--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Power Breeds Satans As Bob Sutton points…" description: "\"“Power Breeds Satans As Bob Sutton points out, assholes are created because we are all so easily corrupted by hierarchy and asymmetries in power. Even ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/richard-beck-30391_quote_power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points_1778721.jpg" --- # Power Breeds Satans As Bob Sutton points out, assholes are… ![“Power Breeds Satans As Bob Sutton points out, assholes are created because we are all so easily corrupted by hierarchy and asymmetries in power. Even the smallest power differentials can transform us into assholes.” quote by Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/richard-beck-30391_quote_power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points_1778721.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/richard-beck-30391_quote_power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points_1778721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/richard-beck-30391_quote_power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points_1778721.jpg) > ““Power Breeds Satans As Bob Sutton points out, assholes are created because we are all so easily corrupted by hierarchy and asymmetries in power. Even the smallest power differentials can transform us into assholes.”” [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even minor differences in power can corrupt individuals, turning them into unpleasant or abusive people. **In simple terms:** Small power gaps can make people behave badly. Key Takeaway Beware of letting power go unchecked. Themes power corruption hierarchy ethics human behavior Mood cautious thoughtful inquisitive Type sociological psychological When to use this quote - corporate leadership - team projects - political offices - social groups - online communities Key Concepts psychology organizational behavior morality Questions to Reflect On - What checks can prevent power abuse? - Are some hierarchies necessary? A Different Perspective Not all power leads to corruption; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assholes/) [Assholes Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assholes-created-1842943/) [Breeds Satans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeds-satans-1842945/) [Points Assholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/points-assholes-1842946/) [Transform Assholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transform-assholes-1842944/) ## Related quotes > [Assholes were created to keep shit under control during times of intense pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-ruben-guerrero/assholes-were-created-to-keep-shit-under-control-during-times-of/) [Roland Ruben Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-ruben-guerrero/) > [“The kid looked at me as if I’d just told a joke about his mother. ‘I don’t know, Mr Dunne, I’m sure they’re getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/the-kid-looked-at-me-as-if-i-d-just-told-a-joke-about-his-mother-i/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [“People hate it when you call them on jackassery. That's a big fact of human nature: Not a lot of people want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-st-crow/people-hate-it-when-you-call-them-on-jackassery-that-s-a-big-fact-of/) [Lili St. Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-st-crow/) > [“New Rule: Democrats must get in touch with their inner asshole. I refer to the case of Van Jones, the man the Obama administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-democrats-must-get-in-touch-with-their-inner-asshole-i-refer/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Guys annoy me so much -.- it's like they study to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-annoy-me-so-much-it-s-like-they-study-to-be-an-asshole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Excuses are like assholes, everyone has one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/excuses-are-like-assholes-everyone-has-one/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [“What a mealy-mouth. Windier than a bag of assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-ross/what-a-mealy-mouth-windier-than-a-bag-of-assholes/) [Rodney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-ross/) > [“Half the time, people just want to be assholes, so they call it rebellion. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-konen/half-the-time-people-just-want-to-be-assholes-so-they-call-it/) [Leah Konen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-konen/) > [The grumpier you are, the more assholes you meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-grumpier-you-are-the-more-assholes-you-meet/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“All men are assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-sanchez/all-men-are-assholes/) [Lisa Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-sanchez/) > [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Note To Females: You cant blame the entire male genre just because you were attracted to some assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/note-to-females-you-cant-blame-the-entire-male-genre-just-because-you/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) ## More by Richard Beck > [“We don’t mind swallowing what is on the “inside.” But we are disgusted by swallowing something that is “outside,” even if that something was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/we-don-t-mind-swallowing-what-is-on-the-inside-but-we-are-disgusted/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“these are the sorts of experiences in life that make us feel most vulnerable: Standing over my children while they are sleeping. Acknowledging how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/these-are-the-sorts-of-experiences-in-life-that-make-us-feel-most/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“Whenever you hear someone say that they love God more than human beings watch out, because that person is about to hurt somebody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/whenever-you-hear-someone-say-that-they-love-god-more-than-human/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“Jesus was in a battle with Satan, and if we want to follow Jesus we have to fight the battle that Jesus fought. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/jesus-was-in-a-battle-with-satan-and-if-we-want-to-follow-jesus-we/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“Being a parent is joyful, but it's also haunted by the specter of loss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/being-a-parent-is-joyful-but-it-s-also-haunted-by-the-specter-of-loss/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“Hospitality isn’t just about welcoming sinners; it’s also about welcoming people we think are idiots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/hospitality-isn-t-just-about-welcoming-sinners-it-s-also-about/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“Basically, a satan is more of a relationship than a person. Anything that is facing you in an antagonistic or adversarial way—working against you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/basically-a-satan-is-more-of-a-relationship-than-a-person-anything/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“Satan names that which is working against God and God’s kingdom in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/satan-names-that-which-is-working-against-god-and-god-s-kingdom-in/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“Ponder a curious fact about the witness of the early Christians in light of our tendency to focus on electoral politics as the weapon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/ponder-a-curious-fact-about-the-witness-of-the-early-christians-in/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“The trouble with the Devil is that we see him in the faces of those we hate, justifying our violence toward them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/the-trouble-with-the-devil-is-that-we-see-him-in-the-faces-of-those/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“Specifically, how are we to draw the boundaries of exclusion and inclusion in the life of the church? Sacrifice—the purity impulse—marks off a zone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/specifically-how-are-we-to-draw-the-boundaries-of-exclusion-and/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“The kingdom of God is the hard, intimate, and sweaty work of simply getting along with people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/the-kingdom-of-god-is-the-hard-intimate-and-sweaty-work-of-simply/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“The goal of resistance wasn’t simply to topple Hitler. Resistance had to be a way of life, the only way to live as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/the-goal-of-resistance-wasn-t-simply-to-topple-hitler-resistance-had/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“It’s the same problem we struggle with when it comes to marginalizing our privilege, power, or position as we focus on the voices and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/it-s-the-same-problem-we-struggle-with-when-it-comes-to-marginalizing/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) > [“we know that America is a culture driven by fear. And when you explore the roots of that fear you find that they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/we-know-that-america-is-a-culture-driven-by-fear-and-when-you-explore/) [Richard Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) [Explore all 17 Richard Beck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/) ## More Assholes quotes > [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Note To Females: You cant blame the entire male genre just because you were attracted to some assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/note-to-females-you-cant-blame-the-entire-male-genre-just-because-you/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“All men are assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-sanchez/all-men-are-assholes/) [Lisa Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-sanchez/) > [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [The grumpier you are, the more assholes you meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-grumpier-you-are-the-more-assholes-you-meet/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [“Half the time, people just want to be assholes, so they call it rebellion. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-konen/half-the-time-people-just-want-to-be-assholes-so-they-call-it/) [Leah Konen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-konen/) > [“What a mealy-mouth. Windier than a bag of assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-ross/what-a-mealy-mouth-windier-than-a-bag-of-assholes/) [Rodney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-ross/) > [Excuses are like assholes, everyone has one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/excuses-are-like-assholes-everyone-has-one/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Guys annoy me so much -.- it's like they study to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-annoy-me-so-much-it-s-like-they-study-to-be-an-asshole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“New Rule: Democrats must get in touch with their inner asshole. I refer to the case of Van Jones, the man the Obama administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-democrats-must-get-in-touch-with-their-inner-asshole-i-refer/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“People hate it when you call them on jackassery. That's a big fact of human nature: Not a lot of people want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-st-crow/people-hate-it-when-you-call-them-on-jackassery-that-s-a-big-fact-of/) [Lili St. Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-st-crow/) > [“Don't you think she's had her quota of assholes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/don-t-you-think-she-s-had-her-quota-of-assholes/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [Friends are like assholes, everyone's got one but some are more full of shit than other's!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-carrion/friends-are-like-assholes-everyone-s-got-one-but-some-are-more-full/) [Diana Carrion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-carrion/) [Browse all 238 Assholes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assholes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Power Breeds Satans As Bob Sutton points out, assholes are created because we are all so easily corrupted by hierarchy and asymmetries in power. Even the smallest power differentials can transform us into assholes.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Beck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points-out-assholes-are-created/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assholes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points-out-assholes-are-created/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/richard-beck-30391_quote_power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points_1778721.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/richard-beck-30391_quote_power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points_1778721.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/richard-beck-30391_quote_power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points_1778721.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Power Breeds Satans As Bob Sutton points out, assholes are created because we are all so easily corrupted by…” — Richard Beck", "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": "Richard Beck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Power Breeds Satans As Bob Sutton...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points-out-assholes-are-created/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beck/power-breeds-satans-as-bob-sutton-points-out-assholes-are-created/#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 } } ] } ```