Quotes About Autonomy

Nem arra születtem, hogy kényszert alkalmazzanak velem szemben. Szabadon akarok lélegezni. Hadd lássuk, ki az erÅ'sebb. (…) Engem csak azok kényszeríthetnek valamire, akik valamilyen magasabb törvénynek engedelmeskednek, mint én.

I occasionally observed that he was thinking for himself and expressing his own opinion - a phenomenon so rare that I would walk any day ten miles to observe it.

But I would say to my fellows, once for all, As long as possible live free and uncommitted. It makes but little difference whether you are committed to a farm or the county jail.

I would have each one be very careful to find out and pursue his own way, and not his father's or his mother's or his neighbor's instead. The youth may build or plant or sail, only let him not be hindered from doing that which he tells me he would like to do.

Where is this division of labor to end? and what object does it finally serve? No doubt another may also think for me; but it is not therefore desirable that he should do so to the exclusion of my thinking for myself.

Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which I also believe,—That government is best which governs not at all; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have.

Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. What a man thinks of himself, that it is which determines, or rather indicates, his fate. Self-emancipation

The philosopher said: "From an army of three divisions one can take away its general, and put it in disorder; from the man the most abject and vulgar one cannot take away his thought.

That government is best which governs least;" and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe—"That government is best which governs not at all;

For as Alexander Hamilton pointed out in the Federalist Papers nearly two centuries ago, "A power over a man's subsistence amounts to a power over his will.

Alexander Hamilton pointed out in the Federalist Papers nearly two centuries ago, "A power over a man's subsistence amounts to a power over his will.

If you follow this method with all problems—i.e., thinking a thing out for yourself before looking up what others have thought—you will soon improve your thinking surprisingly.

Don't mind anything any one tells you about any one else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself.

I have never allowed a gentleman to dictate to me, or to interfere with anything I do.

Live as you like best, and your character will take care of itself. Most things are good for you; the exceptions are very rare.

I don't need the aid of a clever man to teach me how to live. I can find it out for myself.

The real offense, as she ultimately perceived, was her having a mind of her own at all.

We know too much about people in these days; we hear too much. Our ears, our minds, our mouths, are stuffed with personalities. Don't mind anything anyone tells you about anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself.

She likes to do everything for herself and has no belief in any one's power to help her.

Her real offense was having a mind of her own.

When you are embarrassed, do as you think best, and you will do very well. When you are in a difficulty, judge for yourself.

They haven't been good — they've only been absent. It has been easy to live with them because they're simply leading a life of their own.

Nu te mai stradui atat sa-ti formezi un caracter - e ca si cand ai incerca sa deschizi petalele unui boboc crud de trandafir. Traieste cum iti place, iar caracterul tau va avea singur grija de el.

Besides, I try to judge things for myself; to judge wrong, I think, is more honourable than not to judge at all. I don't wish to be a mere sheep in the flock; I wish to choose my fate and know something of human affairs beyond what other people think it compatible with propriety to tell me.