# Quote — Sheri S. Tepper, The Visitor

> I’ve come to believe, from experience and reading and what I’ve learned on the outside, that the Regime—I suppose really, one might say any regime—is rather like a pot of porridge. If vigorously stirred every now and then, it can be a nourishing if not always tasty staple, but if left on the heat unstirred for some time it becomes increasing stodgy. If left untended, it can char into an immovable solid, like coal.
>
> Thereafter, it is incapable of being stirred, incapable of providing nourishment. When a regime is like that, citizens have to resort to bribery or lawbreaking to do quite necessary things like digging wells or fixing roads, thus joining corruption to congealment.

- Author: [Sheri S. Tepper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper.md)
- Book: [The Visitor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor.md)
- Page: 293
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sheri_S._Tepper#The_Visitor_(2002)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor/ive-come-to-believe

## More from this book

> Long ago, the people of the world cried out for help. In the reaches of heaven their cry was heard, and a Visitor came in answer to it. The Visitor began helping immediately, but secretly. Now the visitor intends to be known to the people of the world and the people of the world must deal with that knowledge.

p. 41 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor/long-ago-the.md)

> “I know so little,” she murmured.
>
> “Better admit you are up to your neck in ignorance than stand upon a pinnacle of misinformation,” he said firmly.

p. 258 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor/i-know-so-little.md)

> Many men of importance were gathered there to be seen talking with other men of importance, resulting in an abundance of conspicuous but immaterial discourse.

p. 40 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor/many-men-of-importance.md)