---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could have argued that her wanting to…"
description: "\"“I could have argued that her wanting to do something for me meant she was ultimately acting in her own interests, but it might provoke more of the ‘do..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/graeme-simsion-3122_behaviour_i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to_1664017.png"
---

#  I could have argued that her wanting to do something for…

![“I could have argued that her wanting to do something for me meant she was ultimately acting in her own interests, but it might provoke more of the ‘don’t fuck with me’ behaviour.” quote by Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/graeme-simsion-3122_behaviour_i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to_1664017.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/graeme-simsion-3122_behaviour_i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to_1664017.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/graeme-simsion-3122_behaviour_i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to_1664017.png)

> ““I could have argued that her wanting to do something for me meant she was ultimately acting in her own interests, but it might provoke more of the ‘don’t fuck with me’ behaviour.””

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

## About This Quote

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

Helping others for personal gain can be seen as self‑interest, risking defensive reactions from the recipient.

**In simple terms:** Helping for selfish reasons may provoke resistance.

Key Takeaway

Be sincere in your motives.

Themes

motivation self‑interest interpersonal dynamics defensiveness

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

advice reflective

When to use this quote

- friendship
- workplace
- family
- romantic relationships

Key Concepts

ethics psychology communication

Questions to Reflect On

- What can you do to ensure your help feels genuine?
- How might you respond if someone reacts defensively?

A Different Perspective

Assuming ulterior motives can damage trust.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/)

## Related quotes

> [This city can be kind of brutal, so you see your dreams from every different angle, but ultimately it's about acting and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-mitchell/this-city-can-be-kind-of-brutal-so-you-see-your-dreams-from-every/)

[Radha Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-mitchell/)

> [We were not having any fun, he had recently begun pointing out. I would take exception (didn't we do this, didn't we do that)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/we-were-not-having-any-fun-he-had-recently-begun-pointing-out-i-would/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

> [Modern man, seeking a middle position in the evaluation of sense impression and thought, can, following Plato , interpret the process of understanding nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/modern-man-seeking-a-middle-position-in-the-evaluation-of-sense/)

[Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/)

> [“There's no difference between a madman and a professor...it should be clear to you in the way they dress, act and think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-s-no-difference-between-a-madman-and-a-professor-it-should-be/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [The individualism of current economic theory is manifest in the purely self-interested behaviour it generally assumes. It has no real place for fairness, malevolence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-e-daly/the-individualism-of-current-economic-theory-is-manifest-in-the/)

[Herman E. Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-e-daly/)

> [There's a wow factor associated with my name. It could be due to my work as well as my behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prosenjit-chatterjee/there-s-a-wow-factor-associated-with-my-name-it-could-be-due-to-my/)

[Prosenjit Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prosenjit-chatterjee/)

> [Behaviour is a mirror in which everyone shows his image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinesh/behaviour-is-a-mirror-in-which-everyone-shows-his-image/)

[Vinesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinesh/)

> [Look, I was only given a year or two to come up with tunes for this record, and when all but eight of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gorrie/look-i-was-only-given-a-year-or-two-to-come-up-with-tunes-for-this/)

Alan Gorrie

> [I think it's a very central tenet to it yes, it is. I can't bear it, I can't bear inequality, I can't bear bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/i-think-it-s-a-very-central-tenet-to-it-yes-it-is-i-can-t-bear-it-i/)

[Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/)

> [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/)

[Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/)

> [High testosterone levels have been proven to make men more likely to commit crimes. The tendency in men toward risky behaviour keeps turning up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/high-testosterone-levels-have-been-proven-to-make-men-more-likely-to/)

[Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/)

> [“To live without any regret is to act right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/to-live-without-any-regret-is-to-act-right/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [I don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-don-t-see-much-future-for-the-americans-it-s-a-decayed-country-and/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [“Do you keep pace with those around you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? The truth is...only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/do-you-keep-pace-with-those-around-you-or-do-you-decide-yourself-just/)

[Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/)

> [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

## More by Graeme Simsion

> [“My questionnaire would be ruthless in filtering out women who were concerned with appearance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/my-questionnaire-would-be-ruthless-in-filtering-out-women-who-were/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“I decided that ten positions would be sufficient initially. More could be learned if the initial encounter was successful. It did not take long—less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-decided-that-ten-positions-would-be-sufficient-initially-more-could/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“Fault! Asperger’s isn’t a fault. It’s a variant. It’s potentially a major advantage. Asperger’s syndrome is associated with organization, focus, innovative thinking, and rational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/fault-asperger-s-isn-t-a-fault-it-s-a-variant-it-s-potentially-a/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [I feel I've done the 10,000 hours you have to do to get good at something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-feel-i-ve-done-the-10-000-hours-you-have-to-do-to-get-good-at/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [Research consistently shows that the risks to health outweigh the benefits of drinking alcohol. My argument is that the benefits to my mental health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/research-consistently-shows-that-the-risks-to-health-outweigh-the/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“When I returned, wearing an uncomfortably large white shirt, with a decorative frill in the front, I tried to introduce the Wife Project, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/when-i-returned-wearing-an-uncomfortably-large-white-shirt-with-a/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [I am a big advocate of the role of the bookstore in the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-am-a-big-advocate-of-the-role-of-the-bookstore-in-the-community/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“I need a minute to think,” she said. I automatically started the timer on my watch. Suddenly Rosie started laughing. I looked at her,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-need-a-minute-to-think-she-said-i-automatically-started-the-timer/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“I would normally have scheduled my driving time according to published studies on fatigue and booked accommodation accordingly. But I had been too busy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-would-normally-have-scheduled-my-driving-time-according-to/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“used the precise speed indication on the GPS to set the cruise control to the exact speed limit, rather than relying on the artificially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/used-the-precise-speed-indication-on-the-gps-to-set-the-cruise/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“In the last eight weeks I had experienced two of the three best times of my adult life, assuming all visits to the Museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/in-the-last-eight-weeks-i-had-experienced-two-of-the-three-best-times/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“Asperger's isn't a fault. It's a variant. It's potentially a major advantage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/asperger-s-isn-t-a-fault-it-s-a-variant-it-s-potentially-a-major/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“I could no longer be equated with the Virgin Mary. I had been corrupted. I was like everyone else. My stone-casting credibility had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-could-no-longer-be-equated-with-the-virgin-mary-i-had-been/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“Once a week, in order to deal with the demands of living with another person, and to continue to improve my skills in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/once-a-week-in-order-to-deal-with-the-demands-of-living-with-another/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [“Nothing would change the fault in my brain that made me unacceptable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/nothing-would-change-the-fault-in-my-brain-that-made-me-unacceptable/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

[Explore all 138 Graeme Simsion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

## More Behaviour quotes

> [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [“Do you keep pace with those around you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? The truth is...only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/do-you-keep-pace-with-those-around-you-or-do-you-decide-yourself-just/)

[Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/)

> [I don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-don-t-see-much-future-for-the-americans-it-s-a-decayed-country-and/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [“To live without any regret is to act right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/to-live-without-any-regret-is-to-act-right/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [High testosterone levels have been proven to make men more likely to commit crimes. The tendency in men toward risky behaviour keeps turning up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/high-testosterone-levels-have-been-proven-to-make-men-more-likely-to/)

[Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/)

> [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/)

[Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/)

> [I think it's a very central tenet to it yes, it is. I can't bear it, I can't bear inequality, I can't bear bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/i-think-it-s-a-very-central-tenet-to-it-yes-it-is-i-can-t-bear-it-i/)

[Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/)

> [Look, I was only given a year or two to come up with tunes for this record, and when all but eight of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gorrie/look-i-was-only-given-a-year-or-two-to-come-up-with-tunes-for-this/)

Alan Gorrie

> [Behaviour is a mirror in which everyone shows his image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinesh/behaviour-is-a-mirror-in-which-everyone-shows-his-image/)

[Vinesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinesh/)

> [There's a wow factor associated with my name. It could be due to my work as well as my behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prosenjit-chatterjee/there-s-a-wow-factor-associated-with-my-name-it-could-be-due-to-my/)

[Prosenjit Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prosenjit-chatterjee/)

> [The individualism of current economic theory is manifest in the purely self-interested behaviour it generally assumes. It has no real place for fairness, malevolence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-e-daly/the-individualism-of-current-economic-theory-is-manifest-in-the/)

[Herman E. Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-e-daly/)

> [“There's no difference between a madman and a professor...it should be clear to you in the way they dress, act and think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-s-no-difference-between-a-madman-and-a-professor-it-should-be/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [Modern man, seeking a middle position in the evaluation of sense impression and thought, can, following Plato , interpret the process of understanding nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/modern-man-seeking-a-middle-position-in-the-evaluation-of-sense/)

[Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/)

> [“I think this is one bad side of a mirror; it helps us to see the reflection of the effects of our own actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/i-think-this-is-one-bad-side-of-a-mirror-it-helps-us-to-see-the/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [A lot of celebrities just want money, fame, power, fancy cars, houses all over the world and have people BOW DOWN to them. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/a-lot-of-celebrities-just-want-money-fame-power-fancy-cars-houses-all/)

[Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/)

[Browse all 696 Behaviour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I could have argued that her wanting to do something for me meant she was ultimately acting in her own interests, but it might provoke more of the ‘don’t fuck with me’ behaviour.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Graeme Simsion"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to-do-something-for-me-meant-she/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Behaviour"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to-do-something-for-me-meant-she/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/graeme-simsion-3122_behaviour_i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to_1664017.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/graeme-simsion-3122_behaviour_i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to_1664017.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/graeme-simsion-3122_behaviour_i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to_1664017.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I could have argued that her wanting to do something for me meant she was ultimately acting in her own…” — Graeme Simsion",
                "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": "Graeme Simsion",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I could have argued that her...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to-do-something-for-me-meant-she/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to-do-something-for-me-meant-she/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
