--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And, sometimes, when I'm being the best…" description: "\"“And, sometimes, when I'm being the best version of myself, I will remember that bullies are created--that bullies seek to torture because they've been..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/sherman-alexie-444_bullies_and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-ve_1870192.png" --- # And, sometimes, when I'm being the best version of myself… ![“And, sometimes, when I'm being the best version of myself, I will remember that bullies are created--that bullies seek to torture because they've been tortured.” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/sherman-alexie-444_bullies_and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-ve_1870192.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/sherman-alexie-444_bullies_and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-ve_1870192.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/sherman-alexie-444_bullies_and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-ve_1870192.png) > ““And, sometimes, when I'm being the best version of myself, I will remember that bullies are created--that bullies seek to torture because they've been tortured.”” [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bullies often act out of their own trauma; understanding this can foster compassion and break cycles of abuse. **In simple terms:** Bullies hurt because they were hurt. Key Takeaway Address trauma to prevent bullying behavior. Themes psychology bullying compassion Mood insightful hopeful Type reflective educational When to use this quote - schools - workplaces - community programs Key Concepts trauma cycles social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance empathy with accountability? - What interventions help break the bully‑victim cycle? A Different Perspective Risk of excusing harmful actions if over‑emphasized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bullies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullies/) [Bullies Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullies-created-2575380/) [Bullying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullying/) [Created Bullies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-bullies-2575379/) [Remember Bullies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-bullies-2575381/) [Tortured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tortured/) [Version Of Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/version-of-myself/) ## Related quotes > [You always have to remember that bullies want to bring you down because you have something that they admire. Also, when you get made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/you-always-have-to-remember-that-bullies-want-to-bring-you-down/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [“I hate my country. There are so many rich people who don't share their shit. They're like spoiled little ten-year-old bullies on the playground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-hate-my-country-there-are-so-many-rich-people-who-don-t-share-their/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Could I ever be as brave as the dream version of myself? I do not believe so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-anne-noble/could-i-ever-be-as-brave-as-the-dream-version-of-myself-i-do-not/) [Carrie Anne Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-anne-noble/) > [I don't relate to people that look like me. I find it deeply unsatisfying to play a version of myself. It was something I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-don-t-relate-to-people-that-look-like-me-i-find-it-deeply/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [Maybe this is so pretentious, but 'West Side Story' was everything I had ever hoped to accomplish as an actor. It's really crazy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/maybe-this-is-so-pretentious-but-west-side-story-was-everything-i-had/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [I'm not a good actor, I can play myself and a much gayer version of myself. That's my range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tosh/i-m-not-a-good-actor-i-can-play-myself-and-a-much-gayer-version-of/) [Daniel Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tosh/) > [From quite early on, I had this idea of compartmentalized identities - 'this is how you are when you are with your mum, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/from-quite-early-on-i-had-this-idea-of-compartmentalized-identities/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [I have a singular focus, I'm a perfectionist, and I always want to prove I am the best and the best version of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morrison/i-have-a-singular-focus-i-m-a-perfectionist-and-i-always-want-to/) [John Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-morrison/) > [I can only be the best version of myself and understand that the only way that we as a people can heal is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/i-can-only-be-the-best-version-of-myself-and-understand-that-the-only/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [Without God, for me, I'm not the best version of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-gaines/without-god-for-me-i-m-not-the-best-version-of-myself/) [Chip Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-gaines/) > [I always say that playing Christ has just made me a better version of myself because I aspire to greater things, to a moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-roumie/i-always-say-that-playing-christ-has-just-made-me-a-better-version-of/) [Jonathan Roumie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-roumie/) > [“I have always, essentially, been waiting. Waiting to become something else, waiting to be that person I always thought I was on the verge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-have-always-essentially-been-waiting-waiting-to-become-something/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Oh my gosh, I'd give so much advice to a younger version of myself. I would say it really does get better as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/oh-my-gosh-i-d-give-so-much-advice-to-a-younger-version-of-myself-i/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [I'm inspired by it all - the good and the not so good - because every experience is an opportunity for me to learn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-deloach/i-m-inspired-by-it-all-the-good-and-the-not-so-good-because-every/) [Nikki DeLoach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-deloach/) > [I think my days of trying outrageous things are over. I'm not looking for trends, I just want to be the best version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-think-my-days-of-trying-outrageous-things-are-over-i-m-not-looking/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) ## More by Sherman Alexie > [“He says the earth is an oval marble that nobody can win. He says the sky is not blue and the grass is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-says-the-earth-is-an-oval-marble-that-nobody-can-win-he-says-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Since Jesus was human then he most assuredly farted and burped. And if God did create us in God's image then God must fart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/since-jesus-was-human-then-he-most-assuredly-farted-and-burped-and-if/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“A century ago she might have been beautiful, her face reflected in the river instead of a mirror. But all the years have changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-century-ago-she-might-have-been-beautiful-her-face-reflected-in-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“In all those stories, I could fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/in-all-those-stories-i-could-fly/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I don't think there's a whole lot of class literature at all. I think most of that has become racially based, and people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-whole-lot-of-class-literature-at-all-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Son, things have never been like how you think they used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/son-things-have-never-been-like-how-you-think-they-used-to-be/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Or maybe I could have anesthetized myself with homework and extra credit and binge-reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/or-maybe-i-could-have-anesthetized-myself-with-homework-and-extra/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Gordy,” I said. “I need to talk to you." "I don't have time," he said. "Mr. Orcutt and I have to debug some PCs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/gordy-i-said-i-need-to-talk-to-you-i-don-t-have-time-he-said-mr/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“The United States wants all of us to forget the crimes it committed against the indigenous. The United States wants us to forget. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-united-states-wants-all-of-us-to-forget-the-crimes-it-committed/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-think-that-white-women-are-more-apt-to-read-laterally-so-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) [Explore all 546 Sherman Alexie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## More Bullies quotes > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) [Isaiah Harden (Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-harden-me/) > [Bullies enjoy dark happiness; these are the blank parts that eventually fill their minds with nothingness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-shanks/bullies-enjoy-dark-happiness-these-are-the-blank-parts-that/) [Emily Shanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-shanks/) > [Democracy becomes a government of bullies tempered by editors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/democracy-becomes-a-government-of-bullies-tempered-by-editors/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Of course they accused Marcão of having done it without provocation—that’s the way of torturers of every age, to put the blame on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/of-course-they-accused-marc-o-of-having-done-it-without-provocation/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I daydreamed that when you grow up there are more bullies and how wonderful that would be if it were true, but, it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-daydreamed-that-when-you-grow-up-there-are-more-bullies-and-how/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [“I got tired of constantly watching shrewd little bullies like you walk around like you mean something, like you’re better than the people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-rankin/i-got-tired-of-constantly-watching-shrewd-little-bullies-like-you/) [Christopher Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-rankin/) > [No one should ever suffer in silence. Bullies thrive in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-whittle/no-one-should-ever-suffer-in-silence-bullies-thrive-in-silence/) [Ricky Whittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-whittle/) > [Even bullies need love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-walters/even-bullies-need-love/) [Eric Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-walters/) > [“The teacher pulled out a pile of papers. They were Bennie’s tests and homework assignments. Mrs. Lewis said, “Ma’am, here is the proof that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-phifer/the-teacher-pulled-out-a-pile-of-papers-they-were-bennie-s-tests-and/) [Harold Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-phifer/) > [Ineos is a friendly organisation. Very few people leave. It's collegiate. There's not much politics, and we like decent people. We don't like arrogance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ratcliffe/ineos-is-a-friendly-organisation-very-few-people-leave-it-s/) [Jim Ratcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ratcliffe/) > [“There are times when your body takes control. Times when the gazelle says, ‘Fuck you, lioness,’ and delivers the biggest kick of its whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bingham/there-are-times-when-your-body-takes-control-times-when-the-gazelle/) [Harry Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bingham/) > [Our Animal Sanctuary initiative has many layers. We are aiming to create a place where abandoned and bullied creatures come together with bullied youth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/our-animal-sanctuary-initiative-has-many-layers-we-are-aiming-to/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) > [Some bullies just do what they want and know what they do, but they don't know is some of their victims have sad stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick/some-bullies-just-do-what-they-want-and-know-what-they-do-but-they/) [Nick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick/) > [The fool thinks he has won a battle when he bullies with harsh speech, but knowing how to be forbearing alone makes one victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-fool-thinks-he-has-won-a-battle-when-he-bullies-with-harsh-speech/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Trolls and cyber bullies have been feeling too safe in the cyber world for too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-fatehi/trolls-and-cyber-bullies-have-been-feeling-too-safe-in-the-cyber/) [Nora Fatehi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-fatehi/) [Browse all 387 Bullies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And, sometimes, when I'm being the best version of myself, I will remember that bullies are created--that bullies seek to torture because they've been tortured.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sherman Alexie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-version-of-myself-i-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bullies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-version-of-myself-i-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/sherman-alexie-444_bullies_and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-ve_1870192.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/sherman-alexie-444_bullies_and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-ve_1870192.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/sherman-alexie-444_bullies_and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-ve_1870192.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And, sometimes, when I'm being the best version of myself, I will remember that bullies are created--that…” — Sherman Alexie", "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": "Sherman Alexie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And, sometimes, when I'm being the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-version-of-myself-i-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/and-sometimes-when-i-m-being-the-best-version-of-myself-i-will/#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 } } ] } ```