--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: First, a man may in some ways be superior…" description: "\"“First, a man may in some ways be superior to his fellows and still serve them, if together they serve a common cause which is greater than any one man..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/roger-zelazny-1604_1967_first-a-man-may-in-some-ways-be-superior_2193057.jpg" --- # First, a man may in some ways be superior to his fellows… ![“First, a man may in some ways be superior to his fellows and still serve them, if together they serve a common cause which is greater than any one man. I believe that I serve such a cause, or I would not be doing it.” quote by Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/roger-zelazny-1604_1967_first-a-man-may-in-some-ways-be-superior_2193057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/roger-zelazny-1604_1967_first-a-man-may-in-some-ways-be-superior_2193057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/roger-zelazny-1604_1967_first-a-man-may-in-some-ways-be-superior_2193057.jpg) > ““First, a man may in some ways be superior to his fellows and still serve them, if together they serve a common cause which is greater than any one man. I believe that I serve such a cause, or I would not be doing it.”” [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Superior individuals can still serve others when united by a cause greater than any one person. **In simple terms:** Serve a greater cause despite superiority. Key Takeaway Align personal strengths with collective goals. Themes leadership humility collective purpose Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - political movements - nonprofit work - community projects Key Concepts philosophy ethics team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to serve beyond self‑interest? - How do you ensure equality in shared causes? A Different Perspective Power dynamics can complicate service. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) ## Related quotes > [“Call themselves?" asked Yama. "You are wrong, Sam, Godhood is more than a name. It is a condition of being. One does not achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/call-themselves-asked-yama-you-are-wrong-sam-godhood-is-more-than-a/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Who are you, man?" "I? I am nothing," replied the other. "A leaf caught in a whirlpool. A feather in the wind..." "Too bad,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/who-are-you-man-i-i-am-nothing-replied-the-other-a-leaf-caught-in-a/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [We can best serve the cause of Canadian unity and understanding by living first in and through and then beyond our own immediate traditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-massey/we-can-best-serve-the-cause-of-canadian-unity-and-understanding-by/) [Vincent Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-massey/) > [ “Don’t speak of action \[effect\]. Don’t serve the action \[effect\]. It is a result. But serve the causes \[do the causes\]. Nothing will be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/don-t-speak-of-action-effect-don-t-serve-the-action-effect-it-is-a/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Volunteering can be an exciting, growing, enjoyable experience. It is truly gratifying to serve a cause, practice one's ideals, work with people, solve problems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-josland/volunteering-can-be-an-exciting-growing-enjoyable-experience-it-is/) Azgraybebly Josland > [“If it will give you any satisfaction in the end, I still care for you. Either there is no such thing as love, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/if-it-will-give-you-any-satisfaction-in-the-end-i-still-care-for-you/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“He smelled the smells of commerce and listened to the cursing of the sailors, both of which he admired: the former, as it reeked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/he-smelled-the-smells-of-commerce-and-listened-to-the-cursing-of-the/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Then every man would be as a god, you see. The result of this, of course, would be that there would no longer be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/then-every-man-would-be-as-a-god-you-see-the-result-of-this-of-course/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [You are a fool to speak of last great battles...for the last great battle is always the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/you-are-a-fool-to-speak-of-last-great-battles-for-the-last-great/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Which one is the right way?" "Huh? You're asking me that ? How should I know?" "Mortals call you Buddha." "That is only because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/which-one-is-the-right-way-huh-you-re-asking-me-that-how-should-i/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I wish that 'Yama Pasham' will be a bigger hit than 'Krishnagaadi Veera Prema Gaadha.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nani/i-wish-that-yama-pasham-will-be-a-bigger-hit-than-krishnagaadi-veera/) [Nani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nani/) > [As if I can find where either hell or heaven is I'll tell you which these either you will go because I'm Yama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tivea/as-if-i-can-find-where-either-hell-or-heaven-is-i-ll-tell-you-which/) [Tivea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tivea/) > [“Let us see rather that like Janus—or better, like Yama, the Brahmin god of death—religion has two faces, one very friendly, one very gloomy...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/let-us-see-rather-that-like-janus-or-better-like-yama-the-brahmin-god/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [We are called to serve the common good by engaging with political and other institutions, even in our pluralistic society. We bring to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-i-jenkins/we-are-called-to-serve-the-common-good-by-engaging-with-political-and/) [John I. Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-i-jenkins/) > [A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/a-president-must-serve-only-the-common-cause-of-the-people-of-the/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) ## More by Roger Zelazny > [“I was willing to die fighting, but it was senseless for all these men to go down with me. Perhaps my blood was tainted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-was-willing-to-die-fighting-but-it-was-senseless-for-all-these-men/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I know, too, that death is the only god who comes when you call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-know-too-that-death-is-the-only-god-who-comes-when-you-call/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [There's no such thing as civilization. The word just means the art of living in cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/there-s-no-such-thing-as-civilization-the-word-just-means-the-art-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Time, too, is a function of Shadow, and even Dworkin did not know all of its ins and outs. Or perhaps he did. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/time-too-is-a-function-of-shadow-and-even-dworkin-did-not-know-all-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I've always been impulsive. My thinking is usually pretty good, but I always seem to do it after I do my talking — by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-ve-always-been-impulsive-my-thinking-is-usually-pretty-good-but-i/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“And again, damn. Of troubles I considered myself amply possessed. But those who have do seem to get. Some spiritual form of compound interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/and-again-damn-of-troubles-i-considered-myself-amply-possessed-but/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Far below, the ocean was a bluegray rug being pulled out from beneath us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/far-below-the-ocean-was-a-bluegray-rug-being-pulled-out-from-beneath/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [A powerful flight of the imagination . . . an entirely enjoyable reading experience, wrought by a pair of writers noted for excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/a-powerful-flight-of-the-imagination-an-entirely-enjoyable-reading/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [The function of criticism should not be confused with the function of reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-function-of-criticism-should-not-be-confused-with-the-function-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I always wanted to write, ever since I was a kid. I started writing at the age of 11. All I wanted to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-always-wanted-to-write-ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-started-writing-at/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [While I had often said that I wanted to die in bed, what I really meant was that in my old age I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/while-i-had-often-said-that-i-wanted-to-die-in-bed-what-i-really/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“That was the first time in my life that I knew the meaning of despair. I read, I worked, I drank, I whored, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/that-was-the-first-time-in-my-life-that-i-knew-the-meaning-of-despair/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“I watched until the sizzlecloud drew its legs up into itself, hung like a burning cocoon, then died like an ember retreating into ash.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-until-the-sizzlecloud-drew-its-legs-up-into-itself-hung/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [To waste! You are unknown and unwanted, save by me. This, because you are fairly adept at the various embalming arts and you occasionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/to-waste-you-are-unknown-and-unwanted-save-by-me-this-because-you-are/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I watched the spinning stars, grateful, sad and proud, as only a man who has outlived his destiny and realizes he might yet forge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-the-spinning-stars-grateful-sad-and-proud-as-only-a-man-who/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) [Explore all 220 Roger Zelazny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## More 1967 quotes > [“Totalitarian politics—far from being simply antisemitic or racist or imperialist or communist—use and abuse their own ideological and political elements until the basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/totalitarian-politics-far-from-being-simply-antisemitic-or-racist-or/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“The society whose modernisation has reached the stage of integrated spectacle is characterised by the combined effect of five principal factors: incessant technological renewal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-debord/the-society-whose-modernisation-has-reached-the-stage-of-integrated/) [Guy Debord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-debord/) > [“Then every man would be as a god, you see. The result of this, of course, would be that there would no longer be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/then-every-man-would-be-as-a-god-you-see-the-result-of-this-of-course/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“I will be glad to go. There is no poetry here. It is as I have always set forth: joy comes of its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/i-will-be-glad-to-go-there-is-no-poetry-here-it-is-as-i-have-always/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [“This new situation, in which "humanity" has in effect assumed the role formerly ascribed to nature or history, would mean in this context that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/this-new-situation-in-which-humanity-has-in-effect-assumed-the-role/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“If it will give you any satisfaction in the end, I still care for you. Either there is no such thing as love, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/if-it-will-give-you-any-satisfaction-in-the-end-i-still-care-for-you/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“That concentration camps were ultimately provided for the same groups in all countries, even though there were considerable differences in the treatment of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/that-concentration-camps-were-ultimately-provided-for-the-same-groups/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Rule by decree has conspicuous advantages for the domination of far-flung territories with heterogeneous populations and for a policy of oppression. Its efficiency is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/rule-by-decree-has-conspicuous-advantages-for-the-domination-of-far/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Darwinism met with such overwhelming success because it provided, on the basis of inheritance, the ideological weapons for race and well as class rule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/darwinism-met-with-such-overwhelming-success-because-it-provided-on/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Naturalization, on the other hand, also proved to be a failure. The whole naturalization system of European countries fell apart when it was confronted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/naturalization-on-the-other-hand-also-proved-to-be-a-failure-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Call themselves?" asked Yama. "You are wrong, Sam, Godhood is more than a name. It is a condition of being. One does not achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/call-themselves-asked-yama-you-are-wrong-sam-godhood-is-more-than-a/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Only the unlimited accumulation of power could bring about the unlimited accumulation of capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/only-the-unlimited-accumulation-of-power-could-bring-about-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [You are a fool to speak of last great battles...for the last great battle is always the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/you-are-a-fool-to-speak-of-last-great-battles-for-the-last-great/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Slavery's fundamental offense against human rights was not that it took liberty away (which can happen in many other situations), but that it excluded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/slavery-s-fundamental-offense-against-human-rights-was-not-that-it/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Which one is the right way?" "Huh? You're asking me that ? How should I know?" "Mortals call you Buddha." "That is only because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/which-one-is-the-right-way-huh-you-re-asking-me-that-how-should-i/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) Browse all 30 1967 quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“First, a man may in some ways be superior to his fellows and still serve them, if together they serve a common cause which is greater than any one man. 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