--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one had to impose my enemies on me. I…" description: "\"No one had to impose my enemies on me. I selected them myself. I didn't avoid them: I pointed them out, marked them, attacked them.\" — Jacobo Timerman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/405/jacobo-timerman-53298_enemy_no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i_1085201.jpg" --- # No one had to impose my enemies on me. I selected them… ![“No one had to impose my enemies on me. I selected them myself. I didn't avoid them: I pointed them out, marked them, attacked them.” quote by Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/405/jacobo-timerman-53298_enemy_no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i_1085201.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/405/jacobo-timerman-53298_enemy_no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i_1085201.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/405/jacobo-timerman-53298_enemy_no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i_1085201.jpg) > “No one had to impose my enemies on me. I selected them myself. I didn't avoid them: I pointed them out, marked them, attacked them.” [Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One chooses their own adversaries; confronting them deliberately is a form of empowerment. **In simple terms:** You pick your own enemies. Key Takeaway Choose and confront your challenges. Themes responsibility agency conflict Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political activism - personal boundaries - conflict resolution Key Concepts self‑selection strategic confrontation Questions to Reflect On - Why do you select certain opponents? - How can you transform conflict into cooperation? A Different Perspective Choosing enemies can create unnecessary conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [ When \[men\] go to war, what they want is to impose on their enemies the victor's will and call it peace. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/when-men-go-to-war-what-they-want-is-to-impose-on-their-enemies-the/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Everything is selected by the central government without good judgment or an understanding of culture to make it really safe. They will become nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/everything-is-selected-by-the-central-government-without-good/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Unerring wisdom ordained your lot, and selected for you the safest and best condition. Remember this, had any other condition been better for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/unerring-wisdom-ordained-your-lot-and-selected-for-you-the-safest-and/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Women of a selected class, by the use of slaves and servants have become inactive, the mere recipients of values, no longer creators but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-garlin-spencer/women-of-a-selected-class-by-the-use-of-slaves-and-servants-have/) [Anna Garlin Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-garlin-spencer/) > [Every person who invests in well-selected real estate in a growing section of a prosperous community adopts the surest and safest method of becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-person-who-invests-in-well-selected-real-estate-in-a-growing/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Think of it! A second chamber selected by the Whips. A seraglio of eunuchs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foot/think-of-it-a-second-chamber-selected-by-the-whips-a-seraglio-of/) [Michael Foot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foot/) > [God could not have chosen anyone less qualified, or more of a sinner, than myself. And so, for this wonderful work He intends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/god-could-not-have-chosen-anyone-less-qualified-or-more-of-a-sinner/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Science is composed of laws which were originally based on a small, carefully selected set of observations, often not very accurately measured originally; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/science-is-composed-of-laws-which-were-originally-based-on-a-small/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Way back in 1989, I got lucky with my first published story when it was selected for the Journey Prize anthology. Then I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bergen/way-back-in-1989-i-got-lucky-with-my-first-published-story-when-it/) [David Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bergen/) > [We’ve all selected the wrong partners, all gotten hurt, and hopefully all moved on wiser for the experience. But there are those who, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-ve-all-selected-the-wrong-partners-all-gotten-hurt-and-hopefully/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [I spend a long time casting, but once I've cast a film there's a reason why I selected those people. So I'm hands-on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-spend-a-long-time-casting-but-once-i-ve-cast-a-film-there-s-a/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [The difference is that we have the hardest and most painful evidence that there was a Holocaust. But, for the global warming scenario that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-difference-is-that-we-have-the-hardest-and-most-painful-evidence/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I've used Twitter now and again to try to figure something out; it's an amazing resource. But I think you have to use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-ve-used-twitter-now-and-again-to-try-to-figure-something-out-it-s/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) ## More by Jacobo Timerman > [“The entire affective world, constructed over the years with utmost difficulty, collapses with a kick in the father's genitals, a smack on the mother's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/the-entire-affective-world-constructed-over-the-years-with-utmost/) [Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) > [I devoted myself simply to being a solitary person entrusted with a specific task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/i-devoted-myself-simply-to-being-a-solitary-person-entrusted-with-a/) [Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) > [We believed ourselves indestructable... watching only the madmen outside our frontiers, and we remained defenseless against our own madmen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/we-believed-ourselves-indestructable-watching-only-the-madmen-outside/) [Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) > [“Now they're really amused, and burst into laughter. Someone tries a variation while still clapping hands: 'Clipped prick… clipped prick.' Whereupon they begin alternating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/now-they-re-really-amused-and-burst-into-laughter-someone-tries-a/) [Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) > [One point has already been proven. Everything that happened once can happen again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/one-point-has-already-been-proven-everything-that-happened-once-can/) [Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) [Explore all 6 Jacobo Timerman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) ## More Enemies quotes > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) A.K. Hasan > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“If it takes night to make day, pain to know pleasure, black to make white, then doesn't it stand to reason that the depth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snyder/if-it-takes-night-to-make-day-pain-to-know-pleasure-black-to-make/) Michael Snyder > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [Your greatest weapon is your enemies mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/your-greatest-weapon-is-your-enemies-mind/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Sometimes even paranoids have enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmore-schwartz/sometimes-even-paranoids-have-enemies/) [Delmore Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmore-schwartz/) > [When a husband brings his wife flowers for no reason, there's a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcgee/when-a-husband-brings-his-wife-flowers-for-no-reason-there-s-a-reason/) Molly McGee > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [“Anyone who is portraying Israel as a friend is a servant of Israel. I warn some sides against turning enemies into friends and friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sayed-hassan-nasrallah/anyone-who-is-portraying-israel-as-a-friend-is-a-servant-of-israel-i/) [Sayed Hassan Nasrallah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sayed-hassan-nasrallah/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/whoever-will-not-love-his-enemies-cannot-know-the-lord-and-the/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [I play basketball hard-nosed and if you're not on my team, during that 48 minutes we're enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-play-basketball-hard-nosed-and-if-you-re-not-on-my-team-during-that/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [“Enemies are people who's story you haven't heard, or who's face you haven't seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-butter/enemies-are-people-who-s-story-you-haven-t-heard-or-who-s-face-you/) Irene Butter > [A sweet thing, perspective - a chance to see your enemies so small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/a-sweet-thing-perspective-a-chance-to-see-your-enemies-so-small/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) [Browse all 1,888 Enemies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No one had to impose my enemies on me. I selected them myself. I didn't avoid them: I pointed them out, marked them, attacked them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jacobo Timerman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i-selected-them-myself-i-didn-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enemies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i-selected-them-myself-i-didn-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/405/jacobo-timerman-53298_enemy_no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i_1085201.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/405/jacobo-timerman-53298_enemy_no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i_1085201.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/405/jacobo-timerman-53298_enemy_no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i_1085201.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No one had to impose my enemies on me. I selected them myself. I didn't avoid them: I pointed them out…” — Jacobo Timerman", "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": "Jacobo Timerman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No one had to impose my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i-selected-them-myself-i-didn-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i-selected-them-myself-i-didn-t/#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 } } ] } ```