--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's said that the worst thing one can do…" description: "\"“It's said that the worst thing one can do to a man is to kill his self-respect. But that's not true. Self-respect is something that can't be killed. T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/ayn-rand-59_respect_it-s-said-that-the-worst-thing-one-can-d_2211315.jpg" --- # It's said that the worst thing one can do to a man is to… ![“It's said that the worst thing one can do to a man is to kill his self-respect. But that's not true. Self-respect is something that can't be killed. The worst thing is to kill a man's pretense at it.” quote by Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/ayn-rand-59_respect_it-s-said-that-the-worst-thing-one-can-d_2211315.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/ayn-rand-59_respect_it-s-said-that-the-worst-thing-one-can-d_2211315.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/ayn-rand-59_respect_it-s-said-that-the-worst-thing-one-can-d_2211315.jpg) > ““It's said that the worst thing one can do to a man is to kill his self-respect. But that's not true. Self-respect is something that can't be killed. The worst thing is to kill a man's pretense at it.”” [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. The quote argues that self‑respect cannot be destroyed; the real harm is exposing pretentiousness about it. **In simple terms:** Self‑respect is indestructible; exposing false pretenses is harmful. Key Takeaway Value genuine self‑respect. Themes self‑respect integrity authenticity Mood philosophical thought‑provoking Type ethical psychological When to use this quote - therapy - leadership training - self‑reflection - ethical debates Key Concepts philosophy psychology personal development Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate self‑respect from arrogance? - What actions reveal true self‑respect? A Different Perspective People may misinterpret self‑respect as ego. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Self respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-respect/) ## Related quotes > [Self respect is something that can't be killed. 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"If you were a man we wouldn't be having this conversation!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/if-i-were-a-man-i-would-kill-you-if-you-were-a-man-we-wouldn-t-be/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [You can kill a man but you cant kill a idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/you-can-kill-a-man-but-you-cant-kill-a-idea/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“Don’t come near me or Ronnie again, or I’ll tell Bruno you sold him out.” “He’d kill us, man. He’d kill us slow.” “That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/don-t-come-near-me-or-ronnie-again-or-i-ll-tell-bruno-you-sold-him/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Before I knew that a man could kill a man, because it happens all the time. Now I know that even the person with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-i-knew-that-a-man-could-kill-a-man-because-it-happens-all-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“rash riding is not my hobby am just trying kill my self..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakhiabbas/rash-riding-is-not-my-hobby-am-just-trying-kill-my-self/) sakhiabbas > [So stand up tall and bash them back And become full of what they lack and little did you know you can beat them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theshadowofhell/so-stand-up-tall-and-bash-them-back-and-become-full-of-what-they-lack/) TheShadowOfhell > [In hospital tried to kill me self again. 7stitches on one wrist. In pain but don't mind it. I hate myself and life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowly-fading/in-hospital-tried-to-kill-me-self-again-7stitches-on-one-wrist-in/) Slowly\_fading > [I want to die but I don't want to kill my self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-to-die-but-i-don-t-want-to-kill-my-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just can't do it no more.3 of my close friends kill them self last weekend bc the pain in life.I been so down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabby/i-just-can-t-do-it-no-more-3-of-my-close-friends-kill-them-self-last/) [Tabby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabby/) > [Im tired of all the fighting and all trips to the hospital because of fighting in my family I just wanna kill my self!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-tired-of-all-the-fighting-and-all-trips-to-the-hospital-because-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“if you wanted to see me dead,you would whisper and i could kill self for you happiness it was a small thing but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/if-you-wanted-to-see-me-dead-you-would-whisper-and-i-could-kill-self/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [Now I could let these dream killers kill my self-esteem or use my arrogance as the steam to power my dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/now-i-could-let-these-dream-killers-kill-my-self-esteem-or-use-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is so irritating when we are not able to explain our feelings with the person we lov sometimes we want to kill our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishant-grover/it-is-so-irritating-when-we-are-not-able-to-explain-our-feelings-with/) [Nishant Grover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishant-grover/) ## 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. 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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 Respect quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/) [Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/) > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. 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