--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Deeds of violence in our society are…" description: "\"Deeds of violence in our society are performed largely by those trying to establish their self-esteem, to defend their self-image, and to demonstrate t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/rollo-may-1295_crime_deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-per_1488459.jpg" --- # Deeds of violence in our society are performed largely by… ![“Deeds of violence in our society are performed largely by those trying to establish their self-esteem, to defend their self-image, and to demonstrate that they, too, are significant.” quote by Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/rollo-may-1295_crime_deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-per_1488459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/rollo-may-1295_crime_deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-per_1488459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/rollo-may-1295_crime_deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-per_1488459.jpg) > “Deeds of violence in our society are performed largely by those trying to establish their self-esteem, to defend their self-image, and to demonstrate that they, too, are significant.” [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often act violently to protect fragile self‑esteem and prove their worth. **In simple terms:** Violence as a self‑image defense. Key Takeaway Cultivate healthier self‑validation. Themes selfesteem violence identity Mood critical empathetic Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - bullying - social media conflict - workplace aggression - personal crises Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What non‑violent ways can affirm self‑worth? - How does society enable violent self‑assertion? A Different Perspective Violence may also stem from systemic issues, not just self‑esteem. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Our society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-society/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-esteem/) [Self image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-image/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [Violence in our society has reached epidemic proportions. ... Violence in the media for entertainment purposes has been established as a major contributing factor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-prothrow-stith/violence-in-our-society-has-reached-epidemic-proportions-violence-in/) Deborah Prothrow-Stith > [Many people today agree that we need to reduce violence in our society. If we are truly serious about this, we must deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-people-today-agree-that-we-need-to-reduce-violence-in-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The blade itself incites to deeds of violence’ Homer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/the-blade-itself-incites-to-deeds-of-violence-homer/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [The blade itself incites to deeds of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-blade-itself-incites-to-deeds-of-violence/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Stuck in my own trap of writing about a nonsubject, I think I can defend my own self-respect, and also the integrity of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/stuck-in-my-own-trap-of-writing-about-a-nonsubject-i-think-i-can/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“We now experience the daily need to defend our self-concepts rather than our bodies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-a-singer/we-now-experience-the-daily-need-to-defend-our-self-concepts-rather/) [Michael A. Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-a-singer/) > [“Build your confidence in such a way that it acts as an antibody to defend your self- esteem against foreign negativities, thus making you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-thomas/build-your-confidence-in-such-a-way-that-it-acts-as-an-antibody-to/) [Esther Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-thomas/) > [IF ANY ONE WANT TO END YOUR LIFE DESTROY HIM WITH OUT MERCY YOU HAVE ALL RIGHT TO DEFEND YOUR SELF](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-singh/if-any-one-want-to-end-your-life-destroy-him-with-out-mercy-you-have/) Neil Singh > [Nearly every black man faces an unacceptable level of violence in this society. I'm not different. Money can shield you; it can protect you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puff-daddy/nearly-every-black-man-faces-an-unacceptable-level-of-violence-in/) [Puff Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puff-daddy/) > [There is far too much aggression and violence in society and people should be kinder to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hadley/there-is-far-too-much-aggression-and-violence-in-society-and-people/) [Tony Hadley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hadley/) > [I'm not sure that the problem of violence in society can be put at the feet of the entertainment industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivana-milicevic/i-m-not-sure-that-the-problem-of-violence-in-society-can-be-put-at/) [Ivana Milicevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivana-milicevic/) > [“This fragmentation of public authority went even further in Pakistan than in India. In Pakistan, state power never permeated society as deep and far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurent-gayer/this-fragmentation-of-public-authority-went-even-further-in-pakistan/) [Laurent Gayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurent-gayer/) > [The big thrillers may make people aware of the violence in the society, and I guess that serves a purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ladd/the-big-thrillers-may-make-people-aware-of-the-violence-in-the/) [Diane Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ladd/) > [It is society's tolerance of violence in society that's probably responsible for violent behavior more than any motion picture or television show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-society-s-tolerance-of-violence-in-society-that-s-probably/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is the emergence of a militarized society that now organizes itself for the production of violence. A society in which the range of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/there-is-the-emergence-of-a-militarized-society-that-now-organizes/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) ## More by Rollo May > [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Political freedom is to be cherished indeed. But there is no political freedom that is not indissolubly bound to the inner personal freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/political-freedom-is-to-be-cherished-indeed-but-there-is-no-political/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the effect which comes when we use our powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-effect-which-comes-when-we-use-our-powers/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [In religion, it is not the sycophants or those who cling most faithfully to the status quo who are ultimately praised. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/in-religion-it-is-not-the-sycophants-or-those-who-cling-most/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One of the few blessings of living in an age of anxiety is that we are forced to become aware of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-of-the-few-blessings-of-living-in-an-age-of-anxiety-is-that-we/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Intimacy requires courage because risk is inescapable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/intimacy-requires-courage-because-risk-is-inescapable/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Artists do not run away from non-being, but by encountering and wrestling with it, force it to produce being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/artists-do-not-run-away-from-non-being-but-by-encountering-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we do not experience it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/technology-is-the-knack-of-so-arranging-the-world-that-we-do-not/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [By the creative act, we are able to reach beyond our own death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/by-the-creative-act-we-are-able-to-reach-beyond-our-own-death/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the zest that you get out of using your talents, your understanding, the totality of your being, for great aims...That's the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-zest-that-you-get-out-of-using-your-talents-your/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One must have at least a readiness to love the other person, broadly speaking, if one is to be able to understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-must-have-at-least-a-readiness-to-love-the-other-person-broadly/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Man is the "ethical animal" ethical in potentiality even if, unfortunately, not in actuality. His capacity for ethical judgment like freedom, reason and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/man-is-the-ethical-animal-ethical-in-potentiality-even-if/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-opposite-of-courage-in-our-society-is-not-cowardice-it-is/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) [Explore all 259 Rollo May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## More Crime quotes > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [Taking notes while watching Forensic Files and Snapped. I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too much virtue can be criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/too-much-virtue-can-be-criminal/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013, often at a far faster rate than the Bureau of Prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-yates/the-federal-prison-population-increased-by-almost-800-percent-between/) [Sally Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-yates/) > [ \[P\]rogress, however, has not sufficiently infiltrated the Interior Ministry, affording protection to those who participated in the Bytyqi murders and other egregious Milosevic-era crimes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-bohlen/p-rogress-however-has-not-sufficiently-infiltrated-the-interior/) Avis Bohlen [Browse all 8,359 Crime quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Deeds of violence in our society are performed largely by those trying to establish their self-esteem, to defend their self-image, and to demonstrate that they, too, are significant.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rollo May" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-performed-largely-by-those/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crime" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-performed-largely-by-those/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/rollo-may-1295_crime_deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-per_1488459.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/rollo-may-1295_crime_deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-per_1488459.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/rollo-may-1295_crime_deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-per_1488459.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Deeds of violence in our society are performed largely by those trying to establish their self-esteem, to…” — Rollo May", "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": "Rollo May", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Deeds of violence in our society...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-performed-largely-by-those/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/deeds-of-violence-in-our-society-are-performed-largely-by-those/#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 } } ] } ```