---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never wanted to safe... I wanted to be…"
description: "\"“I never wanted to safe... I wanted to be good.”\" — Kermit Roosevelt III"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kermit-roosevelt-iii-44662_historical-fiction_i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-go_1178686.jpg"
---

#  I never wanted to safe... I wanted to be good.

![“I never wanted to safe... I wanted to be good.” quote by Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kermit-roosevelt-iii-44662_historical-fiction_i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-go_1178686.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kermit-roosevelt-iii-44662_historical-fiction_i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-go_1178686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kermit-roosevelt-iii-44662_historical-fiction_i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-go_1178686.jpg)

> ““I never wanted to safe... I wanted to be good.””

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

## About This Quote

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

He desired moral integrity over mere safety.

**In simple terms:** Wanted to be good, not just safe.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize ethical choices.

Themes

ethics courage integrity

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- personal dilemmas
- leadership challenges

Key Concepts

moral philosophy personal values

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “being good” mean to you?
- When have you chosen principle over security?

A Different Perspective

Safety can be a false comfort.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Historical fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-fiction/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/)

## Related quotes

> [“I never wanted to be safe, I wanted to be good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/i-never-wanted-to-be-safe-i-wanted-to-be-good/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“Safe. Wanted. Ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/safe-wanted-ours/)

[Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/)

> [“Don’t run from me,” he repeated. “I can’t protect you if I’m not there.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she lifted her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-yeko/don-t-run-from-me-he-repeated-i-can-t-protect-you-if-i-m-not-there/)

Cheryl Yeko

> [“I wanted to persuade her, but I didn't want to scare her, and I certainly didn't want to make her cry. I wanted her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/i-wanted-to-persuade-her-but-i-didn-t-want-to-scare-her-and-i/)

[Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/)

> [“Safe! All I wanted to do was keep them safe. How do you protect your brothers at eight-fucking-teen? How do you make enough money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/safe-all-i-wanted-to-do-was-keep-them-safe-how-do-you-protect-your/)

[Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/)

> [“Pulling her eyes away, she figured it was best to keep such questions to herself. “You could have just, you know, asked me out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kirsten-maravel/pulling-her-eyes-away-she-figured-it-was-best-to-keep-such-questions/)

[Shawn Kirsten Maravel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kirsten-maravel/)

> [“I don’t know what happened. I wanted to keep her safe.” “Can’t, brother. All we can do is not be the ones doin’ the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fanetti/i-don-t-know-what-happened-i-wanted-to-keep-her-safe-can-t-brother/)

[Susan Fanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fanetti/)

> [I wanted so much to keep you safe. I did my best. I'm sorry things didn't come out different for the two of us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/i-wanted-so-much-to-keep-you-safe-i-did-my-best-i-m-sorry-things-didn/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“I just wanted you to be safe," my mother says. "Do you understand that? Safe, and happy. Anything I could do... even if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-just-wanted-you-to-be-safe-my-mother-says-do-you-understand-that/)

[Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/)

> [There's a few movies I wanted to do, and I didn't get to do them partly because they wanted me to be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/there-s-a-few-movies-i-wanted-to-do-and-i-didn-t-get-to-do-them/)

[Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/)

> [“Dex was the boy who’d tackled the kidnappers so she could try to get away. He’d suffered in silence as they burned him over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-messenger/dex-was-the-boy-who-d-tackled-the-kidnappers-so-she-could-try-to-get/)

[Shannon Messenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-messenger/)

> [“Your mother loved you. Do you understand? She loved you. She still loves you. She wanted you to be safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/your-mother-loved-you-do-you-understand-she-loved-you-she-still-loves/)

[Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/)

> [“In time of war, it is not enough to say, ‘I am a citizen and I have rights.’ One must also say, ‘I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/in-time-of-war-it-is-not-enough-to-say-i-am-a-citizen-and-i-have/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“In the dead white hours in Zurich staring into a stranger's pantry across the upshine of a street-lamp, he used to think that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/in-the-dead-white-hours-in-zurich-staring-into-a-stranger-s-pantry/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/)

[Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/)

## More by Kermit Roosevelt III

> [“I have crossed over, and that childhood is as far away and strange as something that happened to someone else in a land beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/i-have-crossed-over-and-that-childhood-is-as-far-away-and-strange-as/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“We are at war, and in time of war there is only one rule. Form your battalion and fight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/we-are-at-war-and-in-time-of-war-there-is-only-one-rule-form-your/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“I never wanted to be safe, I wanted to be good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/i-never-wanted-to-be-safe-i-wanted-to-be-good/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“But for a moment I stay there, suspended above the green swell of the land as though thrown up onto the crest of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/but-for-a-moment-i-stay-there-suspended-above-the-green-swell-of-the/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“In time of war, it is not enough to say, ‘I am a citizen and I have rights.’ One must also say, ‘I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/in-time-of-war-it-is-not-enough-to-say-i-am-a-citizen-and-i-have/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“From the front row of the balcony, I look out over the Uptown Cinema. The red velvet seats are emptying, the credits scrolling up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/from-the-front-row-of-the-balcony-i-look-out-over-the-uptown-cinema/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“I feel an emptiness open in my chest, coupled with a strange downward pull in my throat. I think, this is my heart sinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/i-feel-an-emptiness-open-in-my-chest-coupled-with-a-strange-downward/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

> [“There is no suspension, no whispered prayer for silk to stop my fall. There is only the falling, and it goes on and on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/there-is-no-suspension-no-whispered-prayer-for-silk-to-stop-my-fall/)

[Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

[Explore all 9 Kermit Roosevelt III quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/)

## More Good quotes

> [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/)

[Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/)

> [Today I didn't even have to even use my A.K ! I got to say it was a good day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/today-i-didn-t-even-have-to-even-use-my-a-k-i-got-to-say-it-was-a/)

[Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/)

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [If you want to edit your photos and make yourself look different, go for it. That is up to you, but in my opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-list/if-you-want-to-edit-your-photos-and-make-yourself-look-different-go/)

[Peyton List](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-list/)

> [I met Rajini sir after 'Jigarthanda,' and he said he liked my film. He told me I could approach him whenever I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/i-met-rajini-sir-after-jigarthanda-and-he-said-he-liked-my-film-he/)

[Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/)

[Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/)

> [Eric Clapton's scales - when he comes off a high note and it's time for a refrain or a little bit of a rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/eric-clapton-s-scales-when-he-comes-off-a-high-note-and-it-s-time-for/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/)

[Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/)

> [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/)

[Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/)

> [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/)

[Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/)

> [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/)

[Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/)

> [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/)

[Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/)

> [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/)

[Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/)

> [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/)

[Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/)

Browse all 40,882 Good quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I never wanted to safe... I wanted to be good.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Kermit Roosevelt III"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-good/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Good"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-good/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kermit-roosevelt-iii-44662_historical-fiction_i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-go_1178686.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kermit-roosevelt-iii-44662_historical-fiction_i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-go_1178686.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kermit-roosevelt-iii-44662_historical-fiction_i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-go_1178686.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I never wanted to safe... I wanted to be good.” — Kermit Roosevelt III",
                "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": "Kermit Roosevelt III",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I never wanted to safe... I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-good/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/i-never-wanted-to-safe-i-wanted-to-be-good/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
