“No society can possibly be built upon a denial of individual freedom.It is contrary to the very nature of man. Just as a man will not grow horns or a tail, so will he not exist as man if he has no mind of his own. In reality even those who do not believe in the liberty of the individual believe in their own.”
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About this quote
Freedom of mind is not a policy you add on top of a society — it is part of what makes someone a person at all. The tell is hypocrisy: even those who deny others the right to think for themselves guard that right fiercely when it is their own.
When to use it
- A manager who punishes dissent still expects his own judgment respected — the double standard is the giveaway.
- A parent who lets a teenager reason things out raises someone who can actually stand on their own.
- A group that tolerates one honest objector stays healthier than one that forces everyone to agree.