--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would rather do what I did than crawl…" description: "\"I would rather do what I did than crawl in front of a ritualistic Left and lie the way those other comrades did betray my own soul.\" — Elia Kazan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/elia-kazan-6753_betray_i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl_2064163.jpg" --- # I would rather do what I did than crawl in front of a… ![“I would rather do what I did than crawl in front of a ritualistic Left and lie the way those other comrades did betray my own soul.” quote by Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/elia-kazan-6753_betray_i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl_2064163.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/elia-kazan-6753_betray_i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl_2064163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/elia-kazan-6753_betray_i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl_2064163.jpg) > “I would rather do what I did than crawl in front of a ritualistic Left and lie the way those other comrades did betray my own soul.” [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing personal integrity over conforming to rigid ideologies preserves one's soul. **In simple terms:** Stay true, avoid empty rituals. Key Takeaway Prioritize authentic expression over group pressure. Themes integrity individualism politics Mood thoughtful defiant Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - creative work - political activism - personal decisions Key Concepts authenticity moral courage Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your choices when faced with group pressure? - How do you balance personal integrity with social belonging? A Different Perspective Rigid ideologies can provide community support, making dissent difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betray/) [Betray Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betray-soul-2978913/) [Betrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) [Betrayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayed/) [Comrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comrade/) [Did Betray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-betray-2330956/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-lie-2269543/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Ritualistic Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ritualistic-left-3953334/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“There are some sleeping dogs that should be left to lie; there are some questions that should not be asked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-ellin/there-are-some-sleeping-dogs-that-should-be-left-to-lie-there-are/) [Stanley Ellin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-ellin/) > [Barack Obama's class has always been an illusion clouded in faculty lounge, lizard lounge talk, and Michelle Obama's class has actually been told us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/barack-obama-s-class-has-always-been-an-illusion-clouded-in-faculty/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Always be yourself and speak your truth. Better to allow others to walk away than betray your own soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonya-sheridan/always-be-yourself-and-speak-your-truth-better-to-allow-others-to/) [Tonya Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonya-sheridan/) > [I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriah-dreamer/i-want-to-know-if-you-can-disappoint-another-to-be-true-to-yourself/) [Oriah Dreamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriah-dreamer/) > [“This fall, I will be grieving... watching the leaves let go as I learn to do the same. It's better to disappoint others than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadia-hakim/this-fall-i-will-be-grieving-watching-the-leaves-let-go-as-i-learn-to/) [Sadia Hakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadia-hakim/) > [No, Harry, it wasn't him! Somebody did betray your parents, but it was somebody who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remus-lupin/no-harry-it-wasn-t-him-somebody-did-betray-your-parents-but-it-was/) [Remus Lupin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remus-lupin/) > [If I am traitor, who did I betray? I gave all my information to the American public, to American journalists who are reporting on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-i-am-traitor-who-did-i-betray-i-gave-all-my-information-to-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I did not cheat, I did not betray, I did not stopped, I did not abused, I did not hurt, I did not ditched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabiha/i-did-not-cheat-i-did-not-betray-i-did-not-stopped-i-did-not-abused-i/) [Nabiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabiha/) > [Did you betray me when you said I love you? or did you betray me when you said it to her in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myra-cristales/did-you-betray-me-when-you-said-i-love-you-or-did-you-betray-me-when/) [Myra Cristales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myra-cristales/) > [“Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy? I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/why-did-you-betray-your-own-heart-cathy-i/) [Emily Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Gentlemen, comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about Glasnost and Perestroika and democracy in the coming years. They are primarily for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/gentlemen-comrades-do-not-be-concerned-about-all-you-hear-about/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [The little bee returns with evening's gloom, To join her comrades in the braided hive, Where, housed beside their might honey-comb, They dream their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tennyson-turner/the-little-bee-returns-with-evening-s-gloom-to-join-her-comrades-in/) [Charles Tennyson Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tennyson-turner/) > [Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/obstacles-are-necessary-for-success-because-in-selling-as-in-all/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Comrades, there is no true social revolution without the liberation of women. May my eyes never see and my feet never take me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sankara/comrades-there-is-no-true-social-revolution-without-the-liberation-of/) [Thomas Sankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sankara/) ## More by Elia Kazan > [The essence of the stage is concentration and penetration. Of the screen action, movement, sweep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/the-essence-of-the-stage-is-concentration-and-penetration-of-the/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [I didn't have the problem of finding myself at 45 on the wrong course - I always wanted to be a film director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-didn-t-have-the-problem-of-finding-myself-at-45-on-the-wrong-course/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [Never underestimate the narcissism of a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/never-underestimate-the-narcissism-of-a-writer/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [What's called a difficult decision is a difficult decision because either way you go there are penalties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/what-s-called-a-difficult-decision-is-a-difficult-decision-because/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [You can't just sit there and do the lines. You have to do something revealing or unusual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/you-can-t-just-sit-there-and-do-the-lines-you-have-to-do-something/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [I'm small, but I'm neither compliant nor agreeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-m-small-but-i-m-neither-compliant-nor-agreeable/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [If you're going to play a cowboy, show up with the horse at the audition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/if-you-re-going-to-play-a-cowboy-show-up-with-the-horse-at-the/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [I value peace, too, when it is not bought at the price of fundamental decencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-value-peace-too-when-it-is-not-bought-at-the-price-of-fundamental/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [You have no idea how fragile an actor's self-worth is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/you-have-no-idea-how-fragile-an-actor-s-self-worth-is/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [There was no doubt that there was a vast organization which was making fools of all the liberals in Hollywood and taking their money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/there-was-no-doubt-that-there-was-a-vast-organization-which-was/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [The makers of entertainment must try, in our field, to be honest and grown-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/the-makers-of-entertainment-must-try-in-our-field-to-be-honest-and/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [I'm very pro-America, but I feel it necessary to keep in touch with Europe to maintain a perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-m-very-pro-america-but-i-feel-it-necessary-to-keep-in-touch-with/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [It's difficult, if not impossible, to get away with anything false before the camera. That instrument penetrates the husk of the actor; it reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/it-s-difficult-if-not-impossible-to-get-away-with-anything-false/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [For years after I resigned, I was still faithful to their way of thinking. But not in the American Communists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/for-years-after-i-resigned-i-was-still-faithful-to-their-way-of/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [You've got to keep fighting; you've got to risk your life every six months to stay alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/you-ve-got-to-keep-fighting-you-ve-got-to-risk-your-life-every-six/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) [Explore all 97 Elia Kazan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) ## More Betray quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [“Ash,” Mab crooned as he drew near. “My poor boy. Rowan told me what happened between the two of you, but I know you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/ash-mab-crooned-as-he-drew-near-my-poor-boy-rowan-told-me-what/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Even if we have to go without bread, we Albanians do not violate principles. We do not betray Marxism - Leninism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enver-hoxha/even-if-we-have-to-go-without-bread-we-albanians-do-not-violate/) [Enver Hoxha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enver-hoxha/) > [Stop holding onto people that treat you like crap. They might be nice sometimes, but the rest of the time they disrespect you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/stop-holding-onto-people-that-treat-you-like-crap-they-might-be-nice/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/now-the-brother-shall-betray-the-brother-to-death-and-the-father-the/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [One day you and I will have to have a little talk about this business called love. I still don't understand what it's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/one-day-you-and-i-will-have-to-have-a-little-talk-about-this-business/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [“Sarai, you never know who might betray you until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/sarai-you-never-know-who-might-betray-you-until-it-s-too-late/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Indifference must be a crime in us, to be ranked but one degree below treachery; for deserting the commonwealth is next to betraying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/indifference-must-be-a-crime-in-us-to-be-ranked-but-one-degree-below/) [Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/) > [The zombie is in a lot of ways the perfect horror movie bad guy. It plays on so many fears all at once. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/the-zombie-is-in-a-lot-of-ways-the-perfect-horror-movie-bad-guy-it/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [Books should confuse. Literature abhors the typical. Literature flows to the particular, the mundane, the greasiness of paper, the taste of warm beer, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/books-should-confuse-literature-abhors-the-typical-literature-flows/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [It is up to us to take care of this planet, it is our only home. To betray nature is to betray us. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-ea/it-is-up-to-us-to-take-care-of-this-planet-it-is-our-only-home-to/) [Prince Ea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-ea/) > [In his bleak mercy, Death forever strips The soul of light and memory, rendering blind Our vision, lest surmounted deeps appal, As when on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-ashton-smith/in-his-bleak-mercy-death-forever-strips-the-soul-of-light-and-memory/) [Clark Ashton Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-ashton-smith/) [Browse all 966 Betray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betray/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would rather do what I did than crawl in front of a ritualistic Left and lie the way those other comrades did betray my own soul.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elia Kazan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl-in-front-of-a-ritualistic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Betray" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl-in-front-of-a-ritualistic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/elia-kazan-6753_betray_i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl_2064163.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/elia-kazan-6753_betray_i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl_2064163.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/elia-kazan-6753_betray_i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl_2064163.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would rather do what I did than crawl in front of a ritualistic Left and lie the way those other comrades…” — Elia Kazan", "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": "Elia Kazan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would rather do what I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl-in-front-of-a-ritualistic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-would-rather-do-what-i-did-than-crawl-in-front-of-a-ritualistic/#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 } } ] } ```