--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good is towing the line, being behaved…" description: "\"Good is towing the line, being behaved, being quiet, being passive, fitting in, being liked, and great is being messy, having a belly, speaking your mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/eve-ensler-1402_being-true_good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-be_1274754.jpg" --- # Good is towing the line, being behaved, being quiet, being… ![“Good is towing the line, being behaved, being quiet, being passive, fitting in, being liked, and great is being messy, having a belly, speaking your mind, standing up for what you believe in, fighting for another paradigm, not letting people talk you out of what you know to be true.” quote by Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/eve-ensler-1402_being-true_good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-be_1274754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/eve-ensler-1402_being-true_good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-be_1274754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/eve-ensler-1402_being-true_good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-be_1274754.jpg) > “Good is towing the line, being behaved, being quiet, being passive, fitting in, being liked, and great is being messy, having a belly, speaking your mind, standing up for what you believe in, fighting for another paradigm, not letting people talk you out of what you know to be true.” [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) ## 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 juxtaposes societal expectations of conformity with the value of authentic, outspoken expression, urging resistance to passive roles. **In simple terms:** Being true to yourself is more important than fitting in. Key Takeaway Choose authenticity over conformity. Themes gender authenticity conformity voice empowerment Mood defiant hopeful energetic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - family gatherings - public speaking - social media Key Concepts social norms personal integrity activism self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - What does “messy” mean to you in personal growth? - How can you balance respect for others with speaking your truth? A Different Perspective Conformity can provide safety and acceptance, making change risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Belly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belly/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Fitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitting/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Towing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-towing-4098341/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having/) [Having Belly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-belly-447996/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Messy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messy/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Paradigm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradigm/) [Passive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passive/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-talk/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Quiet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet/) [Speaking your mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaking-your-mind/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) ## Related quotes > [Normally I don't feel like having a belly full of pasta.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-olsen/normally-i-don-t-feel-like-having-a-belly-full-of-pasta/) [Elizabeth Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-olsen/) > [“Some people he said, think that freedom means men being able to wear shorts or women to go about without the hijab. Others think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/some-people-he-said-think-that-freedom-means-men-being-able-to-wear/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars. Learn how to drive a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cherish-your-solitude-take-trains-by-yourself-to-places-you-have-2/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [We must stop being polite and behaved, and find new inventive tactics to shift the paradigm. We are the majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/we-must-stop-being-polite-and-behaved-and-find-new-inventive-tactics/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [There is a beautiful expression in Nicaragua: "struggle is the highest form of song". I love that. We are in the struggle. It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/there-is-a-beautiful-expression-in-nicaragua-struggle-is-the-highest/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“why talk and say the unsaid words in haste when silence can speak the unspoken words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/why-talk-and-say-the-unsaid-words-in-haste-when-silence-can-speak-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [“When you give yourself permission to communicate what matters to you in every situation you will have peace despite rejection or disapproval. Putting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/when-you-give-yourself-permission-to-communicate-what-matters-to-you/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Name your intention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-digh/name-your-intention/) [Patti Digh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-digh/) > [“To say nothing is saying something. You must denounce things you are against or one might believe that you support things you really do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/to-say-nothing-is-saying-something-you-must-denounce-things-you-are/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“Each time you open your mouth you inform others of your state of mind and the condition of your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/each-time-you-open-your-mouth-you-inform-others-of-your-state-of-mind/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [And every time, you notice me by. Holding me closely and saying sweet things. I don't believe, that it could be. You speaking your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colbie-caillat/and-every-time-you-notice-me-by-holding-me-closely-and-saying-sweet/) [Colbie Caillat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colbie-caillat/) > [“DON'T FORGET YOUR WORDS WHILE SPEAKING IT”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-tisa/don-t-forget-your-words-while-speaking-it/) [J. Tisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-tisa/) > [“Speak God’s Mind Hear, for I will speak excellent and princely things; and the opening of my lips shall be for right things. PROVERBS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/speak-god-s-mind-hear-for-i-will-speak-excellent-and-princely-things/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [My mom. Growing up with her, she always taught us to say whatever. Like, 'You think something, say it. Don't bite your tongue for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/my-mom-growing-up-with-her-she-always-taught-us-to-say-whatever-like/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [“ALways be careful what you say. You can always say you're sorry, but you can never take back what you said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-b-newman/always-be-careful-what-you-say-you-can-always-say-you-re-sorry-but/) [F.B. Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-b-newman/) ## More by Eve Ensler > [I have been struggling to find my way back into my body my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-have-been-struggling-to-find-my-way-back-into-my-body-my-whole-life/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [When I wrote 'The Good Body,' I turned 40 and suddenly had this stomach. It seemed like the end of the world. Because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-i-wrote-the-good-body-i-turned-40-and-suddenly-had-this-stomach/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cherish-your-solitude-take-trains-by-yourself-to-places-you-have/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Why are women immobile? Because so many feel like they're waiting for someone to say, 'You're good, you're pretty, I give you permission'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/why-are-women-immobile-because-so-many-feel-like-they-re-waiting-for/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Terence McKenna says, "The culture is not your friend." I am not sure we can change this culture. But I think we can rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/terence-mckenna-says-the-culture-is-not-your-friend-i-am-not-sure-we/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [What neo-capitalism does so brilliantly is that it's always subdividing and dividing, so that people are never able to be joined in their numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-neo-capitalism-does-so-brilliantly-is-that-it-s-always/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The verb that's been enforced on girls is to please. Girls are trained to please...I want us all to change the verb. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-verb-that-s-been-enforced-on-girls-is-to-please-girls-are-trained/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“De acordo com os congressistas, ouvir as experiências reais de mulheres vítimas de violência era diferente de ler as estatísticas de violência contra mulheres.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/de-acordo-com-os-congressistas-ouvir-as-experi-ncias-reais-de/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The clitoris is pure in purpose. It is the only organ in the body designed purely for pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-clitoris-is-pure-in-purpose-it-is-the-only-organ-in-the-body/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [stop fixing your bodies and start fixing the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/stop-fixing-your-bodies-and-start-fixing-the-world/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Anorexia was my attempt to have control over my body and manipulate my body and starve my body and shape my body. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/anorexia-was-my-attempt-to-have-control-over-my-body-and-manipulate/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [I believe in irony. And if V-Day has taught me anything, it's that if you go out with artistic, outrageous irony and humor, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-believe-in-irony-and-if-v-day-has-taught-me-anything-it-s-that-if/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [People didn't feel so much shame around it and that they didn't feel so much humiliation around it. And the other thing that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/people-didn-t-feel-so-much-shame-around-it-and-that-they-didn-t-feel/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Cancer essentially lives in us and becomes activated at some point, and then cells begin to psychotically divide. Initially, the cancer cell looks like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cancer-essentially-lives-in-us-and-becomes-activated-at-some-point/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Today the United States has the highest prison population in the world, over 2.1 million people. ... We lock people up at a rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/today-the-united-states-has-the-highest-prison-population-in-the/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) [Explore all 241 Eve Ensler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) ## More Being true quotes > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Intuitionists think that there are cases in which, say, some identity statement between real numbers is neither true nor false, even though we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-f-heck/intuitionists-think-that-there-are-cases-in-which-say-some-identity/) [Richard F. Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-f-heck/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [There is no normal. I've never met a normal person. The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [I learned a tremendous amount about what was important to me as a head coach in that I was not in charge. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-learned-a-tremendous-amount-about-what-was-important-to-me-as-a/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [Life is all about being true to yourself and what you believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/life-is-all-about-being-true-to-yourself-and-what-you-believe-in/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-unlearning-things-that-were-proved-not/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [It seemed too good to be true. That's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-seemed-too-good-to-be-true-that-s-grace/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [You create the happiness and the balance that you have, and your own power. This is one thing that I know to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/you-create-the-happiness-and-the-balance-that-you-have-and-your-own/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [Being true to yourself means living in truth with each person in your life. It means refusing to say or do something that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/being-true-to-yourself-means-living-in-truth-with-each-person-in-your/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is not the responsibility of the enlightened teacher to bring the student to enlightenment. That may be true in the classroom, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-not-the-responsibility-of-the-enlightened-teacher-to-bring-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,447 Being true quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good is towing the line, being behaved, being quiet, being passive, fitting in, being liked, and great is being messy, having a belly, speaking your mind, standing up for what you believe in, fighting for another paradigm, not letting people talk you out of what you know to be true.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eve Ensler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-being-quiet-being-passive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being true" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-being-quiet-being-passive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/eve-ensler-1402_being-true_good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-be_1274754.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/eve-ensler-1402_being-true_good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-be_1274754.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/eve-ensler-1402_being-true_good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-be_1274754.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good is towing the line, being behaved, being quiet, being passive, fitting in, being liked, and great is…” — Eve Ensler", "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": "Eve Ensler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good is towing the line, being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-being-quiet-being-passive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/good-is-towing-the-line-being-behaved-being-quiet-being-passive/#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 } } ] } ```