--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have a sense that we should be like…" description: "\"We have a sense that we should be like the mythical cowboy... able to take on and conquer anything and live in the world without the need for other peo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/morrie-schwartz-9885_able_we-have-a-sense-that-we-should-be-like-t_1583622.png" --- # We have a sense that we should be like the mythical… ![“We have a sense that we should be like the mythical cowboy... able to take on and conquer anything and live in the world without the need for other people.” quote by Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/morrie-schwartz-9885_able_we-have-a-sense-that-we-should-be-like-t_1583622.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/morrie-schwartz-9885_able_we-have-a-sense-that-we-should-be-like-t_1583622.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/morrie-schwartz-9885_able_we-have-a-sense-that-we-should-be-like-t_1583622.png) > “We have a sense that we should be like the mythical cowboy... able to take on and conquer anything and live in the world without the need for other people.” [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People idealize the lone cowboy myth, wanting to conquer everything alone, neglecting the need for community. **In simple terms:** Myth of self‑reliance ignores human interdependence. Key Takeaway Value community over solitary heroism. Themes individualism myth loneliness Mood thoughtful lonely Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - career building - personal growth - team projects - mental health Key Concepts existentialism social connection heroic ideal Questions to Reflect On - Why do we romanticize solitary strength? - How can we balance independence with collaboration? A Different Perspective Isolation can cause burnout and missed support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cowboy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowboy/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“You may be able to conquer the whole world and gain everything in action, But you'll live in torment if you can't find peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/you-may-be-able-to-conquer-the-whole-world-and-gain-everything-in/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) > [I don't have a deep link with England like, say, Jonathan Coe or Hanif Kureishi might demonstrate. For me, it is like a mythical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-don-t-have-a-deep-link-with-england-like-say-jonathan-coe-or-hanif/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [Architecture is like a mythical fantastic. It has to be experienced. It can't be described. We can draw it up and we can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-lin/architecture-is-like-a-mythical-fantastic-it-has-to-be-experienced-it/) [Maya Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-lin/) > [The reason I know I'm different to other people is I'm awake in the night, like all mythical creatures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-collins/the-reason-i-know-i-m-different-to-other-people-is-i-m-awake-in-the/) [Gemma Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-collins/) > [“The present seemed suddenly strange to me, so trivial and distracted. I felt like one of those mythical heroes who fights his way back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/the-present-seemed-suddenly-strange-to-me-so-trivial-and-distracted-i/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [I have conquered an empire but I have not been able to conquer myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-the-great/i-have-conquered-an-empire-but-i-have-not-been-able-to-conquer-myself/) Peter the Great > [This world is for those who are born to conquer it, Not for those who dream that are able to conquer it, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/this-world-is-for-those-who-are-born-to-conquer-it-not-for-those-who/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Conquer the thousands of man may not be called a winner, but be able to conquer yourself is called a brilliant conqueror!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukarno/conquer-the-thousands-of-man-may-not-be-called-a-winner-but-be-able/) [Sukarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukarno/) > [He who is able to conquer others is powerful; he who is able to conquer himself is more powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-who-is-able-to-conquer-others-is-powerful-he-who-is-able-to/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“Did not God assist us, we should not only not be able to conquer, but not able even to fight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/did-not-god-assist-us-we-should-not-only-not-be-able-to-conquer-but/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Henry Kissinger may have wished I had presented him as a combination of Charles DeGaulle and Disraeli, but I didn't…out of respect for DeGaulle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/henry-kissinger-may-have-wished-i-had-presented-him-as-a-combination/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [“Let's face it. I'm the romantic equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle. Men date me then disappear , never to be heard from again." Jaymes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-jaymes/let-s-face-it-i-m-the-romantic-equivalent-of-the-bermuda-triangle-men/) Olivia Jaymes > [Whether I'm in the main event or on the preliminary card, the same Cowboy is going to be out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-cerrone/whether-i-m-in-the-main-event-or-on-the-preliminary-card-the-same/) [Donald Cerrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-cerrone/) > [“I’ll always come back to you,” he said. “Always.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/i-ll-always-come-back-to-you-he-said-always/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-lawyers-are-disbarred-and-clergymen-defrocked-doesn-t-it-follow/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) ## More by Morrie Schwartz > [The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/the-little-things-i-can-obey-but-the-big-things-how-we-think-what-we/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [Once you learn how to die you learn how to live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/once-you-learn-how-to-die-you-learn-how-to-live/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [The fact is, there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn't the family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/the-fact-is-there-is-no-foundation-no-secure-ground-upon-which-people/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [“Okay. The story is about a little wave, bobbing along in the ocean, having a grand old time. He's enjoying the wind and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/okay-the-story-is-about-a-little-wave-bobbing-along-in-the-ocean/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/the-culture-we-have-does-not-make-people-feel-good-about-themselves/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [Acceptance is not a talent you either have or don't have. It's a learned response. My meditation teacher made a great point about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/acceptance-is-not-a-talent-you-either-have-or-don-t-have-it-s-a/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [All right, that was my moment with loneliness. I'm not afraid of feeling lonely, but now I'm going to put that loneliness aside and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/all-right-that-was-my-moment-with-loneliness-i-m-not-afraid-of/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [“Morrie: And the biggest one of those values, Mitch? Mitch: Yes? Morrie: Your belief in the importance of your marriage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/morrie-and-the-biggest-one-of-those-values-mitch-mitch-yes-morrie/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [There is no formula to relationships. They have to be negotiated in loving ways, with room for both parties, what they want and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/there-is-no-formula-to-relationships-they-have-to-be-negotiated-in/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [We put our values in the wrong things. And it leads to very disillusioned lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/we-put-our-values-in-the-wrong-things-and-it-leads-to-very/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [Without love, we are birds with broken wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/without-love-we-are-birds-with-broken-wings/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [“Don’t let go too soon, but don’t hang on too long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/don-t-let-go-too-soon-but-don-t-hang-on-too-long/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [“Said to Mitch Album in "Tuesday's with Morrie": "The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. We're teaching the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/said-to-mitch-album-in-tuesday-s-with-morrie-the-culture-we-have-does/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [Keep your heart open for as long as you can, as wide as you can, for others and especially for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/keep-your-heart-open-for-as-long-as-you-can-as-wide-as-you-can-for/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [All younger people should know something. If you’re always battling against getting older, you’re always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/all-younger-people-should-know-something-if-you-re-always-battling/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) [Explore all 69 Morrie Schwartz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. 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