--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a strong individualist by personal…" description: "\"I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the State, the co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/theodore-roosevelt-218_acting_i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal_46290.jpg" --- # I am a strong individualist by personal habit… ![“I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the State, the community, the citizens acting together, can do a number of things better than if they were left to individual action.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/theodore-roosevelt-218_acting_i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal_46290.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/theodore-roosevelt-218_acting_i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal_46290.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/theodore-roosevelt-218_acting_i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal_46290.jpg) > “I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the State, the community, the citizens acting together, can do a number of things better than if they were left to individual action.” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Individualism is valuable, yet collective action often yields superior outcomes for societal challenges. **In simple terms:** Balancing personal autonomy with communal cooperation. Key Takeaway Collective effort can surpass isolated effort. Themes individualism collectivism c responsibility public good social cooperation political philosophy Mood thoughtful balanced optimistic Type philosophical political reflective When to use this quote - policy making - public health initiatives - infrastructure projects - disaster response - education reform Key Concepts state role community action citizen participation common sense Practical Applications - government program design - civic engagement campaigns Questions to Reflect On - When does individual liberty become a hindrance to societal progress? - How can we ensure collective decisions respect personal freedoms? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-action-676371/) [Individualist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualist/) [Individualist Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualist-personal-676370/) [Inheritance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inheritance/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Strong Individualist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-individualist-676369/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Unity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unity/) ## Related quotes > [an individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-johnson/an-individual-action-multiplied-by-millions-creates-global-change/) [Jack Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-johnson/) > [There is always a very delicate interplay between individual actions and institutional conditions. But there is no such thing as institutional conditions without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-is-always-a-very-delicate-interplay-between-individual-actions-2/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Much of the point of individual action is really to communicate with other people and with political leaders and to demonstrate to them that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-jamieson/much-of-the-point-of-individual-action-is-really-to-communicate-with/) [Dale Jamieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-jamieson/) > [Psychologically speaking, the rational, healthy response to climate change is to say to oneself, "What can I do about this?" But that question is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/psychologically-speaking-the-rational-healthy-response-to-climate/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [Sometimes we feel that one individual's action is very insignificant. Then we think, of course, that effects should come from channeling or from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/sometimes-we-feel-that-one-individual-s-action-is-very-insignificant/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [We're mathematically past the point where the accumulation of individual actions can add up quickly enough to make a difference. The individual action that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-re-mathematically-past-the-point-where-the-accumulation-of/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [All rational action is in the first place individual action. Only the individual thinks. Only the individual reasons. Only the individual acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/all-rational-action-is-in-the-first-place-individual-action-only-the/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations. Books, the oldest and the best, stand naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/books-are-the-treasured-wealth-of-the-world-and-the-fit-inheritance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [To be a genuine individualist requires a great deal of strength and courage. It is never easy to chart new territory, to cross new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toller-cranston/to-be-a-genuine-individualist-requires-a-great-deal-of-strength-and/) [Toller Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toller-cranston/) > [I don't feel the individualist anarchists, particularly in the American tradition, including the Transcendental tradition of New England, in any way deserve the derogatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-don-t-feel-the-individualist-anarchists-particularly-in-the/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [Do not make the mistake of the ignorant who think that an individualist is a man who says: “I’ll do as I please at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/do-not-make-the-mistake-of-the-ignorant-who-think-that-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [My father was an individualist, and I took after him. At school, however, one is forced to be gregarious. I didn't resent this, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-robin-milne/my-father-was-an-individualist-and-i-took-after-him-at-school-however/) [Christopher Robin Milne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-robin-milne/) > [ I'm glad \[Ornette Coleman\] is such an individualist. I like the firmness of thought and purpose that goes into what he's doing, even though… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-desmond/i-m-glad-ornette-coleman-is-such-an-individualist-i-like-the-firmness/) [Paul Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-desmond/) > [It is true that the virtues which are less esteemed and practiced now--independence, self-reliance, and the willingness to bear risks, the readiness to back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-true-that-the-virtues-which-are-less-esteemed-and-practiced-now/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Right now it is a terrible thing to be a rugged individualist; but we don't know what else to be except a feeble nonentity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-paterson/right-now-it-is-a-terrible-thing-to-be-a-rugged-individualist-but-we/) [Isabel Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-paterson/) ## More by Theodore Roosevelt > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Alone of human beings the good and wise mother stands on a plane of equal honor with the bravest soldier; for she has gladly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/alone-of-human-beings-the-good-and-wise-mother-stands-on-a-plane-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Death by violence, death by cold, death by starvation - they are the normal endings of the stately creatures of the wilderness. The sentimentalists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/death-by-violence-death-by-cold-death-by-starvation-they-are-the/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Explore all 876 Theodore Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. 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Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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