---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The myth of the self-made man, has to be…"
description: "\"The myth of the self-made man, has to be profoundly hypocritical: it is the self-serving demonstration that a lie is the truth\" — Che Guevara"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/che-guevara-2007_demonstration_the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be_2916326.jpg"
---

#  The myth of the self-made man, has to be profoundly…

![“The myth of the self-made man, has to be profoundly hypocritical: it is the self-serving demonstration that a lie is the truth” quote by Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/che-guevara-2007_demonstration_the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be_2916326.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/che-guevara-2007_demonstration_the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be_2916326.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/che-guevara-2007_demonstration_the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be_2916326.jpg)

> “The myth of the self-made man, has to be profoundly hypocritical: it is the self-serving demonstration that a lie is the truth”

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Critiques the myth of self-made success as self‑deception, highlighting systemic privilege.

**In simple terms:** Self‑made myth hides inequality.

Key Takeaway

Recognize external factors in success.

Themes

inequality myth self‑deception

Mood

critical reflective

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- entrepreneurship
- policy debates

Key Concepts

social critique political theory

Questions to Reflect On

- What privileges influence your achievements?
- How does this view affect personal responsibility?

A Different Perspective

Oversimplifies complex socioeconomic dynamics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Demonstration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-made/) [Self made man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-made-man/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [I don't believe in the myth of the "self made man". Nobody gets through alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/i-don-t-believe-in-the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-nobody-gets-through/)

[Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/)

> [“we also need to consider letting go of the myth of self-sufficiency. One of the greatest barriers to connection is the cultural importance we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-also-need-to-consider-letting-go-of-the-myth-of-self-sufficiency/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [There is a Hindu myth about the Self or God of the universe who sees life as a form of play. But since the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reginald-horace-blyth/there-is-a-hindu-myth-about-the-self-or-god-of-the-universe-who-sees-2/)

[Reginald Horace Blyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reginald-horace-blyth/)

> [But myth is something else than an explanation of the world, of history, and of destiny. Myth expresses in terms of the world -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ricoeur/but-myth-is-something-else-than-an-explanation-of-the-world-of/)

[Paul Ricoeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ricoeur/)

> [There is a Hindu myth about the Self or God of the universe who sees life as (play). But since the Self is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reginald-horace-blyth/there-is-a-hindu-myth-about-the-self-or-god-of-the-universe-who-sees/)

[Reginald Horace Blyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reginald-horace-blyth/)

> [A self-made man may prefer a self-made name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/a-self-made-man-may-prefer-a-self-made-name/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [When did it become something of shame or ridicule to be a self-made man in America?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/when-did-it-become-something-of-shame-or-ridicule-to-be-a-self-made/)

[Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/)

> [My especial object is to help the poor; the rich can help themselves. I believe in self-made men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/my-especial-object-is-to-help-the-poor-the-rich-can-help-themselves-i/)

[Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/)

> [My father started with nothing and is a self-made man. No matter what I do with my life, I can never match his accomplishments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-ecclestone/my-father-started-with-nothing-and-is-a-self-made-man-no-matter-what/)

[Tamara Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-ecclestone/)

> [Self-Made Men are the men who owe little or nothing to birth, relationship, friendly surroundings; to wealth inherited or to early approved means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/self-made-men-are-the-men-who-owe-little-or-nothing-to-birth/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [Self-Made Men are those who owe little or nothing to birth, relationship, or friendly surroundings; to wealth inherited or to early approved means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/self-made-men-are-those-who-owe-little-or-nothing-to-birth/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [The most famous self-made man in the world today is our own Edison. Talk with Mr. Edison and he will tell you he owes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/the-most-famous-self-made-man-in-the-world-today-is-our-own-edison/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [Fortune may crowd a man's life with fortunate circumstances and happy opportunities, but they will, as we all know, avail him nothing unless he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/fortune-may-crowd-a-man-s-life-with-fortunate-circumstances-and-happy/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [Self-made men are most always apt to be a little too proud of the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/self-made-men-are-most-always-apt-to-be-a-little-too-proud-of-the-job/)

[Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/)

> [There is no such thing as a "self-made" man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-self-made-man-we-are-made-up-of-thousands/)

[George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/)

## More by Che Guevara

> [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [I am not Christ or a philanthropist, old lady, I am all the contrary of a Christ I fight for the things I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/i-am-not-christ-or-a-philanthropist-old-lady-i-am-all-the-contrary-of/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/i-know-you-are-here-to-kill-me-shoot-coward-you-are-only-going-to/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [Each spilt drop of blood, in any country under whose flag one has not been born, is an experience passed on to those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/each-spilt-drop-of-blood-in-any-country-under-whose-flag-one-has-not/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [We have no right to believe that freedom can be won without struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/we-have-no-right-to-believe-that-freedom-can-be-won-without-struggle/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [I am one of those people who believes that the solution to the world's problems is to be found behind the Iron Curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/i-am-one-of-those-people-who-believes-that-the-solution-to-the-world/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [We will not accept any conditions from the U.S.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/we-will-not-accept-any-conditions-from-the-u-s/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [Let's liquidate all the atomic bases in Cuba and in the U.S. and we are in complete agreement with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/let-s-liquidate-all-the-atomic-bases-in-cuba-and-in-the-u-s-and-we/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [How is it possible to feel nostalgia for a world I never knew?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/how-is-it-possible-to-feel-nostalgia-for-a-world-i-never-knew/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [I have sworn before a picture of the old and mourned comrade Stalin that I won’t rest until I see these capitalist octopuses annihilated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/i-have-sworn-before-a-picture-of-the-old-and-mourned-comrade-stalin/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [We sold sugar with the specific conditions established by American buyers, which in turn dominated the internal market and production in Cuba. Now if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/we-sold-sugar-with-the-specific-conditions-established-by-american/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [I think harmonious relations with the U.S. would be very good for us from the economical point of view, more than in any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/i-think-harmonious-relations-with-the-u-s-would-be-very-good-for-us/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [My nostrils dilate while savoring the acrid odor of gunpowder and blood… Crazy with fury I will stain my rifle red while slaughtering any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/my-nostrils-dilate-while-savoring-the-acrid-odor-of-gunpowder-and/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [In fact, if Christ himself stood in my way, I, like Nietzsche, would not hesitate to squish him like a worm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/in-fact-if-christ-himself-stood-in-my-way-i-like-nietzsche-would-not/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [Democracy is not compatible with financial oligarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/democracy-is-not-compatible-with-financial-oligarchy/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

[Explore all 189 Che Guevara quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

## More Demonstration quotes

> [Every demonstration of God's faithfulness to us is an opportunity for us to testify of Him to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/every-demonstration-of-god-s-faithfulness-to-us-is-an-opportunity-for/)

[Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/)

> [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/)

[Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/)

> [The method of not erring is sought by all the world. The logicians profess to guide it, the geometricians alone attain it, and apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-method-of-not-erring-is-sought-by-all-the-world-the-logicians/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

> [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [When the students were killed at Kent State, the cast voted to do a demonstration from the stage, and I abstained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/when-the-students-were-killed-at-kent-state-the-cast-voted-to-do-a/)

[Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/)

> [Helen Crawfurd and the Women's Peace Crusade, made a march on the City Chambers, distributing an illegal leaflet in front of police and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-gallacher/helen-crawfurd-and-the-women-s-peace-crusade-made-a-march-on-the-city/)

Willie Gallacher

> [The only way to meet the modern demon-stration of the powers of darkness is by a demonstration of the power of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/the-only-way-to-meet-the-modern-demon-stration-of-the-powers-of/)

[Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/)

> [But it is impossible to divide a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into fourth powers, or generally any power beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-fermat/but-it-is-impossible-to-divide-a-cube-into-two-cubes-or-a-fourth/)

[Pierre de Fermat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-fermat/)

> [The world out there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity; it's waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-world-out-there-is-not-waiting-for-a-new-definition-of/)

[Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/)

> [At the start of the second decade of the 21st century, young people all over the world are demonstrating against a variety of issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/at-the-start-of-the-second-decade-of-the-21st-century-young-people/)

[Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/)

> [The questioning is a stupid formality aimed exclusively at preventing us from speaking at the demonstration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/the-questioning-is-a-stupid-formality-aimed-exclusively-at-preventing/)

[Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/)

> [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/)

[Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/)

> [There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/there-is-one-characteristic-of-the-present-direction-of-public/)

[John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/)

> [Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/israel-should-have-exploited-the-repression-of-the-demonstrations-in/)

[Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/)

> [ We see it \[the as-yet unseen, probable new planet, Neptune\] as Columbus saw America from the coast of Spain. Its movements have been felt,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/we-see-it-the-as-yet-unseen-probable-new-planet-neptune-as-columbus/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

[Browse all 411 Demonstration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The myth of the self-made man, has to be profoundly hypocritical: it is the self-serving demonstration that a lie is the truth",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Che Guevara"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be-profoundly-hypocritical-it-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Demonstration"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be-profoundly-hypocritical-it-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/che-guevara-2007_demonstration_the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be_2916326.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/che-guevara-2007_demonstration_the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be_2916326.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/che-guevara-2007_demonstration_the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be_2916326.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The myth of the self-made man, has to be profoundly hypocritical: it is the self-serving demonstration that…” — Che Guevara",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Che Guevara",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The myth of the self-made man,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be-profoundly-hypocritical-it-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/the-myth-of-the-self-made-man-has-to-be-profoundly-hypocritical-it-is/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
