--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know, but I do not approve. And I am…" description: "\"I know, but I do not approve. And I am not resigned.\" — Edna St. Vincent Millay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e92/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_quote_i-know-but-i-do-not-approve-and-i-am-not_1885228.jpg" --- # I know, but I do not approve. And I am not resigned. ![“I know, but I do not approve. And I am not resigned.” quote by Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e92/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_quote_i-know-but-i-do-not-approve-and-i-am-not_1885228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e92/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_quote_i-know-but-i-do-not-approve-and-i-am-not_1885228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e92/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_quote_i-know-but-i-do-not-approve-and-i-am-not_1885228.jpg) > “I know, but I do not approve. And I am not resigned.” [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One can disagree without accepting resignation; maintain agency. **In simple terms:** Disagree but stay active. Key Takeaway Speak your mind and act. Themes disagreement agency integrity Mood thoughtful determined Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - political debate - personal relationships - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts autonomy moral courage Questions to Reflect On - When do you choose silence over protest? - What costs does resignation carry? A Different Perspective Holding back may preserve peace but stifle truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“But it was little to Curdie that men who did not know what he was about should not approve of his proceedings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/but-it-was-little-to-curdie-that-men-who-did-not-know-what-he-was/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/i-have-never-wished-to-cater-to-the-crowd-for-what-i-know-they-do-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [l am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. So it is, and so it will be, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/l-am-not-resigned-to-the-shutting-away-of-loving-hearts-in-the-hard/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/i-am-not-resigned-to-the-shutting-away-of-loving-hearts-in-the-hard/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [I don't entirely approve of some of the things I have done, or am, or have been. But I'm me. God knows, I'm me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/i-don-t-entirely-approve-of-some-of-the-things-i-have-done-or-am-or/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [Beauty relies on you, don't wait for someone else to approve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny-holmes/beauty-relies-on-you-don-t-wait-for-someone-else-to-approve/) Destiny Holmes > [“The world is cruel enough without our compounding it; I approve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/the-world-is-cruel-enough-without-our-compounding-it-i-approve/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [I don't say any word that I don't approve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/i-don-t-say-any-word-that-i-don-t-approve/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [“Bezos wanted to personally approve each equation and track the results over time. It would be his way of guiding a team’s evolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/bezos-wanted-to-personally-approve-each-equation-and-track-the/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [As I love and approve of myself and others, my life gets better and better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/as-i-love-and-approve-of-myself-and-others-my-life-gets-better-and/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [Nothing should lessen our satisfaction with ourselves as much as when we notice that we disapprove of something at one time that we approve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/nothing-should-lessen-our-satisfaction-with-ourselves-as-much-as-when/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The best investments are the easiest ones to approve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-schwarzman/the-best-investments-are-the-easiest-ones-to-approve/) [Stephen A. Schwarzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-schwarzman/) > [I don't approve of sunbathing, and it's bad for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-don-t-approve-of-sunbathing-and-it-s-bad-for-you/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [The U.N. guards the vital principles entrenched in its charter, notably the sovereign equality of states and the inadmissibility of interference in their internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/the-u-n-guards-the-vital-principles-entrenched-in-its-charter-notably/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [I've always wanted to be sure my parents approve of what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-sure-my-parents-approve-of-what-i-do/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) ## More by Edna St. Vincent Millay > [Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/into-the-darkness-they-go-the-wise-and-the-lovely/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [There are a hundred places where I fear To go, --so with his memory they brim! And entering with relief some quiet place Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/there-are-a-hundred-places-where-i-fear-to-go-so-with-his-memory-they/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [The first rose on my rose-tree Budded, bloomed, and shattered, During sad days when to me Nothing mattered. Grief or grief has drained me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/the-first-rose-on-my-rose-tree-budded-bloomed-and-shattered-during/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [A Poem from Edna St. Vincent Millay: Grown-up Was it for this I uttered prayers, And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs, That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/a-poem-from-edna-st-vincent-millay-grown-up-was-it-for-this-i-uttered/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [She is happy where she lies With the dust upon her eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/she-is-happy-where-she-lies-with-the-dust-upon-her-eyes/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [And reaching up my hand to try, I screamed to feel it touch the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/and-reaching-up-my-hand-to-try-i-screamed-to-feel-it-touch-the-sky/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“And you as well must die, beloved dust, And all your beauty stand you in no stead; This flawless, vital hand, this perfect head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/and-you-as-well-must-die-beloved-dust-and-all-your-beauty-stand-you/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Oh, children, growing up to be Adventurers into sophistry, Forbear, forbear to be of those That read the rood to learn the rose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/oh-children-growing-up-to-be-adventurers-into-sophistry-forbear/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [After the feet of beauty fly my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/after-the-feet-of-beauty-fly-my-own/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Some of us have been thinking and talking too long without doing anything. Poems are perfect; picketing, sometimes, is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/some-of-us-have-been-thinking-and-talking-too-long-without-doing/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“But, sure, the sky is big, I said; Miles and miles above my head; So here upon my back I'll lie And look my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/but-sure-the-sky-is-big-i-said-miles-and-miles-above-my-head-so-here/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [pity me that the heart is slow to learn what the swift mind beholds at every turn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/pity-me-that-the-heart-is-slow-to-learn-what-the-swift-mind-beholds/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Youth, have no pity; leave no farthing here For age to invest in compromise and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/youth-have-no-pity-leave-no-farthing-here-for-age-to-invest-in/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [My god is all gods in one. When I see a beautiful sunset, I worship the god of Nature; when I see a hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/my-god-is-all-gods-in-one-when-i-see-a-beautiful-sunset-i-worship-the/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“Tea was sucha comfort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/tea-was-sucha-comfort/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) [Explore all 260 Edna St. Vincent Millay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) ## More Approve quotes > [I've always wanted to be sure my parents approve of what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-sure-my-parents-approve-of-what-i-do/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) > [The U.N. guards the vital principles entrenched in its charter, notably the sovereign equality of states and the inadmissibility of interference in their internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/the-u-n-guards-the-vital-principles-entrenched-in-its-charter-notably/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [I don't approve of sunbathing, and it's bad for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-don-t-approve-of-sunbathing-and-it-s-bad-for-you/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [The best investments are the easiest ones to approve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-schwarzman/the-best-investments-are-the-easiest-ones-to-approve/) [Stephen A. Schwarzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-schwarzman/) > [I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/i-have-never-wished-to-cater-to-the-crowd-for-what-i-know-they-do-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Nothing should lessen our satisfaction with ourselves as much as when we notice that we disapprove of something at one time that we approve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/nothing-should-lessen-our-satisfaction-with-ourselves-as-much-as-when/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [As I love and approve of myself and others, my life gets better and better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/as-i-love-and-approve-of-myself-and-others-my-life-gets-better-and/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [“Bezos wanted to personally approve each equation and track the results over time. It would be his way of guiding a team’s evolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/bezos-wanted-to-personally-approve-each-equation-and-track-the/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [I don't say any word that I don't approve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/i-don-t-say-any-word-that-i-don-t-approve/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [“The world is cruel enough without our compounding it; I approve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/the-world-is-cruel-enough-without-our-compounding-it-i-approve/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Beauty relies on you, don't wait for someone else to approve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny-holmes/beauty-relies-on-you-don-t-wait-for-someone-else-to-approve/) Destiny Holmes > [I don't entirely approve of some of the things I have done, or am, or have been. But I'm me. God knows, I'm me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/i-don-t-entirely-approve-of-some-of-the-things-i-have-done-or-am-or/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [“This has nothing to do with what anyone else in all the world would approve or forbid. This is all their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/this-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-anyone-else-in-all-the-world-would/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [I don't really do things to make other people approve or disapprove of my decisions. I'm too grown for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larsa-pippen/i-don-t-really-do-things-to-make-other-people-approve-or-disapprove/) [Larsa Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larsa-pippen/) > [“When we approve of ourselves we do not need any further stamps from others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nithya-shanti/when-we-approve-of-ourselves-we-do-not-need-any-further-stamps-from/) Nithya Shanti Browse all 67 Approve quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know, but I do not approve. 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