--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can look violence in the face and…" description: "\"I can look violence in the face and either reject or accept it.\" — Wole Soyinka" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/wole-soyinka-1587_accept_i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-eith_2981175.jpg" --- # I can look violence in the face and either reject or… ![“I can look violence in the face and either reject or accept it.” quote by Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/wole-soyinka-1587_accept_i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-eith_2981175.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/wole-soyinka-1587_accept_i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-eith_2981175.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/wole-soyinka-1587_accept_i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-eith_2981175.jpg) > “I can look violence in the face and either reject or accept it.” [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Confronting violence requires a deliberate choice to either reject or accept its presence. **In simple terms:** Choosing stance on violence. Key Takeaway Decide how to respond to violence. Themes morality violence personal agency Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - conflict zones - personal safety - social activism Key Concepts ethical decision psychological coping Questions to Reflect On - What factors guide your acceptance or rejection? - Can you stay neutral in violent contexts? A Different Perspective Acceptance can normalize harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept/) [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Face Reject](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-reject-4637594/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Look Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-violence-2678421/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Reject Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reject-accept-2845964/) [Rejects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejects/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-face-2790196/) ## Related quotes > [Our history doesn't look at our own violence, the violence in our own past, and we go out and repeat it someplace else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/our-history-doesn-t-look-at-our-own-violence-the-violence-in-our-own/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [“That’s what violence was: emotion leaking out from consciousness into the physical world, linking up with the muscles of the arms and shoulders and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryu-murakami/that-s-what-violence-was-emotion-leaking-out-from-consciousness-into/) [Ryū Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryu-murakami/) > [“Why do I feel the sudden urge to perform violence on your face?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/why-do-i-feel-the-sudden-urge-to-perform-violence-on-your-face/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [God will never reject you. Whether you accept Him is your decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/god-will-never-reject-you-whether-you-accept-him-is-your-decision/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [“If You Reject Yourself, Nobody Can Accept You. If You Accept Yourself, Nobody Can Reject You.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-caren/if-you-reject-yourself-nobody-can-accept-you-if-you-accept-yourself/) [David A. Caren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-caren/) > [You don't choose your friends, they choose you, and you either reject them or you accept them without reservations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-p-rez-reverte/you-don-t-choose-your-friends-they-choose-you-and-you-either-reject/) [Arturo Pérez-Reverte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-p-rez-reverte/) > [“When You Reject Yourself, Nobody Can Accept You. When You Accept Yourself, Nobody Can Reject You.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-caren/when-you-reject-yourself-nobody-can-accept-you-when-you-accept/) [David A. Caren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-caren/) > [In life never regret what you reject, accept what you expect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jmm-luhondo/in-life-never-regret-what-you-reject-accept-what-you-expect/) [JMM Luhondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jmm-luhondo/) > [Don't take shadows too seriously. Reality is your only safety. Continue to reject illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/don-t-take-shadows-too-seriously-reality-is-your-only-safety-continue/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Silently hear everyone. Accept what is good. Reject and forget what is not. This is intelligent living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinmayananda-saraswati/silently-hear-everyone-accept-what-is-good-reject-and-forget-what-is/) [Chinmayananda Saraswati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinmayananda-saraswati/) > [Performers have the right to say what they want to, and anyone paying money has the right to accept or reject the art and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/performers-have-the-right-to-say-what-they-want-to-and-anyone-paying/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [You can accept or reject the way you are treated by other people. But until you heal the wounds of your past, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/you-can-accept-or-reject-the-way-you-are-treated-by-other-people-but-2/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [Truly speaking, it is not instruction, but provocation, that I can receive from another soul. What he announces, I must find true in me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/truly-speaking-it-is-not-instruction-but-provocation-that-i-can/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) ## More by Wole Soyinka > [Writers and intellectuals have a duty to humanity. It is to insist that the human entity remains the primary asset in overall development; thus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/writers-and-intellectuals-have-a-duty-to-humanity-it-is-to-insist/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [When I tried to create a new political party, which I stressed that this is not my party. I believe very much that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/when-i-tried-to-create-a-new-political-party-which-i-stressed-that/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Each time I think I've created time for myself, along comes a throwback to disrupt my private space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/each-time-i-think-i-ve-created-time-for-myself-along-comes-a/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [I began writing early - very, very early... I was already writing short stories for the radio and selling poems to poetry and art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-began-writing-early-very-very-early-i-was-already-writing-short/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [My horizon on humanity is enlarged by reading the writers of poems, seeing a painting, listening to some music, some opera, which has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/my-horizon-on-humanity-is-enlarged-by-reading-the-writers-of-poems/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Under a dictatorship, a nation ceases to exist. All that remains is a fiefdom, a planet of slaves regimented by aliens from outer-space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/under-a-dictatorship-a-nation-ceases-to-exist-all-that-remains-is-a/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [The phenomenon of creativity, we know, is closely related to the ability to yoke together separate, and even seemingly incompatible, matrices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/the-phenomenon-of-creativity-we-know-is-closely-related-to-the/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [One, a mass movement from within, which, as you know, is constantly being put down brutally but which, again, regroups and moves forward as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/one-a-mass-movement-from-within-which-as-you-know-is-constantly-being/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [One has to confront history honestly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/one-has-to-confront-history-honestly/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [We wasted a lot of creative energy in that immediate post colonial era, when there was a struggle between, you know, the Cold War…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/we-wasted-a-lot-of-creative-energy-in-that-immediate-post-colonial/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [I have a kind of magnetic attraction to situations of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-have-a-kind-of-magnetic-attraction-to-situations-of-violence/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [The Egba kingdom was one of the very last to be ceded to the British protectorate. It remained almost an independent entity within what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/the-egba-kingdom-was-one-of-the-very-last-to-be-ceded-to-the-british/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [One's own self-worth is tied to the worth of the community to which one belongs, which is intimately connected to humanity in general. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/one-s-own-self-worth-is-tied-to-the-worth-of-the-community-to-which/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [I was born into a Christian household, in a parsonage in fact, so I grew up in sort of a missionary atmosphere but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-was-born-into-a-christian-household-in-a-parsonage-in-fact-so-i/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [The problem with literature, with writing, is that it works sometimes in terms of correction of social ills. Other times, it just does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/the-problem-with-literature-with-writing-is-that-it-works-sometimes/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) [Explore all 225 Wole Soyinka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) ## More Accept quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [The fans can accept a poor performance, but they won't take it when you choose not to put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/the-fans-can-accept-a-poor-performance-but-they-won-t-take-it-when/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [“See, I know what they think about me. That I’m some project. And, yeah, I’ll accept their help. But I’m gonna pay my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/see-i-know-what-they-think-about-me-that-i-m-some-project-and-yeah-i/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [It's very important to me that people accept me as a transgendered female. But it's ridiculous to a lot of people and I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arquette/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-people-accept-me-as-a-transgendered/) [Alexis Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arquette/) > [I've always taken care of myself, and I'm a non-conformist, so I don't accept the negativity that comes with birthdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/i-ve-always-taken-care-of-myself-and-i-m-a-non-conformist-so-i-don-t/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I wish I could just accept that I'm not that good and not be shy about the fact that I'm not that professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-wish-i-could-just-accept-that-i-m-not-that-good-and-not-be-shy/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [I cannot accept being silent in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-crockett/i-cannot-accept-being-silent-in-the-face-of-injustice/) [Jasmine Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-crockett/) > [“I hope there is less stigma and judgment against working moms and childless career women. All should be acceptable positions and society should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chan-heng-chee/i-hope-there-is-less-stigma-and-judgment-against-working-moms-and/) [Chan Heng Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chan-heng-chee/) > [“Of course I can accept you for who you are. You are someone I need to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-glasbergen/of-course-i-can-accept-you-for-who-you-are-you-are-someone-i-need-to/) [Randy Glasbergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-glasbergen/) > [I can't be that kind of person others want me to be.I know I can't please everybody for just being me But I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/i-can-t-be-that-kind-of-person-others-want-me-to-be-i-know-i-can-t/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [I don't care who you are,Where you from,As long as you love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mks-vibz/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-where-you-from-as-long-as-you-love-me/) [Mks Vibz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mks-vibz/) [Browse all 2,963 Accept quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can look violence in the face and either reject or accept it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wole Soyinka" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-either-reject-or-accept-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accept" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-either-reject-or-accept-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/wole-soyinka-1587_accept_i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-eith_2981175.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/wole-soyinka-1587_accept_i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-eith_2981175.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/wole-soyinka-1587_accept_i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-eith_2981175.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can look violence in the face and either reject or accept it.” — Wole Soyinka", "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": "Wole Soyinka", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can look violence in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-either-reject-or-accept-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-can-look-violence-in-the-face-and-either-reject-or-accept-it/#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 } } ] } ```