cannon ball, or steal among them like a plague.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Honore de Balzac" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here-by-brilliant-genius-or-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balls" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here-by-brilliant-genius-or-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/honor-de-balzac-197_balls_do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here_2289637.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/honor-de-balzac-197_balls_do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here_2289637.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/honor-de-balzac-197_balls_do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here_2289637.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do you know how a man makes his way here? By brilliant genius or by skilful corruption. You must either cut…” — Honore de Balzac", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Honore de Balzac", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Do you know how a man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here-by-brilliant-genius-or-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/do-you-know-how-a-man-makes-his-way-here-by-brilliant-genius-or-by/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```