--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not…" description: "\"I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not Charles Manson, either.\" — Mike Tyson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/mike-tyson-752_boxing_i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charle_268625.jpg" --- # I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not Charles Manson, either. ![“I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not Charles Manson, either.” quote by Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/mike-tyson-752_boxing_i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charle_268625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/mike-tyson-752_boxing_i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charle_268625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/mike-tyson-752_boxing_i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charle_268625.jpg) > “I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not Charles Manson, either.” [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He distinguishes himself from extreme moral extremes, emphasizing a middle ground of personal identity. **In simple terms:** He isn’t extreme. Key Takeaway Find your own path. Themes identity morality self-awareness Mood determined introspective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - public image - career choices - social perception Key Concepts ethical nuance personal branding Questions to Reflect On - What defines your moral stance? - How do you balance public perception? A Different Perspective Self-definition can be constrained by public expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) ## Related quotes > [Although the evidence at this trial shows that Charles Manson was the leader of the conspiracy to commit these murders, there is no evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/although-the-evidence-at-this-trial-shows-that-charles-manson-was-the/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [I rely on my iPad for on-the-go entertainment. I stock it with TV shows, like 'Parks and Recreation' and the British version of 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-tonkin/i-rely-on-my-ipad-for-on-the-go-entertainment-i-stock-it-with-tv/) [Phoebe Tonkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-tonkin/) > [Charles Manson ate apples. That doesn't mean I'm not going to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/charles-manson-ate-apples-that-doesn-t-mean-i-m-not-going-to/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Marilyn Monroe wasn't even her real name, Charles Manson isn't his real name, and now, I'm taking that to be my real name. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/marilyn-monroe-wasn-t-even-her-real-name-charles-manson-isn-t-his/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [Me and Charles Manson like the same ice cream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/me-and-charles-manson-like-the-same-ice-cream/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [If you want to test cosmetics, why do it on some poor animal who hasn't done anything? They should use prisoners who have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/if-you-want-to-test-cosmetics-why-do-it-on-some-poor-animal-who-hasn/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I'm not your executioner. I'm not your devil and I'm not your God. I'm Charles Manson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-manson/i-m-not-your-executioner-i-m-not-your-devil-and-i-m-not-your-god-i-m/) [Charles Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-manson/) > [The only difference between the women I've dated and Charles Manson is that Manson has the decency to look like a nut case when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/the-only-difference-between-the-women-i-ve-dated-and-charles-manson/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [A lot of seriously insane people have managed to acquire huge followings based on the idea that their insanity is a kind of enlightenment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/a-lot-of-seriously-insane-people-have-managed-to-acquire-huge/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [ I don't know if it's entirely fair to blame \[Dennis Wilson\] early death and complete self-destruction on his involvement with Charles Manson, but it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-longworth/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-entirely-fair-to-blame-dennis-wilson-early-death/) [Karina Longworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-longworth/) > [“If Dan had ever wanted anything more, then I had killed that by ignoring him at Abbott's. That had been my one chance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila-sales/if-dan-had-ever-wanted-anything-more-then-i-had-killed-that-by/) [Leila Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila-sales/) > [Charles Manson loved the Beatles but didn’t understand them. Governor Chris Christie loves Bruce Springsteen but doesn’t understand him. And Paul Ryan is clueless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/charles-manson-loved-the-beatles-but-didn-t-understand-them-governor/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [I think Charles Manson was a hair's breath away from just being a terrorist. He wanted to start a war, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-think-charles-manson-was-a-hair-s-breath-away-from-just-being-a/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [Any movie about cult figure Charles Manson needs lots of sex, drugs and blood. But as John Roecker discovered while filming his first feature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roecker/any-movie-about-cult-figure-charles-manson-needs-lots-of-sex-drugs/) [John Roecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roecker/) > [I was living in Japan at the time, Shoko Asahara was an important figure and you could say his name and people would immediately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/i-was-living-in-japan-at-the-time-shoko-asahara-was-an-important/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) ## More by Mike Tyson > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [At one point, I thought life was about acquiring things. Life is totally about losing everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/at-one-point-i-thought-life-was-about-acquiring-things-life-is/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Being in the ring became my reality, and, in my reality, I'd think I was someone special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/being-in-the-ring-became-my-reality-and-in-my-reality-i-d-think-i-was/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If I was fighting myself, I always say that I would kill Mike Tyson but then again I don't know how hard a punch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/if-i-was-fighting-myself-i-always-say-that-i-would-kill-mike-tyson/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Yes, time flies. And where did it leave you? Old too soon...smart too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/yes-time-flies-and-where-did-it-leave-you-old-too-soon-smart-too-late/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [My career has been over since 1990.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/my-career-has-been-over-since-1990/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I love to hit people. I love to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-love-to-hit-people-i-love-to/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I never wanted to do anything else but fight, when I was a kid. I never had any broader perspective of my own perspective.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-never-wanted-to-do-anything-else-but-fight-when-i-was-a-kid-i-never/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I don't understand why people would want to get rid of pigeons. They don't bother no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-don-t-understand-why-people-would-want-to-get-rid-of-pigeons-they/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [“Mike tyson made a prolific quote that I will never forget. It came when he was being interviewed by a reporter about another boxers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/mike-tyson-made-a-prolific-quote-that-i-will-never-forget-it-came/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I'm the biggest fighter in the history of the sport. If you don't believe it, check the cash register.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-the-biggest-fighter-in-the-history-of-the-sport-if-you-don-t/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Tupac Shakur always wanted me to smoke weed with him, and I never did it, and I wish I did...That's my biggest regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/tupac-shakur-always-wanted-me-to-smoke-weed-with-him-and-i-never-did/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Real freedom is having nothing. I was freer when I didn't have a cent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/real-freedom-is-having-nothing-i-was-freer-when-i-didn-t-have-a-cent/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [You need to learn independence. You have to be independent - it builds character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/you-need-to-learn-independence-you-have-to-be-independent-it-builds/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) [Explore all 381 Mike Tyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) ## More Boxing quotes > [You know, it brings in a lot of different people; you take people off the street, and kids, and people from all different walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/you-know-it-brings-in-a-lot-of-different-people-you-take-people-off/) [Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [Apart from my grandad, none of my family had really been into boxing so the sport was never discussed much at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-taylor/apart-from-my-grandad-none-of-my-family-had-really-been-into-boxing/) [Josh Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-taylor/) > [You don't think. It's all instinct. If you stop to think, you're gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-robinson/you-don-t-think-it-s-all-instinct-if-you-stop-to-think-you-re-gone/) [Sugar Ray Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-robinson/) > [I actually like boxing away from home. It takes the pressure off you a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/i-actually-like-boxing-away-from-home-it-takes-the-pressure-off-you-a/) [James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/) > [Whether it's Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter, Amir Khan or Kell Brook, there are a lot of fights out there that I think would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thurman/whether-it-s-marcos-maidana-shawn-porter-amir-khan-or-kell-brook/) [Keith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thurman/) > [I'm a fighter, I love boxing, it's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-m-a-fighter-i-love-boxing-it-s-what-i-do/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [I first got into boxing when I was quite young. I was about 12 when I won my first boxing match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/i-first-got-into-boxing-when-i-was-quite-young-i-was-about-12-when-i/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) > [Boxing can be so important to young people, it keeps you off the street and you can channel your energy and aggression in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/boxing-can-be-so-important-to-young-people-it-keeps-you-off-the/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) > [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I somewhere along the way became fascinated with exploring characters who are willing to put themselves into violent situations, whether it's football, hockey, boxing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-somewhere-along-the-way-became-fascinated-with-exploring-characters/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [I always tried to be different from everyone else. Then I found out about boxing. That was the way I could be different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riddick-bowe/i-always-tried-to-be-different-from-everyone-else-then-i-found-out/) [Riddick Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riddick-bowe/) > [One day we'll have championship boxing in Cleveland and people will support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/one-day-we-ll-have-championship-boxing-in-cleveland-and-people-will/) [Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/) > [I've grown up with Bollywood, and I continue to enjoy it. But boxing remains my passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijender-singh/i-ve-grown-up-with-bollywood-and-i-continue-to-enjoy-it-but-boxing/) [Vijender Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijender-singh/) [Browse all 2,214 Boxing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not Charles Manson, either.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Tyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charles-manson-either/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boxing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charles-manson-either/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/mike-tyson-752_boxing_i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charle_268625.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/mike-tyson-752_boxing_i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charle_268625.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/mike-tyson-752_boxing_i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charle_268625.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not Charles Manson, either.” — Mike Tyson", "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": "Mike Tyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charles-manson-either/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charles-manson-either/#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 } } ] } ```