---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think I would rather be a man than a…"
description: "\"I think I would rather be a man than a god. We don’t need anyone to believe in us. We just keep going anyhow. It’s what we do.\" — Neil Gaiman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-g_1392905.jpg"
---

#  I think I would rather be a man than a god. We don’t need…

![“I think I would rather be a man than a god. We don’t need anyone to believe in us. We just keep going anyhow. It’s what we do.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-g_1392905.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-g_1392905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-g_1392905.jpg)

> “I think I would rather be a man than a god. We don’t need anyone to believe in us. We just keep going anyhow. It’s what we do.”

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## About This Quote

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

A desire to be human, with its imperfections, is more appealing than divine power, and we must persist regardless of belief.

**In simple terms:** Being human is preferable to being a god; keep moving forward.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humanity and keep going.

Themes

humanity perseverance identity

Mood

reflective determined

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- creative work
- overcoming doubt
- daily routine

Key Concepts

existentialism self‑acceptance

Questions to Reflect On

- What human qualities do you value most?
- How do you stay motivated without external validation?

A Different Perspective

Even without belief, motivation can wane without purpose.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[American gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-gods/) [Believe in us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-us/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm just going to be myself; there's no reason for me to try and go out there and put a certain facade on or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-vanzant/i-m-just-going-to-be-myself-there-s-no-reason-for-me-to-try-and-go/)

[Paige VanZant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-vanzant/)

> [It doesn't matter that you didn't believe in us," said Mr. Ibis. "We believed in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-doesn-t-matter-that-you-didn-t-believe-in-us-said-mr-ibis-we/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Without individuals we see only numbers: a thousand dead, a hundred thousand dead, “casualties may rise to a million.” With individual stories, the statistics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/without-individuals-we-see-only-numbers-a-thousand-dead-a-hundred/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“It's patterns," he said. "If they think you're a hero, they're wrong. After you die, you don't get to be Beowulf or Perseus or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-s-patterns-he-said-if-they-think-you-re-a-hero-they-re-wrong-after/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Anything electronic seemed fundamentally magical to Shadow, and liable to evaporate at any moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/anything-electronic-seemed-fundamentally-magical-to-shadow-and-liable/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“The shape does not change: there was a human being who was born, lived and then, by some means or another, died. There. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-shape-does-not-change-there-was-a-human-being-who-was-born-lived/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [With American Gods I was trying very, very consciously - there was a level at which it was a little like trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/with-american-gods-i-was-trying-very-very-consciously-there-was-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Lives are snowflakes - unique in detail, forming patterns we have seen before, but as like one another as peas in a pod (and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/lives-are-snowflakes-unique-in-detail-forming-patterns-we-have-seen/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [People believe, thought Shadow. It's what people do. They believe, and then they do not take responsibility for their beliefs; they conjure things, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-believe-thought-shadow-it-s-what-people-do-they-believe-and/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“When the web started, I used to get really grumpy with people because they put my poems up. They put my stories up. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-the-web-started-i-used-to-get-really-grumpy-with-people-because/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“That’s when I miss you most. When you’re here. When you aren’t here, when you’re just a ghost from the past or a dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/that-s-when-i-miss-you-most-when-you-re-here-when-you-aren-t-here/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [As sure as water's wet and days are long and a friend will always disappoint you in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/as-sure-as-water-s-wet-and-days-are-long-and-a-friend-will-always/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [I would not describe myself as a political writer except in the sense that the personal is political, which is something that I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-would-not-describe-myself-as-a-political-writer-except-in-the-sense/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“yeah, my people figured that maybe there’s something at the back of it all, a creator, a great spirit, and so we say thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/yeah-my-people-figured-that-maybe-there-s-something-at-the-back-of-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [And I thought, eight years ago, when I began carefully charting the progress of American Gods, nervously dipping my toes into the waters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/and-i-thought-eight-years-ago-when-i-began-carefully-charting-the/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## More by Neil Gaiman

> [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/)

[neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

[Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## More American gods quotes

> [So that's Godzilla, he's ultimately going to get you regardless of what you do. Maybe the people who made the American Godzilla film were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/so-that-s-godzilla-he-s-ultimately-going-to-get-you-regardless-of/)

[Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/)

> [And I thought, eight years ago, when I began carefully charting the progress of American Gods, nervously dipping my toes into the waters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/and-i-thought-eight-years-ago-when-i-began-carefully-charting-the/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [I really thought Reagan was going to push the button and blow us all up. It was scary. So when they did the 1998…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/i-really-thought-reagan-was-going-to-push-the-button-and-blow-us-all/)

[Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/)

> [Life's what happens when you're making other plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/life-s-what-happens-when-you-re-making-other-plans/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [“yeah, my people figured that maybe there’s something at the back of it all, a creator, a great spirit, and so we say thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/yeah-my-people-figured-that-maybe-there-s-something-at-the-back-of-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“When they got married Laura told Shadow that she wanted a puppy, but their landlord had pointed out they weren’t allowed pets under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-they-got-married-laura-told-shadow-that-she-wanted-a-puppy-but/)

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

> [I would not describe myself as a political writer except in the sense that the personal is political, which is something that I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-would-not-describe-myself-as-a-political-writer-except-in-the-sense/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [As sure as water's wet and days are long and a friend will always disappoint you in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/as-sure-as-water-s-wet-and-days-are-long-and-a-friend-will-always/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“That’s when I miss you most. When you’re here. When you aren’t here, when you’re just a ghost from the past or a dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/that-s-when-i-miss-you-most-when-you-re-here-when-you-aren-t-here/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“When the web started, I used to get really grumpy with people because they put my poems up. They put my stories up. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-the-web-started-i-used-to-get-really-grumpy-with-people-because/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [People believe, thought Shadow. It's what people do. They believe, and then they do not take responsibility for their beliefs; they conjure things, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-believe-thought-shadow-it-s-what-people-do-they-believe-and/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [None so blind as those who will not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/none-so-blind-as-those-who-will-not-see/)

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

> [“Lives are snowflakes - unique in detail, forming patterns we have seen before, but as like one another as peas in a pod (and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/lives-are-snowflakes-unique-in-detail-forming-patterns-we-have-seen/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [With American Gods I was trying very, very consciously - there was a level at which it was a little like trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/with-american-gods-i-was-trying-very-very-consciously-there-was-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“The shape does not change: there was a human being who was born, lived and then, by some means or another, died. There. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-shape-does-not-change-there-was-a-human-being-who-was-born-lived/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

[Browse all 45 American gods quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-gods/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think I would rather be a man than a god. We don’t need anyone to believe in us. We just keep going anyhow. It’s what we do.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neil Gaiman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-god-we-don-t-need-anyone-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "American gods"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-god-we-don-t-need-anyone-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-g_1392905.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-g_1392905.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-g_1392905.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think I would rather be a man than a god. We don’t need anyone to believe in us. We just keep going…” — Neil Gaiman",
                "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": "Neil Gaiman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think I would rather be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-god-we-don-t-need-anyone-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-think-i-would-rather-be-a-man-than-a-god-we-don-t-need-anyone-to/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
