# Quote — David Brin, The Postman

> It’s said that “power corrupts,” but actually it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power. When they do act, they think of it as service, which has limits. The tyrant, though, seeks mastery, for which he is insatiable, implacable.

- Author: [David Brin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin.md)
- Book: [The Postman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-postman.md)
- Page: 267
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/David_Brin#Section_3,_%E2%80%9CCincinnatus%E2%80%9D) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-postman/its-said-that

## More from this book

> We are having extreme difficulty with local gangs of “Survivalists.” Fortunately, these infestations of egotists are mostly too paranoid to band together. They’re as much trouble to each other as to us, I suppose. Still, they are becoming a real problem.

p. 43 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-postman/we-are-having.md)

> “Where is it written that one should only care about big things? I fought for big things, long ago...for issues, principles, a country. Where are all of them now?”
>
> The steely gray eyes were narrow and sad when next he looked up at Gordon. “I found out something, you know. I discovered that the big things don’t love you back. They take and take, and never give in return. They’ll drain your blood, your soul, if you let them, and never let go.
>
> “I lost my wife, my son, while away battling for big things. They needed me, but I had to go off trying to save the world.” Powhatan snorted at the last phrase. “Today I fight for my people, for my farm—for smaller things—things I can hold.”

p. 229 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-postman/where-is-it-written.md)

> It’s clear that male human beings should never have been left in control of the world all these centuries. Many of you are wonderful beyond belief, but too many others will always be bloody lunatics.
>
> Your sex is simply built that way. Its better side gave us power and light, science and reason, medicine and philosophy. Meanwhile the dark half spent its time dreaming up unimaginable hells and putting them into practice.

p. 225 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-postman/its-clear-that.md)