Quotes from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“To be nobody but yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you somebody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. — e.e. cummings”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“An individual might say, “I don’t want to change anyone.” And yet, he might still spend a great deal of his time trying to get others to agree with his views, or trying to prevent someone from doing something he thinks will be bad for him, or trying to change people by participating in a movement over a burning issue, or voting to prevent others from doing what they want to do. In all these ways, he’s trying to change others — to make them do other than what their natures lead them to do.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“Things will get better only when you make the changes that are necessary to make them better.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“I’ve concentrated upon the things I control, and used that control to remove the restrictions and complications from my life.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“And when someone accuses you of being selfish, just remember that he’s upset only because you aren’t doing what he selfishly wants you to do.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“I’m free and happy because I accepted myself as I am and found a life that suits me”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“One person devotes his life to helping the poor. Another one lies and steals. Still another person tries to create better products and services for which he hopes to be paid handsomely. One woman devotes herself to her husband and children. Another seeks a career as a singer. In every case, the basic motivation has been the same. Each person is doing what he believes will bring him happiness. What varies between them is the means each has chosen to gain his happiness.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“He doesn’t sacrifice himself for others, nor does he expect others to be sacrificed for him. He takes the third alternative —  he  finds  relationships  that  are  mutually beneficial so that no sacrifice is required.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“The more directly individual rewards are tied to individual achievements, the greater incentive there is to increase one’s individual effort. Joint Efforts”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“Never focus your attention on anyone’s weaknesses — his temper, sloppiness, poor logic, dishonesty, whatever. Recognize these shortcomings, take them into consideration, but don’t waste your time complaining about them. Instead, pay attention to what your actions should be in order to deal with him.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“To be self-reliant is to recognize that no one else is as concerned about your future as you are and that no one knows as much about you as you do.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“There’s no final resting place — short of death — where you can stop having to earn what you want.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“Freedom from exploitation is perhaps the easiest freedom to get. All you have to do is to stop participating in any relationship — of any kind — that doesn’t suit you. It”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“As I lie on my couch by the fireplace, looking out from my hillside home at the snow leading down to the ocean, with the right woman in my arms, a glass of Bordeaux beside me and a Puccini opera on the stereo system, knowing that I’ve earned the pleasure I feel, I’m so glad I didn’t let someone else decide what’s best for me.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“A big philosophical breakthrough for me was the realization that my own freedom was not only possible, but far more important than the establishment of a free society.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“The answer is simple: You are you, the person who will live with the consequences of what you do. No one else can be responsible, because no one else will experience the consequences of your actions as you will.”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

“you’re wrong, you will suffer for it. If you’re right, you will find happiness. You have to be the one to decide. “Who are you to know?” It’s your future at stake. You have to know. Freedom comes only from seeing the ignorance of your critics and discovering the emptiness of their virtue. — David Seabury”
― quote from How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

Popular quotes

“Blair was home when Kylie arrived the next night, and as soon as the doctor walked into the house, Blair called out, “Get changed! I brought carryouts for dinner. We’re gonna spend the whole night talking about the dangerous world of lesbianism.” “I have a feeling that someone’s not taking my concerns very seriously,” Kylie said when she walked into the kitchen. Blair gave her a hug and said, “I take you and your concerns very seriously. But I’m confident that I’ve thought of the repercussions, and I know that once I convince you of that, we’re gonna be fine.” She gave her a dazzling smile and said, “Is it okay if I’m happy about that?” “I suppose so,” Kylie said, trying but failing to look aggrieved. She wrapped her arms around Blair and playfully tossed her back and forth. “You’re so darned cute that I can barely stand it!” “Oh, you haven’t seen half of it. Just you wait. I’ll confound you with cuteness.”
― Susan X. Meagher, quote from All That Matters

“There's a line from Heraclitus: No man steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.”
― Tom Rachman, quote from The Imperfectionists

“Nothing reaches inside you and grabs you by the guts the way fear does.”
― John Marsden, quote from A Killing Frost

“He smiled. "You’re into me, I can tell."

"I’m not into you," I said hotly. Hotly, because as soon as the words left my lips, sparklers erupted on top of my head.

Hudson looked at them, and a grin spread across his face. The baby cooed and reached out, trying to grab the flaring light. Hudson moved farther away. "Don’t touch. Just look at Mommy’s pretty liar hat."

He was enjoying this way too much. "Okay," I said. "Maybe I like you a little."

The sparklers dimmed, but didn’t go out.

Hudson raised an eyebrow.

"All right," I said, nervously eyeing the area to make sure no one saw us. "I’m into you."

The sparklers died, but I didn’t wait around for more commentary. I headed to the inn. Behind me I heard Hudson still talking to the baby. "Yes, we like Mommy’s flaming hairdo, don’t we?”
― Janette Rallison, quote from My Unfair Godmother

“But define 'completely ridiculous shit,'" Duvall said. "Does space travel count? Contact with alien races? Does quantum physics count? Because I don't understand that crap at all. As far as I'm concerned, quantum physics could have been written by a hack.”
― John Scalzi, quote from Redshirts

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