--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have to be real cool and not savage and…" description: "\"I have to be real cool and not savage and radical, because it makes me angry when I think about it when I see the white boys, who are really the number..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/muhammad-ali-386_angry_i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-an_1254773.jpg" --- # I have to be real cool and not savage and radical, because… ![“I have to be real cool and not savage and radical, because it makes me angry when I think about it when I see the white boys, who are really the number one citizens, the future rulers.” quote by Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/muhammad-ali-386_angry_i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-an_1254773.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/muhammad-ali-386_angry_i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-an_1254773.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/muhammad-ali-386_angry_i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-an_1254773.jpg) > “I have to be real cool and not savage and radical, because it makes me angry when I think about it when I see the white boys, who are really the number one citizens, the future rulers.” [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ali expresses frustration with systemic racism and the paradox of white privilege. **In simple terms:** Racism causes anger and frustration. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront systemic injustice. Themes racism identity social injustice Mood passionate critical Type political social When to use this quote - activism - education - dialogue Key Concepts privilege racial dynamics emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How can we channel anger into constructive change? - What steps reduce systemic bias? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex social hierarchies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) [Being real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-real/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Rulers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulers/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [People don't make us angry, how we think makes us angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/people-don-t-make-us-angry-how-we-think-makes-us-angry/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [What makes me angry? The education of children. How in God's name can you expect to have a functioning society the way we teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/what-makes-me-angry-the-education-of-children-how-in-god-s-name-can/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I like sex writing that makes me think, makes me cringe, makes me angry, makes me look at it in a new way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-kramer-bussel/i-like-sex-writing-that-makes-me-think-makes-me-cringe-makes-me-angry/) [Rachel Kramer Bussel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-kramer-bussel/) > [Im not angry. I have never been angry in my entire life. The only thing that makes me angry is people videorecording me. Making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-jonas/im-not-angry-i-have-never-been-angry-in-my-entire-life-the-only-thing/) [Joe Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-jonas/) > [Im a hip-hopper, and its something you live and do. It makes me angry that were misrepresented, that were being killed every day by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/im-a-hip-hopper-and-its-something-you-live-and-do-it-makes-me-angry/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) > [What makes me angry is the idea that people would be going to a movie because of what I said about it. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/what-makes-me-angry-is-the-idea-that-people-would-be-going-to-a-movie/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [There are yet people who say there is no God. But what really makes me angry is that they quote me for the support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/there-are-yet-people-who-say-there-is-no-god-but-what-really-makes-me/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [My other friends are in music relaxation class, which I do not attend, because smooth jazz makes me angry sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/my-other-friends-are-in-music-relaxation-class-which-i-do-not-attend/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [I feel threatened, and sometimes it makes me angry because I can't do anything about that, there's just too many issues. But in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-nomi/i-feel-threatened-and-sometimes-it-makes-me-angry-because-i-can-t-do/) [Klaus Nomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-nomi/) > [It makes me angry sometimes, it's a visceral thing--how you come to despise your own words in your ears not because they aren't genuine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/it-makes-me-angry-sometimes-it-s-a-visceral-thing-how-you-come-to/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Everything makes me angry, unless it makes me sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-eisenberg/everything-makes-me-angry-unless-it-makes-me-sad/) [Deborah Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-eisenberg/) > [How dare these boxers challenge me with their primitive skills? It makes me angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/how-dare-these-boxers-challenge-me-with-their-primitive-skills-it/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [What makes me angry is closed mindedness, prejudice against those who are different from you, reveling in one's own ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinkx-monsoon/what-makes-me-angry-is-closed-mindedness-prejudice-against-those-who/) [Jinkx Monsoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinkx-monsoon/) > [Something else that makes me angry is that I got too old to prostitute myself. I wasn't going to anyway but it was there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robison/something-else-that-makes-me-angry-is-that-i-got-too-old-to/) [Mary Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robison/) > [I should curl up in a ball and cry. Instead i think about everything in the whole entire world that makes me angry -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/i-should-curl-up-in-a-ball-and-cry-instead-i-think-about-everything/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## More by Muhammad Ali > [There are more pleasant things to do than beat up people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-are-more-pleasant-things-to-do-than-beat-up-people/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [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 don't count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting. That is when I start counting, because then it really counts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-don-t-count-my-sit-ups-i-only-start-counting-when-it-starts-hurting/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I said a lot of things in the heat of the moment that I shouldn't have said. Called him names I shouldn't have called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-said-a-lot-of-things-in-the-heat-of-the-moment-that-i-shouldn-t/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Many people are quick to say that we are not recognized by Muslims in the East . And I start with the Honorable Elijah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/many-people-are-quick-to-say-that-we-are-not-recognized-by-muslims-in/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I have been so great in boxing they had to create an image like Rocky, a white image on the screen, to counteract my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-been-so-great-in-boxing-they-had-to-create-an-image-like-rocky/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Money and riches don't mean nothing to me. I don't care nothing about being no rich individual. I'm not living for glory or for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/money-and-riches-don-t-mean-nothing-to-me-i-don-t-care-nothing-about/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Allah is the Greatest. I'm just the greatest boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/allah-is-the-greatest-i-m-just-the-greatest-boxer/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [My wealth is in my knowledge of self, love, and spirituality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/my-wealth-is-in-my-knowledge-of-self-love-and-spirituality/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We followed the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, who is the boss. And we don't waste a lot of time arguin' about a dead black man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/we-followed-the-honorable-elijah-mohammed-who-is-the-boss-and-we-don/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I'm gonna have to be killed before I lose, and I ain't going to die easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-gonna-have-to-be-killed-before-i-lose-and-i-ain-t-going-to-die/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If some black man go out and start something, a riot or something or, I'm not going to jump in it and get killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-some-black-man-go-out-and-start-something-a-riot-or-something-or-i/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If you want to be equal with me, you can get your own Rolls-Royce, your own house and your own million dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-want-to-be-equal-with-me-you-can-get-your-own-rolls-royce-your/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) [Explore all 609 Muhammad Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) ## More Angry quotes > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [When you're frustrated with people, when they've made you angry, it just may be because you haven't given them enough time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-re-frustrated-with-people-when-they-ve-made-you-angry-it/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) > [I'm an angry guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gandolfini/i-m-an-angry-guy/) [James Gandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gandolfini/) > [Apparently, I'm the angriest man. I don't know. It's just an interpretation. If it was someone else, they might be called focused or competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/apparently-i-m-the-angriest-man-i-don-t-know-it-s-just-an/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Of course I get angry, but I want to use my brain a little bit and not just smash things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/of-course-i-get-angry-but-i-want-to-use-my-brain-a-little-bit-and-not/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) [Browse all 3,857 Angry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have to be real cool and not savage and radical, because it makes me angry when I think about it when I see the white boys, who are really the number one citizens, the future rulers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Muhammad Ali" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-and-radical-because-it-makes-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-and-radical-because-it-makes-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/muhammad-ali-386_angry_i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-an_1254773.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/muhammad-ali-386_angry_i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-an_1254773.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/muhammad-ali-386_angry_i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-an_1254773.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have to be real cool and not savage and radical, because it makes me angry when I think about it when I…” — Muhammad Ali", "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": "Muhammad Ali", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have to be real cool...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-and-radical-because-it-makes-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-to-be-real-cool-and-not-savage-and-radical-because-it-makes-me/#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 } } ] } ```