Quotes About Autonomy

no one can ever save someone else, you know? We can only save ourselves. You know that, don't you?

People tell you the world looks a certain way. Parents tell you how to think. Schools tell you how to think. TV. Religion. And then at a certain point, if you're lucky, you realize you can make up your own mind. Nobody sets the rules but you. You can design your own life.

My life is my own, and the opinions of others don't interest me...

History shows that it does not matter who is in power or what revolutionary forces take over the government, those who have not learned to do for themselves and have to depend solely on others never obtain any more rights or privileges in the end than they had in the beginning.

Covertly influencing decision processes such as that the resulting decision is aligned with higher-order desires may actually enhance autonomy.

Thesis Number 23: "The power of government should not be used to compel everyone to learn the same things in the same way at the same place at the same pace at the same age.

The saddest thing was actually getting fed up with one another. It's like growing up in a family. When you get to a certain age, you want to go off and get your own girl and your own car, split up a bit.

Loneliness is lessened when you're lonely by choice.

What have been called "women's issues" are freedom issues. Body control. The right of human beings to control their own bodies is a freedom issue. Respect. The right of human beings to be treated institutionally with respect as a human being is a freedom issue.

A man is as free as he chooses to make himself, never an atom freer.

I am not a number, I am a free man!

I've come to realize that protecting freedom of choice in our everyday lives is essential to maintaining a healthy civil society.

If you want people to work hard and succeed, there are times when you've got to let them find their own way. Overmanaging is a constant danger.

In managing our transport systems, our governments must constantly negotiate the paradox of mass movement. They must create a system which, for the sake of speed and efficiency, treats us like a herd, constantly prodded and coralled, divided, re-formed and forced into line. At the same time it must grant us the illusion of autonomy.

I believe that informed adults should be allowed to inflict whatever suffering they wish - on themselves. But we are not entitled to harm other people.

When government accepts responsibility for people, then people no longer take responsibility for themselves.

A tribe is like a child," he said once, in that thin piping old-man's voice, which every day seemed more like a bird's—and then he coughed. When he recovered, he spoke again. "Yes, a tribe is like a child. You can show it the way by which it should grow up, and perhaps you can direct it a little, but in the end the child will go his own way, and so will the tribe.

A true man does what he will, not what he must.

Ser Gerold Hightower had begun his history, and Ser Barristan Selmy had continued it, but the rest Jaime Lannister would need to write for himself. He could write whatever he chose, henceforth. Whatever he chose ...

I would choose freedom over comfort every time.

Life would be much simpler if men could fuck themselves, don't you agree?

I will not fight you," Princess Meria told Rhaenys, "nor will I kneel to you. Dorne has no king. Tell your brother that." "I shall," Rhaenys replied, "but we will come again, Princess, and the next time we shall come with fire and blood.

I can . . . die as I please.

his page still remained to be filled between the gold lion on the crimson shield on top and the blank white shield at the bottom. Ser Gerold Hightower had begun his history, and Ser Barristan Selmy had continued it, but the rest Jaime Lannister would need to write for himself. He could write whatever he chose, henceforth. Whatever he chose . . .