---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You wouldn’t know what it’s like to grow…"
description: "\"“You wouldn’t know what it’s like to grow up privileged and powerful. It’s intoxicating. Watching how people defer to you, and to your parents. Power r..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/robert-bryndza-16896_power_you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow_801519.jpg"
---

#  You wouldn’t know what it’s like to grow up privileged and…

![“You wouldn’t know what it’s like to grow up privileged and powerful. It’s intoxicating. Watching how people defer to you, and to your parents. Power reeks from your pores, and it infects people around you. Power corrupts, envelops, entices . . . The more powerful my father becomes, the more he…” quote by Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/robert-bryndza-16896_power_you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow_801519.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/robert-bryndza-16896_power_you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow_801519.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/robert-bryndza-16896_power_you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow_801519.jpg)

> ““You wouldn’t know what it’s like to grow up privileged and powerful. It’s intoxicating. Watching how people defer to you, and to your parents. Power reeks from your pores, and it infects people around you. Power corrupts, envelops, entices . . . The more powerful my father becomes, the more he fears losing it.””

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Privilege and power create a seductive, corrupting influence that both isolates the powerful and fuels fear of loss.

**In simple terms:** Power corrupts and isolates.

Key Takeaway

Beware the corrupting nature of power.

Themes

power privilege corruption

Mood

cautious thoughtful

Type

psychological dramatic

When to use this quote

- leadership
- family dynamics
- ethical decision‑making

Key Concepts

Power dynamics fear of loss

Questions to Reflect On

- How does power change personal relationships?
- What can prevent power from corrupting?

A Different Perspective

Power can blind one to others’ needs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts/)

## Related quotes

> [The man assumes the role of the loner, the thinker and the searching spirit who calls the privileged and the powerful to task. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/the-man-assumes-the-role-of-the-loner-the-thinker-and-the-searching/)

[Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/)

> [“Prayer, then, is enjoying the care of a powerful Father, instead of being left to a frightening loneliness where everything is all down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-reeves/prayer-then-is-enjoying-the-care-of-a-powerful-father-instead-of/)

[Michael Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-reeves/)

> [“Then came the reflection, how little at any time could a father do for the wellbeing of his children! The fact of their being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/then-came-the-reflection-how-little-at-any-time-could-a-father-do-for/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [I was brought up in a very religious household and did a lot of praying throughout a big part of my life and always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/i-was-brought-up-in-a-very-religious-household-and-did-a-lot-of/)

[Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/)

> [I became the leader because of my father's leadership and I was considered as powerful as same as my own father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-riel/i-became-the-leader-because-of-my-father-s-leadership-and-i-was/)

[Louis Riel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-riel/)

> [I may be a young girl, but behind every young girl is a powerful father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-palermo/i-may-be-a-young-girl-but-behind-every-young-girl-is-a-powerful-father/)

[Olivia Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-palermo/)

> [When I was in high school, my parents had this power over me - if I ever lied or got caught doing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-byrd/when-i-was-in-high-school-my-parents-had-this-power-over-me-if-i-ever-3/)

[Dan Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-byrd/)

> [A happy childhood is one of the best gifts that parents have in their power to bestow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cholmondeley/a-happy-childhood-is-one-of-the-best-gifts-that-parents-have-in-their/)

[Mary Cholmondeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cholmondeley/)

> [When I was in high school, my parents had this power over me - if I ever lied or got caught doing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-byrd/when-i-was-in-high-school-my-parents-had-this-power-over-me-if-i-ever-2/)

[Dan Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-byrd/)

> [Because parents have power over children. They feel they have to do what their parents say. But the love of money is the root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/because-parents-have-power-over-children-they-feel-they-have-to-do/)

[Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/)

> [Linda McMahon is a fierce advocate for restoring parents' power in the classroom and putting local communities back into a leadership position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/linda-mcmahon-is-a-fierce-advocate-for-restoring-parents-power-in-the/)

[Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/)

> [When I was in high school, my parents had this power over me - if I ever lied or got caught doing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-byrd/when-i-was-in-high-school-my-parents-had-this-power-over-me-if-i-ever/)

[Dan Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-byrd/)

> [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [The story being told in 'Star Wars' is a classic one. Every few hundred years, the story is retold because we have a tendency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-story-being-told-in-star-wars-is-a-classic-one-every-few-hundred/)

[George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/)

> [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great/)

[John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/)

## More by Robert Bryndza

> [“And now she was home, she realised she’d found yet another way to miss him. She missed coming home to him sitting on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/and-now-she-was-home-she-realised-she-d-found-yet-another-way-to-miss/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“again, I’m limited to the over forties. Your youth, it goes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/again-i-m-limited-to-the-over-forties-your-youth-it-goes/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“Thursday 18th June 07:37 TO: chris@christophercheshire.com Ow, ow ow. Sunburn. Grass burn. Torn dress. Mud in hair. Hung-over. Feel like a slut.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/thursday-18th-june-07-37-to-chris-christophercheshire-com-ow-ow-ow/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“You're going up against powerful people here, and the odds are not in your favour.' 'Sounds very Hunger Games...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/you-re-going-up-against-powerful-people-here-and-the-odds-are-not-in/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“What about life? Life is what happens when you’re making other plans. Take”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/what-about-life-life-is-what-happens-when-you-re-making-other-plans/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“Get off the cross, someone needs the wood! She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/get-off-the-cross-someone-needs-the-wood-she/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“Don’t talk yourself out of the job before you’ve begun.’ ‘Yes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/don-t-talk-yourself-out-of-the-job-before-you-ve-begun-yes/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“He was in control of every aspect of his profession and he deferred to no one. In his private life, however, he was clueless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/he-was-in-control-of-every-aspect-of-his-profession-and-he-deferred/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“I felt tears coming and for some reason, buried my head in Iain’s chest. It was firm and muscled and he smelt so wonderful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/i-felt-tears-coming-and-for-some-reason-buried-my-head-in-iain-s/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“promiscuousness? She looked back to Doug. ‘I wouldn’t use it as a moral compass on the poor girl,’ he said, reading her thoughts. ‘Was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/promiscuousness-she-looked-back-to-doug-i-wouldn-t-use-it-as-a-moral/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“But those same eyes were beginning to crease at the corners, her forehead bore too many lines and her face was beginning to sag.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/but-those-same-eyes-were-beginning-to-crease-at-the-corners-her/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“My point is that bad people are everywhere. The world is filled with good, but it’s equally overwhelmed with bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/my-point-is-that-bad-people-are-everywhere-the-world-is-filled-with/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“looked back to Doug. ‘I wouldn’t use it as a moral compass on the poor girl,’ he said, reading her thoughts. ‘Was it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/looked-back-to-doug-i-wouldn-t-use-it-as-a-moral-compass-on-the-poor/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“I unzipped my boots but they wouldn’t budge. My feet had swollen in the heat. After much tugging, a queue had started to form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/i-unzipped-my-boots-but-they-wouldn-t-budge-my-feet-had-swollen-in/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

> [“...I bet that Judy Garland would 'ave snapped out of it if she'd 'ad me in 'er ear and not all those poofs telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/i-bet-that-judy-garland-would-ave-snapped-out-of-it-if-she-d-ad-me-in/)

[Robert Bryndza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

[Explore all 34 Robert Bryndza quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/)

## More Power quotes

> [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/)

[Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/)

> [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/)

[Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/)

> [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/)

[John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/)

> [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/)

[Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/)

> [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/)

[Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/)

> [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/)

[Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/)

> [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/)

[Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/)

> [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/)

[Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/)

> [Politics is about power. It is about the power of the state. It is about the power of the state as applied to individuals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/politics-is-about-power-it-is-about-the-power-of-the-state-it-is/)

[Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/)

[Browse all 17,893 Power quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“You wouldn’t know what it’s like to grow up privileged and powerful. It’s intoxicating. Watching how people defer to you, and to your parents. Power reeks from your pores, and it infects people around you. Power corrupts, envelops, entices . . . The more powerful my father becomes, the more he fears losing it.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert Bryndza"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow-up-privileged-and-powerful/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Power"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow-up-privileged-and-powerful/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/robert-bryndza-16896_power_you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow_801519.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/robert-bryndza-16896_power_you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow_801519.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/robert-bryndza-16896_power_you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow_801519.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You wouldn’t know what it’s like to grow up privileged and powerful. It’s intoxicating. Watching how people…” — Robert Bryndza",
                "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": "Robert Bryndza",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryndza/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“You wouldn’t know what it’s like...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow-up-privileged-and-powerful/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryndza/you-wouldn-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-grow-up-privileged-and-powerful/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
