---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have preserved my identity, put its…"
description: "\"I have preserved my identity, put its credibility to the test and defended my dignity. What good this will bring the world I don't know. But for me it ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/vaclav-havel-2013_credibility_i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-cre_2112892.jpg"
---

#  I have preserved my identity, put its credibility to the…

![“I have preserved my identity, put its credibility to the test and defended my dignity. What good this will bring the world I don't know. But for me it is good.” quote by Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/vaclav-havel-2013_credibility_i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-cre_2112892.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/vaclav-havel-2013_credibility_i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-cre_2112892.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/vaclav-havel-2013_credibility_i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-cre_2112892.jpg)

> “I have preserved my identity, put its credibility to the test and defended my dignity. What good this will bring the world I don't know. But for me it is good.”

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

## About This Quote

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

He affirms preserving personal identity and dignity, valuing personal goodness over uncertain societal impact.

**In simple terms:** Keeps self-respect, even if outcomes are unknown.

Key Takeaway

Stay true to yourself regardless of external validation.

Themes

integrity self‑respect personal values

Mood

reflective defiant

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- activism
- personal decision‑making
- public discourse
- self‑reflection

Key Concepts

existentialism ethical autonomy political dissent

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “good for me” mean in this context?
- How can personal dignity influence broader society?

A Different Perspective

Personal integrity may not always yield visible change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Credibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credibility/) [Defended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defended/) [Defended Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defended-dignity-4274452/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Dignity Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity-good-1887162/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Identity Credibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity-credibility-4274453/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Preserved Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preserved-identity-4274451/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [“As the Nobel Prize-winning American physicist Steven Weinberg said, ‘Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you’d have good people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/as-the-nobel-prize-winning-american-physicist-steven-weinberg-said/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [“Religion is an insult to human dignity. Without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/religion-is-an-insult-to-human-dignity-without-it-you-would-have-good/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Never underestimate the power of temptation to disarm your better senses. Throughout the ages good people surrendered their honor for the empty promise that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/never-underestimate-the-power-of-temptation-to-disarm-your-better/)

[Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/)

> [My dignity and good television - they'll never meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-savage/my-dignity-and-good-television-they-ll-never-meet/)

[Adam Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-savage/)

> [“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/religion-is-an-insult-to-human-dignity-with-or-without-it-you-d-have-2/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [I think sometimes people project things on you, but I'm trying to handle everything that's happened to me with a certain amount of grace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-couric/i-think-sometimes-people-project-things-on-you-but-i-m-trying-to/)

[Katie Couric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-couric/)

> [Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/religion-is-an-insult-to-human-dignity-with-or-without-it-you-d-have/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [If globalization is a sphere, where each point is equidistant from the centre, then it isn't good because it annuls each of us. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/if-globalization-is-a-sphere-where-each-point-is-equidistant-from-the/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Any good job is a good job. This whole concept of a dead-end job? It's not true. I've heard it my whole life. Jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/any-good-job-is-a-good-job-this-whole-concept-of-a-dead-end-job-it-s/)

[Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/)

> [“There is no lie in war or preparation of war that can't be defended. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-no-lie-in-war-or-preparation-of-war-that-can-t-be-defended/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [People used to talk bad about you,i defended you and told them they were wrong.stupid me.i finally see what they see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/people-used-to-talk-bad-about-you-i-defended-you-and-told-them-they/)

[Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/)

> [Predictability can eventually be defended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nurse/predictability-can-eventually-be-defended/)

[Nick Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nurse/)

> [One needs to be slow to form convictions, but once formed they must be defended against the heaviest odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/one-needs-to-be-slow-to-form-convictions-but-once-formed-they-must-be/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Even God has been defended with nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/even-god-has-been-defended-with-nonsense/)

[Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/)

> [“You are somebody. You matter. And no one is allowed to take away your right to your property, your right to your safety, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/you-are-somebody-you-matter-and-no-one-is-allowed-to-take-away-your/)

[Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/)

## More by Vaclav Havel

> [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/)

> [People who live in the post-totalitarian system know only too well that the question of whether one or several political parties are in power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/people-who-live-in-the-post-totalitarian-system-know-only-too-well/)

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

> [“For by this very fact, individuals confirm the system, fulfill the system, make the system, are the system.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/for-by-this-very-fact-individuals-confirm-the-system-fulfill-the/)

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

> [Hope is not a feeling of certainty that everything ends well. Hope is just a feeling that life and work have a meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/hope-is-not-a-feeling-of-certainty-that-everything-ends-well-hope-is/)

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

> [This is a confusing and uncertain period, when a thousand wise words can go completely unnoticed, and one thoughtless word can provoke an utterly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/this-is-a-confusing-and-uncertain-period-when-a-thousand-wise-words/)

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

> [If by believing you mean praying to an anthropomorphic deity who created the world and half controls it and half observes it, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/if-by-believing-you-mean-praying-to-an-anthropomorphic-deity-who/)

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

> [Human beings are compelled to live within a lie, but they can be compelled to do so only because they are in fact capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/human-beings-are-compelled-to-live-within-a-lie-but-they-can-be/)

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

> [Our country, if that is what we want, can now permanently radiate love, understanding, the power of the spirit and of ideas. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/our-country-if-that-is-what-we-want-can-now-permanently-radiate-love/)

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

> [I cannot imagine that I could strive for something if I did not carry hope in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-cannot-imagine-that-i-could-strive-for-something-if-i-did-not-carry/)

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

> [People, your Government has returned to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/people-your-government-has-returned-to-you/)

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

> [A person who has been seduced by the consumer value system, whose identity is dissolved in an amalgam of the accouterments trappings of mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/a-person-who-has-been-seduced-by-the-consumer-value-system-whose/)

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

> [Whether all is really lost or not depends entirely on whether or not I am lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/whether-all-is-really-lost-or-not-depends-entirely-on-whether-or-not/)

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

> [Sober perseverance is more effective than enthusiastic emotions, which are all too capable of being transferred, with little difficulty, to something different each day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/sober-perseverance-is-more-effective-than-enthusiastic-emotions-which/)

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

> [The exercise of power is determined by thousands of interactions between the world of the powerful and that of the powerless, all the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/the-exercise-of-power-is-determined-by-thousands-of-interactions/)

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

> [It's not true that you should first think up an idea for a better world and only then "put it into practice," but, rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/it-s-not-true-that-you-should-first-think-up-an-idea-for-a-better/)

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

[Explore all 190 Vaclav Havel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/)

## More Credibility quotes

> [The word of the Lord is this: "Just bless those that persecute you and ask for Justice, for the battle does not belong to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-loren/the-word-of-the-lord-is-this-just-bless-those-that-persecute-you-and/)

[Julia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-loren/)

> [The documentary style is an incredibly flexible and useful one. It's a wonderful tool for establishing the credibility of the version of things that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gohlke/the-documentary-style-is-an-incredibly-flexible-and-useful-one-it-s-a/)

[Frank Gohlke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gohlke/)

> [PM Narendra Modi had promised to bring back black money, which he said could put Rs 15 lakh in each of our pockets. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prashant-bhushan/pm-narendra-modi-had-promised-to-bring-back-black-money-which-he-said/)

[Prashant Bhushan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prashant-bhushan/)

> [The short of it is, as an aspiring writer, there is nothing as damaging to your credibility as saying that you don't like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-short-of-it-is-as-an-aspiring-writer-there-is-nothing-as-damaging/)

[Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/)

> [When the script for 'The Wrestler' kept coming to me I said, This movie is so good if you put me in the film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hulk-hogan/when-the-script-for-the-wrestler-kept-coming-to-me-i-said-this-movie/)

[Hulk Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hulk-hogan/)

> [“Intellectually and compassionately explaining the reason freedom works is required for credibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/intellectually-and-compassionately-explaining-the-reason-freedom/)

[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

> [ I can assure the conspiracy theorists who have very effectively savaged \[Gerald\] Posner in their books that they're going to have a much, much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-can-assure-the-conspiracy-theorists-who-have-very-effectively/)

[Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/)

> [You may be right that people say: You know what, we had Obama. He was inexperienced. The guy had great rhetoric, sounded good, looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/you-may-be-right-that-people-say-you-know-what-we-had-obama-he-was/)

[Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/)

> [Constantly there's a credibility issue; you're judged on how you look. If you look good, people assume you aren't credible. It's a battle you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-guerrero/constantly-there-s-a-credibility-issue-you-re-judged-on-how-you-look/)

[Lisa Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-guerrero/)

> [Inconsistency on the part of pastors and the faithful between what they say and what they do, between word and manner of life, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/inconsistency-on-the-part-of-pastors-and-the-faithful-between-what/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Administrators are there because of the fans and the cricketers to run this game, so credibility of a game, or a board, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-dravid/administrators-are-there-because-of-the-fans-and-the-cricketers-to/)

[Rahul Dravid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-dravid/)

> [I think in fact that unless there is an organic link between the subjective impressions of the author and his objective representation of reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/i-think-in-fact-that-unless-there-is-an-organic-link-between-the/)

[Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/)

> [PROPHECY, n. The art and practice of selling one's credibility for future delivery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/prophecy-n-the-art-and-practice-of-selling-one-s-credibility-for/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [Content that's generated out of America, whether it be film or music, has, in my opinion, much greater impact in sustaining our credibility and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyor-cohen/content-that-s-generated-out-of-america-whether-it-be-film-or-music/)

[Lyor Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyor-cohen/)

> [It's one thing to say, 'I don't like what you said to me and I find it rude and offensive,' but the moment you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/it-s-one-thing-to-say-i-don-t-like-what-you-said-to-me-and-i-find-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

[Browse all 571 Credibility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credibility/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I have preserved my identity, put its credibility to the test and defended my dignity. What good this will bring the world I don't know. But for me it is good.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Vaclav Havel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-credibility-to-the-test-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Credibility"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-credibility-to-the-test-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/vaclav-havel-2013_credibility_i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-cre_2112892.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/vaclav-havel-2013_credibility_i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-cre_2112892.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/vaclav-havel-2013_credibility_i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-cre_2112892.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have preserved my identity, put its credibility to the test and defended my dignity. What good this will…” — Vaclav Havel",
                "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": "Vaclav Havel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I have preserved my identity, put...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-credibility-to-the-test-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-have-preserved-my-identity-put-its-credibility-to-the-test-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
