"These children that come at you with knives, they are your children. You taught them. I didn't teach them. I just tried to help them stand up"

The quote by Charles Manson, "These kids that come at you with knives, they are your children. You taught them. I didn't teach them. I simply attempted to help them stand", is reflective of Manson's effort to deflect responsibility for the crimes devoted by members of the Manson Family, particularly the murders in the late 1960s. This declaration can be seen as part of Manson's broader narrative where he frequently rejected direct duty and rather indicated larger social concerns and adult impacts as the source of the habits displayed by his followers.

In this quote, Manson moves the blame to the moms and dads and society, insinuating that the violent actions of the "children" (his followers, typically young adults) were a result of the mentors and worths imparted to them by their upbringing and the world around them. By specifying "They are your kids", Manson implicates the external environment, recommending that the youths' violent propensities were cultivated by societal failures rather than his impact.

Additionally, Manson's claim that "I didn't teach them. I just tried to help them stand", can be analyzed as an attempt to portray himself as a figure of empowerment or enlightenment, instead of a manipulative and controlling leader. This shows his persistent self-narrative in which he placed himself as somebody supplying liberty or assistance to lost souls, rather than leading them to dedicate godawful acts.

Nevertheless, this interpretation is deeply problematic offered the historical context. Manson was understood for his manipulative control over the members of his "household", utilizing psychological methods to affect and direct their actions. Regardless of his assertions, there is substantial evidence that Manson played a considerable role in orchestrating the crimes, and his rhetoric in this quote can be seen as an evasion of obligation and a justification of his manipulative leadership techniques.

Eventually, this quote acts as a window into Manson's complex, and typically delusional, worldview. It highlights his constant effort to cast his function in a more beneficial light while critiquing wider societal and familial structures.