---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sit on a man's back, choking him and…"
description: "\"I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/leo-tolstoy-55_choking_i-sit-on-a-man-s-back-choking-him-and-ma_88561.jpg"
---

#  I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry…

![“I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/leo-tolstoy-55_choking_i-sit-on-a-man-s-back-choking-him-and-ma_88561.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/leo-tolstoy-55_choking_i-sit-on-a-man-s-back-choking-him-and-ma_88561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/leo-tolstoy-55_choking_i-sit-on-a-man-s-back-choking-him-and-ma_88561.jpg)

> “I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back.”

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

## About This Quote

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

Describes a parasitic relationship where the speaker exploits another while feigning remorse, exposing self‑deception and moral hypocrisy.

**In simple terms:** Self‑critical confession

Key Takeaway

Expose personal hypocrisy

Themes

psychology morality self‑awareness power dynamics

Mood

reflective cynical

Type

literary quote philosophical observation

When to use this quote

- personal journal
- literary monologue
- therapeutic writing

Key Concepts

exploitation guilt self‑deception

Practical Applications

- self‑reflection
- ethical discussion

Questions to Reflect On

- Why does the speaker cling to the role?
- What would true remorse look like?

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## Related quotes

> [“I sit on a man's back choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am sorry for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-sit-on-a-man-s-back-choking-him-and-making-him-carry-me-and-yet-2/)

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> [“If a man was choking, what would I do? Well, I’d remove my penis from his throat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-a-man-was-choking-what-would-i-do-well-i-d-remove-my-penis-from/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“You talk very easily of hours, sir! How long do you suppose, sir, that an hour is to a man who is choking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/you-talk-very-easily-of-hours-sir-how-long-do-you-suppose-sir-that-an/)

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> [Never assure yourself that sorry is enough to make someone come back to you.Because when pain strikes the heart,relationships fades away no matter,How great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/never-assure-yourself-that-sorry-is-enough-to-make-someone-come-back/)

[Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/)

> [What most we wish, with ease we fancy near.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/what-most-we-wish-with-ease-we-fancy-near/)

[Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/)

> [“If a man is choking to death on a bite of steak, there is really only one thing to do—finish eating his steak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-a-man-is-choking-to-death-on-a-bite-of-steak-there-is-really-only/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Planting images in my head of Oli grabbing the blond’s hair, guiding his head, and the sloppy sounds of the younger man choking on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-hassell/planting-images-in-my-head-of-oli-grabbing-the-blond-s-hair-guiding/)

[Santino Hassell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-hassell/)

> [I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-know-that-most-men-including-those-at-ease-with-problems-of-the/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Today coming to work, I saw one of those only in New York scenes. It was a rat who had passed out after choking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/today-coming-to-work-i-saw-one-of-those-only-in-new-york-scenes-it/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [“Nora-leggo it's choking me!! ow!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazunari-kakei/nora-leggo-it-s-choking-me-ow/)

Kazunari Kakei

> [“I don't think we choked this time. We never played well enough to choke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-matthews/i-don-t-think-we-choked-this-time-we-never-played-well-enough-to-choke/)

Craig Matthews

> [I need to learn how to start saying no. Like when someone says ‘please stop choking me.’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-need-to-learn-how-to-start-saying-no-like-when-someone-says-please/)

[John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/)

> [The truth is hard to swallow when you're choking on your pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-hard-to-swallow-when-you-re-choking-on-your-pride/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [CONGRATULATIONS! You've won a lifetime supply of air: Not valid under water, in space, when dead, or while choking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-you-ve-won-a-lifetime-supply-of-air-not-valid-under/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Joe!” he groaned, attempting to speak clearly. “Joe! Good ol’ Joe!” “Captain, you’re drunk!” Lofflin said, stating the obvious while trying to keep his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/joe-he-groaned-attempting-to-speak-clearly-joe-good-ol-joe-captain/)

[Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/)

## More by Leo Tolstoy

> [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/)

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> [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/)

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> [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/)

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> [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/)

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> [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/)

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> [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/)

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> [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/)

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> [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/)

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> [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/)

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> [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/)

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> [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/)

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[Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

## More Choking quotes

> [“Joe!” he groaned, attempting to speak clearly. “Joe! Good ol’ Joe!” “Captain, you’re drunk!” Lofflin said, stating the obvious while trying to keep his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/joe-he-groaned-attempting-to-speak-clearly-joe-good-ol-joe-captain/)

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> [“Nora-leggo it's choking me!! ow!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazunari-kakei/nora-leggo-it-s-choking-me-ow/)

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> [“I don't think we choked this time. We never played well enough to choke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-matthews/i-don-t-think-we-choked-this-time-we-never-played-well-enough-to-choke/)

Craig Matthews

> [I need to learn how to start saying no. Like when someone says ‘please stop choking me.’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-need-to-learn-how-to-start-saying-no-like-when-someone-says-please/)

[John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/)

> [The truth is hard to swallow when you're choking on your pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-hard-to-swallow-when-you-re-choking-on-your-pride/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Today coming to work, I saw one of those only in New York scenes. It was a rat who had passed out after choking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/today-coming-to-work-i-saw-one-of-those-only-in-new-york-scenes-it/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [CONGRATULATIONS! You've won a lifetime supply of air: Not valid under water, in space, when dead, or while choking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-you-ve-won-a-lifetime-supply-of-air-not-valid-under/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The truth is always hard to swallow if you're choking on your pride. Love the one you've got, and appreciate who you have, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/the-truth-is-always-hard-to-swallow-if-you-re-choking-on-your-pride/)

[Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/)

> [“If a man was choking, what would I do? Well, I’d remove my penis from his throat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-a-man-was-choking-what-would-i-do-well-i-d-remove-my-penis-from/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [When your rage is choking you, it is best to say nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-your-rage-is-choking-you-it-is-best-to-say-nothing/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you want to dry hump someone you don't know, just act like they were choking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/if-you-want-to-dry-hump-someone-you-don-t-know-just-act-like-they/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [“No! He tried to shout out but the water surged into his mouth and lungs choking his cry. Then darkness. And nothingness. Always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/no-he-tried-to-shout-out-but-the-water-surged-into-his-mouth-and/)

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> [Iggy: "I'll grab a zebra; Gaz, you fill all the bubbles with your trademark scent. so people are choking and gagging; and let's throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/iggy-i-ll-grab-a-zebra-gaz-you-fill-all-the-bubbles-with-your/)

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> [“Dirk an I tried to learn Klingon, but it sounded like we were choking on cabbage. The Neighbors called nine-one-one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/platte-f-clark/dirk-an-i-tried-to-learn-klingon-but-it-sounded-like-we-were-choking/)

Platte F. Clark

Browse all 91 Choking quotes

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