--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And what is corruption, I ask you? Who…" description: "\"“And what is corruption, I ask you? Who gets hurt if a poor cop gets a new car or a week’s vacation in Kenya for letting the Baltic girls earn a living..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/steen-langstrup-13083_corruption_and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-get_2744691.jpg" --- # And what is corruption, I ask you? Who gets hurt if a poor… ![“And what is corruption, I ask you? Who gets hurt if a poor cop gets a new car or a week’s vacation in Kenya for letting the Baltic girls earn a living in peace, down on the docks? I mean, where’s the harm in that?” Police Officer on Radio Fake 112.8 MHz In The Shadow of Sadd.” quote by Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/steen-langstrup-13083_corruption_and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-get_2744691.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/steen-langstrup-13083_corruption_and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-get_2744691.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/steen-langstrup-13083_corruption_and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-get_2744691.jpg) > ““And what is corruption, I ask you? Who gets hurt if a poor cop gets a new car or a week’s vacation in Kenya for letting the Baltic girls earn a living in peace, down on the docks? I mean, where’s the harm in that?” Police Officer on Radio Fake 112.8 MHz In The Shadow of Sadd.”” [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Corruption is rationalized when benefits seem harmless, but it erodes trust and fairness. **In simple terms:** Small corrupt acts harm society. Key Takeaway Question the true cost of minor injustices. Themes corruption ethics justice trust Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public administration - law enforcement - policy making - community oversight Key Concepts moral hazard systemic decay social equity Questions to Reflect On - What defines a harmless corrupt act? - How does small corruption affect larger systems? A Different Perspective People may overlook cumulative impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cop Gets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop-gets-2168361/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Corruption Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption-ask-3053288/) [Crime fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime-fiction/) [Harm Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm-police-3053289/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [New car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-car/) [Officer Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officer-radio-3053290/) [Police officer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police-officer/) [Poor Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-cop-845463/) [Scandinavian-mysteries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandinavian-mysteries/) ## Related quotes > [A piece of paper makes you an officer, a radio makes you a commander.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-n-bradley/a-piece-of-paper-makes-you-an-officer-a-radio-makes-you-a-commander/) [Omar N. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-n-bradley/) > [“You wouldn’t shut up about how brain-damaged that ‘little Rusky diva-bitch’ was and how he needed to just ‘get over his sorry self and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lane/you-wouldn-t-shut-up-about-how-brain-damaged-that-little-rusky-diva/) [Amy Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lane/) > [“We saved the lives of a whole family that night. Children, parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, all sailed to safety in Sweden inside a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/we-saved-the-lives-of-a-whole-family-that-night-children-parents/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [The cop gets to the window and says the same thing that they all say, right, 'Do you know why I stopped you?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/the-cop-gets-to-the-window-and-says-the-same-thing-that-they-all-say/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [I've physically seen profiling. I've seen me walking up the street with my friends, and the police officers get out of their car and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyron-woodley/i-ve-physically-seen-profiling-i-ve-seen-me-walking-up-the-street/) [Tyron Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyron-woodley/) > [“You’ll be very close to him when you shoot him. So shove the pistol in his face and pull the trigger instantly.” Ingrid aka…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/you-ll-be-very-close-to-him-when-you-shoot-him-so-shove-the-pistol-in/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“There are criminals everywhere these days, you know. One might end up missing the police! Who would have thought that possible?” The Maid The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/there-are-criminals-everywhere-these-days-you-know-one-might-end-up/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“People change sides. You’ve always been a dirty piece of shit cop. You can be bought, Verner!” “Just like you, Ingrid. Just like you.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/people-change-sides-you-ve-always-been-a-dirty-piece-of-shit-cop-you/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [A truck driver was driving along on the freeway. A sign comes up that reads, Low Bridge Ahead. Before he knows it, the bridge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-engvall/a-truck-driver-was-driving-along-on-the-freeway-a-sign-comes-up-that/) [Bill Engvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-engvall/) > [“I thought about taking a course in painting. I was good at drawing in school, you remember?” “You never went to school.” Conversation between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/i-thought-about-taking-a-course-in-painting-i-was-good-at-drawing-in/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“What is the name of the woman on the telephone?” “Alis K.” “Is that her real name?” “No.” Conversation between ‘BB’ and his wife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/what-is-the-name-of-the-woman-on-the-telephone-alis-k-is-that-her/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“Someday this war will be over. A new order of the world will appear in its place. The idea of Socialism will prevail. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/someday-this-war-will-be-over-a-new-order-of-the-world-will-appear-in/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“That crap about doing something with your life are luxury problems. People like us have to play by a different rules.” #ShadowofSadd #Books”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/that-crap-about-doing-something-with-your-life-are-luxury-problems/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“It was the second time in a row they were expecting us. We’ve got an informer in our group.” Johannes aka ‘BB’ The Informer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/it-was-the-second-time-in-a-row-they-were-expecting-us-we-ve-got-an/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [I'll cop whatever gets thrown at me - that's politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annastacia-palaszczuk/i-ll-cop-whatever-gets-thrown-at-me-that-s-politics/) [Annastacia Palaszczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annastacia-palaszczuk/) ## More by Steen Langstrup > [“We saved the lives of a whole family that night. Children, parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, all sailed to safety in Sweden inside a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/we-saved-the-lives-of-a-whole-family-that-night-children-parents/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“It was the second time in a row they were expecting us. We’ve got an informer in our group.” Johannes aka ‘BB’ The Informer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/it-was-the-second-time-in-a-row-they-were-expecting-us-we-ve-got-an/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“That crap about doing something with your life are luxury problems. People like us have to play by a different rules.” #ShadowofSadd #Books”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/that-crap-about-doing-something-with-your-life-are-luxury-problems/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“Someday this war will be over. A new order of the world will appear in its place. The idea of Socialism will prevail. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/someday-this-war-will-be-over-a-new-order-of-the-world-will-appear-in/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“Agreed. We could set a trap for him. See if he goes for it.” “How would we do that?” Conversation between ‘Borge’ and ‘Jens’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/agreed-we-could-set-a-trap-for-him-see-if-he-goes-for-it-how-would-we/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“What is the name of the woman on the telephone?” “Alis K.” “Is that her real name?” “No.” Conversation between ‘BB’ and his wife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/what-is-the-name-of-the-woman-on-the-telephone-alis-k-is-that-her/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“That’s war. It won’t let anyone get away unscathed. I’m sorry about Grete.” Verner aka ‘Jens’ in the novel 'the Informer' by Steen Langstrup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/that-s-war-it-won-t-let-anyone-get-away-unscathed-i-m-sorry-about/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“There is always a unique atmosphere in the car when you drive through the City with a dead body in the back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/there-is-always-a-unique-atmosphere-in-the-car-when-you-drive-through/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“I thought about taking a course in painting. I was good at drawing in school, you remember?” “You never went to school.” Conversation between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/i-thought-about-taking-a-course-in-painting-i-was-good-at-drawing-in/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“It’s all a pile of shit,” he whispers to the darkness around him. “It’s all just one big pile of shit.” Verner aka ‘Jens’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/it-s-all-a-pile-of-shit-he-whispers-to-the-darkness-around-him-it-s/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“People change sides. You’ve always been a dirty piece of shit cop. You can be bought, Verner!” “Just like you, Ingrid. Just like you.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/people-change-sides-you-ve-always-been-a-dirty-piece-of-shit-cop-you/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“There are criminals everywhere these days, you know. One might end up missing the police! Who would have thought that possible?” The Maid The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/there-are-criminals-everywhere-these-days-you-know-one-might-end-up/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“It’s a case of mistaken identity. It’s one big mistake. You weren’t even in the country when it happened.” Maja in the short story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/it-s-a-case-of-mistaken-identity-it-s-one-big-mistake-you-weren-t/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“You’ll be very close to him when you shoot him. So shove the pistol in his face and pull the trigger instantly.” Ingrid aka…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/you-ll-be-very-close-to-him-when-you-shoot-him-so-shove-the-pistol-in/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [“Sneaking out at night. You think you’re so clever, but you’re not. Either you’re a saboteur, Johannes, or you’ve got a mistress.” The Reverend’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/sneaking-out-at-night-you-think-you-re-so-clever-but-you-re-not/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) [Explore all 52 Steen Langstrup quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) ## More Corruption quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [“Don't let cycles of violent crimes, uncontrollable, rising cases of bloody impunity, evil puppets in a crippled judiciary, marionettes in a corrupted legislative system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-let-cycles-of-violent-crimes-uncontrollable-rising-cases-of/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [As you fight corruption, it fights back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yemi-osinbajo/as-you-fight-corruption-it-fights-back/) [Yemi Osinbajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yemi-osinbajo/) > [Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/selfishness-is-one-of-the-principal-fruits-of-the-corruption-of-human/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [ Corruption could lead to the collapse of the Party \[Communist Party of China\] and the downfall of the state \[People's Republic of China\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/corruption-could-lead-to-the-collapse-of-the-party-communist-party-of/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) > [It looked incredibly credible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-horlick/it-looked-incredibly-credible/) [Nicola Horlick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-horlick/) > [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/) [Browse all 2,253 Corruption quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And what is corruption, I ask you? Who gets hurt if a poor cop gets a new car or a week’s vacation in Kenya for letting the Baltic girls earn a living in peace, down on the docks? I mean, where’s the harm in that?” Police Officer on Radio Fake 112.8 MHz In The Shadow of Sadd.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steen Langstrup" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-gets-hurt-if-a-poor-cop-gets-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Corruption" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-gets-hurt-if-a-poor-cop-gets-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/steen-langstrup-13083_corruption_and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-get_2744691.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/steen-langstrup-13083_corruption_and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-get_2744691.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/steen-langstrup-13083_corruption_and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-get_2744691.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And what is corruption, I ask you? Who gets hurt if a poor cop gets a new car or a week’s vacation in Kenya…” — Steen Langstrup", "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": "Steen Langstrup", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And what is corruption, I ask...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-gets-hurt-if-a-poor-cop-gets-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/and-what-is-corruption-i-ask-you-who-gets-hurt-if-a-poor-cop-gets-a/#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 } } ] } ```