--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Absolute truisms rot brains…" description: "\"Absolute truisms rot brains absolutely.[...]'Power corrupts' is useless as a tool for understanding the past, and gives us nothing as a guide to action..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/steven-brust-7934_absolutes_absolute-truisms-rot-brains-absolutely-p_1053894.png" --- # Absolute truisms rot brains absolutely.\[...\]'Power… ![“Absolute truisms rot brains absolutely.[...]'Power corrupts' is useless as a tool for understanding the past, and gives us nothing as a guide to action.” quote by Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/steven-brust-7934_absolutes_absolute-truisms-rot-brains-absolutely-p_1053894.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/steven-brust-7934_absolutes_absolute-truisms-rot-brains-absolutely-p_1053894.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/steven-brust-7934_absolutes_absolute-truisms-rot-brains-absolutely-p_1053894.png) > “Absolute truisms rot brains absolutely.\[...\]'Power corrupts' is useless as a tool for understanding the past, and gives us nothing as a guide to action.” [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that absolute truths become harmful, and that the slogan “Power corrupts” offers little insight into history or guidance for present actions. **In simple terms:** Absolute truths can be harmful; slogans may mislead. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and seek nuanced understanding. Themes critical thinking history power dynamics Mood skeptical analytical Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - academic research - political analysis - media literacy - personal decision making Key Concepts philosophy political theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate the usefulness of a slogan? - When might “Power corrupts” be a helpful heuristic? A Different Perspective Slogans can oversimplify complex realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute Truisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-truisms-2536963/) [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupts/) [Corrupts Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupts-useless-2536961/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Guides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guides/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts/) [Rot Brains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rot-brains-2536962/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Truism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truism/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [“I know, better than anyone else, that there are no heroes coming to save us. There are no good Epics. None of them protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-know-better-than-anyone-else-that-there-are-no-heroes-coming-to/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/power-corrupts-the-few-while-weakness-corrupts-the-many/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/power-corrupts-but-lack-of-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [In the United States, though power corrupts, the expectation of power paralyzes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/in-the-united-states-though-power-corrupts-the-expectation-of-power/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [If power corrupts, weakness in the seat of power, with its constant necessity of deals and bribes and compromising arrangements,corrupts even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/if-power-corrupts-weakness-in-the-seat-of-power-with-its-constant/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Power corrupts, and obsolete power corrupts obsoletely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nelson/power-corrupts-and-obsolete-power-corrupts-obsoletely/) [Ted Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nelson/) > [Power corrupts.Absolute power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [“power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutley”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutley/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Absolute power corrupts absolutely .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/all-governments-suffer-a-recurring-problem-power-attracts/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [If all power corrupts, then a doctor, who literally holds life and death in his hands, must be at particular risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/if-all-power-corrupts-then-a-doctor-who-literally-holds-life-and/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [What is true is that the idea of power corrupts. Power corrupts most rapidly those who believe in it, and it is they who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-bateson/what-is-true-is-that-the-idea-of-power-corrupts-power-corrupts-most/) [Gregory Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-bateson/) > [“They’ve worked the absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely truth since the beginning of time. They foment destruction and chaos. It puts them in their happy place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-bangs/they-ve-worked-the-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-truth-since-the/) [Nina Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-bangs/) ## More by Steven Brust > [“Those are good questions. I recognize good questions, because I can come up with them myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/those-are-good-questions-i-recognize-good-questions-because-i-can/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [“Painting consists of long periods of minutes followed by short bursts of hours”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/painting-consists-of-long-periods-of-minutes-followed-by-short-bursts/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [“I will do you one last favour, in the name and memory of the figment you have replaced. 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