--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How did you know what's been killing me?…" description: "\"“How did you know what's been killing me? Slowly, for years, driving me to hate people when I don't want to hate... Have you felt it, too? Have you see..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/ayn-rand-59_best-friend_how-did-you-know-what-s-been-killing-me_2519747.jpg" --- # How did you know what's been killing me? Slowly, for… ![“How did you know what's been killing me? Slowly, for years, driving me to hate people when I don't want to hate... Have you felt it, too? Have you seen how your best friends love everything about you--except the things that count? And your most important is nothing to them, nothing, not even a…” quote by Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/ayn-rand-59_best-friend_how-did-you-know-what-s-been-killing-me_2519747.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/ayn-rand-59_best-friend_how-did-you-know-what-s-been-killing-me_2519747.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/ayn-rand-59_best-friend_how-did-you-know-what-s-been-killing-me_2519747.jpg) > ““How did you know what's been killing me? Slowly, for years, driving me to hate people when I don't want to hate... Have you felt it, too? Have you seen how your best friends love everything about you--except the things that count? And your most important is nothing to them, nothing, not even a sound they can recognize. You mean, you want to hear? You want to know what I do and why I do it, you want to know what I think? It's not boring to you? It's important?”” [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often hide pain behind anger, and others may overlook what truly matters to them. **In simple terms:** Pain can mask true needs. Key Takeaway Listen beyond surface anger. Themes pain anger misunderstanding Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - conflict resolution - mental health counseling - personal introspection Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What are you really feeling? - How can you address underlying pain? A Different Perspective Anger may be a defense, not the issue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [Best friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friends/) [Fountainhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fountainhead/) [Friends love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-love/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-felt-1237768/) [Hate people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-people/) [Howard roark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/howard-roark/) [Mallory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mallory-116809/) [Want Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-hate/) [Want Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-know/) ## Related quotes > [You were not born to be a second-hander." 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The person I write… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-think-everything-i-do-has-howard-roark-hero-of-the-fountainhead-in/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [I came here to say that I do not recognize anyone's right to one minute of my life. Nor to any part of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-came-here-to-say-that-i-do-not-recognize-anyone-s-right-to-one/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“It doesn't say much. Only "Howard Roark, Architect". But it's like those mottoes men carved over the entrance of a castle and died for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/it-doesn-t-say-much-only-howard-roark-architect-but-it-s-like-those/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“HOWARD ROARK LAUGHED. He stood naked at the edge of a cliff. The lake lay far below him. A frozen explosion of granite burst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/howard-roark-laughed-he-stood-naked-at-the-edge-of-a-cliff-the-lake/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“I hate incompetence. I think it’s probably the only thing I do hate. But it didn’t make me want to rule people. Nor to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-hate-incompetence-i-think-it-s-probably-the-only-thing-i-do-hate/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“What in hell are you really made of, Howard? After all, it's only a building. It's not the combination of holy sacrament, Indian torture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/what-in-hell-are-you-really-made-of-howard-after-all-it-s-only-a/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [But I don't think of you. - Howard Roark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/but-i-don-t-think-of-you-howard-roark/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Thousands of years ago the first man discovered how to make fire. He was probably burnt at the stake he'd taught his brothers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/thousands-of-years-ago-the-first-man-discovered-how-to-make-fire-he/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [You'll get everything society can give a man. You'll keep all the money. You'll take any fame or honor anyone might want to grant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/you-ll-get-everything-society-can-give-a-man-you-ll-keep-all-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“The crowd had stared at him and given up angrily, finding no satisfaction. He did not look crushed and he did not look defiant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-crowd-had-stared-at-him-and-given-up-angrily-finding-no/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Ayn Rand > [There are no white lies, there is only the blackest of destruction, and a white lie is the blackest of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-are-no-white-lies-there-is-only-the-blackest-of-destruction-and/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [She watched the prairies the rivers, the towns slipping past at an untouchable distance below - and she noted that the sense of detachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-watched-the-prairies-the-rivers-the-towns-slipping-past-at-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“This was reality, she thought, this sense of clear outlines, of purpose, of lightness, of hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-was-reality-she-thought-this-sense-of-clear-outlines-of-purpose/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [A “collective” mind does not exist. It is merely the sum of endless numbers of individual minds. If we have an endless number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/a-collective-mind-does-not-exist-it-is-merely-the-sum-of-endless/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Lobbying' is the activity of attempting to influence legislation by privately influencing the legislators. It is the result and creation of a mixed economy-of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/lobbying-is-the-activity-of-attempting-to-influence-legislation-by/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“She moved her hand and let it rest against his. He did not withdraw his fingers and he did not pretend indifference. She bent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-moved-her-hand-and-let-it-rest-against-his-he-did-not-withdraw/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-miracle-of-me-is-mine-to-own-and-keep-and-mine-to-guard-and-mine/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“There was still one response, the greatest, that she had missed. She thought: To find a feeling that would hold, as their sum, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-was-still-one-response-the-greatest-that-she-had-missed-she/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Inflation is not caused by the actions of private citizens, but by the government: by an artificial expansion of the money supply required to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/inflation-is-not-caused-by-the-actions-of-private-citizens-but-by-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“We are fornicating in the sight of six billion people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/we-are-fornicating-in-the-sight-of-six-billion-people/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“She was fifteen when it occurred to her for the first time that women did not run railroads and that people might object. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-was-fifteen-when-it-occurred-to-her-for-the-first-time-that-women/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Fransisco, you're some kind of very high nobility, aren't you?" He answered, "Not yet. The reason my family has lasted for such a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/fransisco-you-re-some-kind-of-very-high-nobility-aren-t-you-he/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Have you felt it too? Have you seen how your best friends love everything about you- except the things that count? And your most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/have-you-felt-it-too-have-you-seen-how-your-best-friends-love/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Every coercive monopoly was created by government intervention into the economy: by special privileges, such as franchises or subsidies, which closed the entry of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/every-coercive-monopoly-was-created-by-government-intervention-into/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [We are all brothers under the skin - and I, for one, would be willing to skin humanity to prove it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/we-are-all-brothers-under-the-skin-and-i-for-one-would-be-willing-to/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) [Explore all 1,777 Ayn Rand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More Best friend quotes > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) [Aviation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aviation/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Sometimes the right people can make your day. They're called best friends :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-the-right-people-can-make-your-day-they-re-called-best/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Here is your third gift from Me once again..I had a fourth gift it was about me making a video telling you how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilbear/here-is-your-third-gift-from-me-once-again-i-had-a-fourth-gift-it-was/) [LilBear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilbear/) > [Our friendship is like a cup of tea¦a special blend of you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/our-friendship-is-like-a-cup-of-tea-a-special-blend-of-you-and-me/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [When you have the most beautiful best friend in the world what more could I ask for I love you Tay :) you mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick/when-you-have-the-most-beautiful-best-friend-in-the-world-what-more/) [Nick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick/) > [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A Real Man will help build his woman's self esteem not break it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-s-voice/a-real-man-will-help-build-his-woman-s-self-esteem-not-break-it/) [Lisa's Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-s-voice/) [Browse all 6,524 Best friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How did you know what's been killing me? 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