---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You want to be a hero. That is why you do…"
description: "\"You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things.\" — Romain Rolland"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/romain-rolland-10123_hero_you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do_1024388.jpg"
---

#  You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things.

![“You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things.” quote by Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/romain-rolland-10123_hero_you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do_1024388.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/romain-rolland-10123_hero_you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do_1024388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/romain-rolland-10123_hero_you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do_1024388.jpg)

> “You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things.”

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

## About This Quote

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

Being a hero involves acting foolishly for others, highlighting self‑sacrifice and bravery

**In simple terms:** Heroes do silly things for the greater good

Key Takeaway

Recognize the value of self‑sacrificial actions

Themes

heroism self‑sacrifice altruism

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

literary ethical

When to use this quote

- volunteering
- emergency response
- daily kindness acts

Key Concepts

ethical philosophy psychology of bravery

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines a hero to you?
- When does self‑sacrifice become detrimental?

A Different Perspective

Heroic actions can be reckless or harmful if misguided

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Hero Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero-silly-2302313/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Silly things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly-things/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-hero-364791/)

## Related quotes

> [You are a vain fellow. You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things. A hero!... I don't quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/you-are-a-vain-fellow-you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do-such/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [“You're a hero here.' 'I don't want to be a hero.' 'What do you want?' 'I want to be a leader.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/you-re-a-hero-here-i-don-t-want-to-be-a-hero-what-do-you-want-i-want/)

[Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/)

> [ You can choose who you want to be the hero \[in Hard Candy\], but youll be second-guessing yourself -- theres just no right answer.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/you-can-choose-who-you-want-to-be-the-hero-in-hard-candy-but-youll-be/)

[Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/)

> [I like to be nice. I want to be a hero. I want to save people. Or just kill zombies, because they deserve it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-tyler/i-like-to-be-nice-i-want-to-be-a-hero-i-want-to-save-people-or-just/)

[Aisha Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-tyler/)

> [All the stupid silly things people do, say and fuss about now are going to mean absolutely nothing later in life. You see all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/all-the-stupid-silly-things-people-do-say-and-fuss-about-now-are/)

[Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/)

> [When I first was on Big Time Rush, the TV show, I did a lot of silly things. Among the first episodes that came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-maslow/when-i-first-was-on-big-time-rush-the-tv-show-i-did-a-lot-of-silly/)

[James Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-maslow/)

> [Burgundy makes you think of silly things; Bordeaux makes you talk about them, and Champagne makes you do them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anthelme-brillat-savarin/burgundy-makes-you-think-of-silly-things-bordeaux-makes-you-talk/)

[Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anthelme-brillat-savarin/)

> [Such silly things, children -- and so embarrassing -- because they keep changing themselves out of shame, out of a need to be loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/such-silly-things-children-and-so-embarrassing-because-they-keep/)

[Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/)

> [“What I can't understand is why the silly things you say makes so much sense." "I'll tell you why," said Papa Dima. "It's because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduard-uspensky/what-i-can-t-understand-is-why-the-silly-things-you-say-makes-so-much/)

[Eduard Uspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduard-uspensky/)

> [Wine has made me bold, but not foolish; has induced me to say silly things, but not do them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-cooper/wine-has-made-me-bold-but-not-foolish-has-induced-me-to-say-silly/)

[Duff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-cooper/)

> [NFL owners should quit worrying about silly things like players celebrating in the end zone. They should give them something to really celebrate. Get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-simpson/nfl-owners-should-quit-worrying-about-silly-things-like-players/)

[O. J. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-simpson/)

> [One does silly things when one is twelve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/one-does-silly-things-when-one-is-twelve/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Oh dear," said Sarah anxiously, "I do wish he wouldn't do these silly things." I'm sure we all wish that, Sarah," said Marcia sternly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-sage/oh-dear-said-sarah-anxiously-i-do-wish-he-wouldn-t-do-these-silly/)

[Angie Sage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-sage/)

> [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [I'll run through things over and over and over again in my head and think, "How could I have done that better?" Silly things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-ll-run-through-things-over-and-over-and-over-again-in-my-head-and/)

[Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/)

## More by Romain Rolland

> [“I distrust official charity. All charity should be done by stealth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/i-distrust-official-charity-all-charity-should-be-done-by-stealth/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [The artist is the compass which, through the raging of the storm, points steadily to the north.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/the-artist-is-the-compass-which-through-the-raging-of-the-storm/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [One day History will pass judgment on each of the nations at war; she will weigh their measure of errors, lies, and heinous follies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/one-day-history-will-pass-judgment-on-each-of-the-nations-at-war-she/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [The greatest book is not the one whose message engraves itself on the brain, as a telegraphic message engraves itself on the ticker-tape, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/the-greatest-book-is-not-the-one-whose-message-engraves-itself-on-the/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [The true Vedantic spirit does not start out with a system of preconceived ideas. It possesses absolute liberty and unrivalled courage among religions with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/the-true-vedantic-spirit-does-not-start-out-with-a-system-of/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [“They were the only members of their family, and they were both humble, crushed, and thrust aside by life; they were united in sadness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/they-were-the-only-members-of-their-family-and-they-were-both-humble/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [One makes mistakes; that is life. But it is never a mistake to have loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/one-makes-mistakes-that-is-life-but-it-is-never-a-mistake-to-have/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [There are some dead who are more alive than the living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/there-are-some-dead-who-are-more-alive-than-the-living/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [I know at last what distinguishes man from animals; financial worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/i-know-at-last-what-distinguishes-man-from-animals-financial-worries/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [Love of my country does not demand that I shall hate and slay those noble and faithful souls who also love theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/love-of-my-country-does-not-demand-that-i-shall-hate-and-slay-those/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [Let us return to our eagle's nest in the Himalayas. It is waiting for us, for it is ours, eaglets of Europe, we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/let-us-return-to-our-eagle-s-nest-in-the-himalayas-it-is-waiting-for/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [If a man is to shed the light of the sun upon other men, he must first of all have it within himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/if-a-man-is-to-shed-the-light-of-the-sun-upon-other-men-he-must-first/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [History furnishes to politics all the arguments that it needs, for the chosen cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/history-furnishes-to-politics-all-the-arguments-that-it-needs-for-the/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [I would rather have this life of combat than the moral calm and mournful stupor of these last years. God give me struggle, enemies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/i-would-rather-have-this-life-of-combat-than-the-moral-calm-and/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [Let us seek truth everywhere; let us cull it wherever we can find its blossom or its SEED. Having Found the seed, let us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/let-us-seek-truth-everywhere-let-us-cull-it-wherever-we-can-find-its/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

[Explore all 64 Romain Rolland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

## More Hero quotes

> [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/)

[Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/)

> [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/)

[Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/)

> [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/)

[Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

> ['Melanin Man' was inspired by the words of an Uber driver in L.A. Before I got out of the car he said, 'They're scared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masego/melanin-man-was-inspired-by-the-words-of-an-uber-driver-in-l-a-before/)

[Masego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masego/)

> [Once the state has been founded, there can no longer be any heroes. They come on the scene only in uncivilized conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/once-the-state-has-been-founded-there-can-no-longer-be-any-heroes/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [You know, I often thought that the gangster and the artist are the same in the eyes of the masses. They're admired and hero-worshipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/you-know-i-often-thought-that-the-gangster-and-the-artist-are-the/)

[Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/)

> [“A hero is not know by the number of battles he has won, but rather by the kind of battles he chooses to fight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonny-k-brown/a-hero-is-not-know-by-the-number-of-battles-he-has-won-but-rather-by/)

[Tonny K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonny-k-brown/)

> [The last act in the biography of the hero is that of the death or departure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-last-act-in-the-biography-of-the-hero-is-that-of-the-death-or/)

[Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/)

> [Teachers are heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/teachers-are-heroes/)

[Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/)

> [“Forgotten hero was never the real hero, real hero can not be forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/forgotten-hero-was-never-the-real-hero-real-hero-can-not-be-forgotten/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> ['Sex and The City' was made to correct the myth that if you were single at a certain age, you were a leper. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/sex-and-the-city-was-made-to-correct-the-myth-that-if-you-were-single/)

[Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/)

> [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/)

[Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/)

> [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [Benny Carter came up to me and said to me, "You know, in the whole history of the alto, I think Phil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/benny-carter-came-up-to-me-and-said-to-me-you-know-in-the-whole/)

[Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/)

[Browse all 5,602 Hero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Romain Rolland"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do-such-silly-things/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Hero"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do-such-silly-things/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/romain-rolland-10123_hero_you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do_1024388.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/romain-rolland-10123_hero_you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do_1024388.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/romain-rolland-10123_hero_you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do_1024388.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things.” — Romain Rolland",
                "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": "Romain Rolland",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You want to be a hero....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do-such-silly-things/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/you-want-to-be-a-hero-that-is-why-you-do-such-silly-things/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
