--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She wanted a reason. Serial killers had…" description: "\"“She wanted a reason. Serial killers had reasons. Reasons made no difference”\" — C.J. Roberts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/c-j-roberts-1400_serial-killers_she-wanted-a-reason-serial-killers-had-r_1274528.jpg" --- # She wanted a reason. Serial killers had reasons. Reasons… ![“She wanted a reason. Serial killers had reasons. Reasons made no difference” quote by C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/c-j-roberts-1400_serial-killers_she-wanted-a-reason-serial-killers-had-r_1274528.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/c-j-roberts-1400_serial-killers_she-wanted-a-reason-serial-killers-had-r_1274528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/c-j-roberts-1400_serial-killers_she-wanted-a-reason-serial-killers-had-r_1274528.jpg) > ““She wanted a reason. Serial killers had reasons. Reasons made no difference”” [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People seek justification for harmful acts, but rationales don’t excuse the damage caused. **In simple terms:** Reasons don’t make bad deeds okay. Key Takeaway Question motives, not just excuses. Themes morality justice psychology Mood critical thoughtful Type ethical analytical When to use this quote - legal judgments - personal relationships - media analysis Key Concepts Ethics cognitive dissonance crime Questions to Reflect On - What makes a reason insufficient for wrongdoing? - How do we differentiate motive from moral responsibility? A Different Perspective Rationalizations can obscure accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Serial killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serial-killers/) ## Related quotes > [Decisions are more apt to be accepted when you've listened to suggestions first. I wanted them to see the reason behind what I asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/decisions-are-more-apt-to-be-accepted-when-you-ve-listened-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“You said that you wanted to be the reason, and you are. You're the reason for everything. And if you ask me 'why' the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayne-frost/you-said-that-you-wanted-to-be-the-reason-and-you-are-you-re-the/) Jayne Frost > [“There were other ways to live. You could do something else, if you wanted. And if you had a reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/there-were-other-ways-to-live-you-could-do-something-else-if-you/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [The sure conviction that we could if we wanted to is the reason so many good minds are idle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/the-sure-conviction-that-we-could-if-we-wanted-to-is-the-reason-so/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [“You made it all up, and you got what you wanted for a reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-r-renard/you-made-it-all-up-and-you-got-what-you-wanted-for-a-reason/) [Gary R. Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-r-renard/) > [“You said that you wanted to be her reason for loving books. You said you wanted to be her reason for everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mclean/you-said-that-you-wanted-to-be-her-reason-for-loving-books-you-said/) [Jay McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mclean/) > [“God is God and He lets things happen and that’s all there is to it. But He has reasons, and His reasons for something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/god-is-god-and-he-lets-things-happen-and-that-s-all-there-is-to-it/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I have my reasons and some reasons are remaining unknown to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-laura/i-have-my-reasons-and-some-reasons-are-remaining-unknown-to-you/) [Jasmine Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-laura/) > [Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-giving-myself-reasons-why-i-can-t-i-give-myself-reasons/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People do things for "their" reasons, not ours. So find their reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/people-do-things-for-their-reasons-not-ours-so-find-their-reasons/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“You might be looking for reasons but there are no reasons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lacour/you-might-be-looking-for-reasons-but-there-are-no-reasons/) [Nina LaCour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lacour/) > [Instead of giving yourself reasons why you cant, give yourself reasons why you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-giving-yourself-reasons-why-you-cant-give-yourself-reasons/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are no excuses,” he said at last. “But there are reasons. Reasons why we are what we are. Reasons why we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/there-are-no-excuses-he-said-at-last-but-there-are-reasons-reasons/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“People fall in love for stupid reasons. Why should the reasons to break up be that much better?" (Mac)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/people-fall-in-love-for-stupid-reasons-why-should-the-reasons-to/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [You might be looking for reasons but there are no reasons. to love you and no explanation why I want you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-pajaron/you-might-be-looking-for-reasons-but-there-are-no-reasons-to-love-you/) Jenny\_pajaron ## More by C.J. Roberts > [“I wanted a fight. I needed a fight. I was sick and tired of playing nice. I AM NOT NICE. - Caleb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-wanted-a-fight-i-needed-a-fight-i-was-sick-and-tired-of-playing/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“Caleb fed me better food during my kidnapping than these people. I laugh at my own joke”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/caleb-fed-me-better-food-during-my-kidnapping-than-these-people-i/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“I can’t take it anymore, Caleb. I’ve tried, but I can’t,” she sobbed. “Every time I think you’re coming around, every time I let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-can-t-take-it-anymore-caleb-i-ve-tried-but-i-can-t-she-sobbed-every/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“All of the tears i made her made her shed, these were his favorite. "If happy tears taste the same as the sad ones,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/all-of-the-tears-i-made-her-made-her-shed-these-were-his-favorite-if/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“I've seen you handle your stick, Caleb. You're much better at it than I am”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-ve-seen-you-handle-your-stick-caleb-you-re-much-better-at-it-than-i/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“No one had ever looked at him that way, as if life were insignificant without him and he’d never valued anyone more than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/no-one-had-ever-looked-at-him-that-way-as-if-life-were-insignificant/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“No more movie references. No more fictional characters to relate to. This was real. It was destiny. I was…a thing, a commodity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/no-more-movie-references-no-more-fictional-characters-to-relate-to/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“It wasn't the forgetting Caleb didn't like, it was the remembering”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/it-wasn-t-the-forgetting-caleb-didn-t-like-it-was-the-remembering/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“Somehow I'd still managed to go all retarded at the sight of some handsome asshole with a nice smile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/somehow-i-d-still-managed-to-go-all-retarded-at-the-sight-of-some/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“If the first lesson every slave had to learn was to accept that their wishes did not matter, then the first lesson every master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/if-the-first-lesson-every-slave-had-to-learn-was-to-accept-that-their/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“We’d come so far, and I was oddly desperate to see where we could go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/we-d-come-so-far-and-i-was-oddly-desperate-to-see-where-we-could-go/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“I can’t keep you, Livvie. Stop trying to make me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-can-t-keep-you-livvie-stop-trying-to-make-me/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“Live for me, Kitten. Be all those things you’d never be with me. Go to school. Meet a normal boy and fall in love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/live-for-me-kitten-be-all-those-things-you-d-never-be-with-me-go-to/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“I was insanely jealous." "I know. It should make me happy, but it doesn't." "Why ?" "I'd rather make you happy, Caleb. I'd rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-was-insanely-jealous-i-know-it-should-make-me-happy-but-it-doesn-t/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“Where is all your bravery now, Pet? No clawing, no hissing? Where's my though girl? - Caleb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/where-is-all-your-bravery-now-pet-no-clawing-no-hissing-where-s-my/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) [Explore all 240 C.J. Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) ## More Serial killers quotes > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [“People who love horror films are people with boring lives... when a really scary movie is over, you're reassured to see that you're still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryu-murakami/people-who-love-horror-films-are-people-with-boring-lives-when-a/) [Ryu Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryu-murakami/) > [“One day soon, you’ll hear a car pull up to your curb, an engine cut out. You’ll hear footsteps coming up your front walk.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-mcnamara/one-day-soon-you-ll-hear-a-car-pull-up-to-your-curb-an-engine-cut-out/) [Michelle McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-mcnamara/) > [There are many more serial killers living outside the prison walls than inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-brown/there-are-many-more-serial-killers-living-outside-the-prison-walls/) [Pat Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-brown/) > [“We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow.” Ted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-phillips/we-serial-killers-are-your-sons-we-are-your-husbands-we-are/) Mark Phillips > [“Manipulation. Domination. Control. These are the three watchwords of violent serial offenders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-douglas/manipulation-domination-control-these-are-the-three-watchwords-of/) [John E. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-douglas/) > [Maybe this is why so many serial killers work in pairs. It's nice not to feel alone in a world full of victims or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/maybe-this-is-why-so-many-serial-killers-work-in-pairs-it-s-nice-not/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“It was a soulless gaze, burning with a wild hatred that shouldn’t be there in anyone who could call themselves a parent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-c-scott-2/it-was-a-soulless-gaze-burning-with-a-wild-hatred-that-shouldn-t-be/) [Jess C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-c-scott-2/) > [“If sensing so badly of yourself you also sense a need to knock the sense out of me to sense that, then I sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-spellman/if-sensing-so-badly-of-yourself-you-also-sense-a-need-to-knock-the/) [Brian Spellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-spellman/) > [“Children. Pay close attention to them. They grow up to be adults. The really heinous people we see on the news? The serial killers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hildreth/children-pay-close-attention-to-them-they-grow-up-to-be-adults-the/) [Scott Hildreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hildreth/) > [“Some stories don’t make movies. I mean superheroes, spies, serial killers… sure. But there’s some feelings you can’t put on a screen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-suede/some-stories-don-t-make-movies-i-mean-superheroes-spies-serial/) [Damon Suede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-suede/) > [People are disturbed enough by serial killers, but the whole notion of female violence, particularly maternal violence - the idea of mothers who kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-carr/people-are-disturbed-enough-by-serial-killers-but-the-whole-notion-of/) [Caleb Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-carr/) > [“Traditionally, most murders and violent crimes were relatively easy for law enforcement officials to comprehend. They resulted from critically exaggerated manifestations of feelings we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-douglas/traditionally-most-murders-and-violent-crimes-were-relatively-easy/) [John E. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-douglas/) > [“Robbins had opened Gabby up. 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