Within a system which denies the existence of basic human rights, fear tends to be the order of the day. Fear of imprisonment, fear of torture, fear of death, fear of losing friends, family, property or means of livelihood, fear of poverty, fear of isolation, fear of failure. A most insidious form of fear is that which masquerades as common sense or even wisdom, condemning as foolish, reckless, insignificant or futile the small, daily acts of courage which help to preserve man’s self-respect and inherent human dignity. It is not easy for a people conditioned by fear under the iron rule of the principle that might is right to free themselves from the enervating miasma of fear. Yet even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises up again and again, for fear is not the natural state of civilized man. Aung San Suu Kyi, Freedom from Fear
The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty
Freedom is a possession of inestimable value. Cicero
There’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated. Scott Lynch, The Lies of Locke Lamora
For the coming of that day shall I fight, I and my sons and my chosen friends. For the freedom of Man. For his rights. For his life. For his honor. Ayn Rand, Anthem
Since knowledge, thinking, and rational action are properties of the individual, since the choice to exercise his rational faculty or not depends on the individual, man’s survival requires that those who think be free of the interference of those who don’t. Since men are neither omniscient nor infallible, they must be free to agree or disagree, to cooperate or to pursue their own independent course, each according to his own rational judgment. Freedom is the fundamental requirement of man’s mind. Ayn Rand, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
Nothing is so important for freedom as recognizing in the law each individual’s natural right to property, and giving individuals a sense that they own something that they’re responsible for, that they have control over, and that they can dispose of. Milton Friedman
The freedom of affluence opposes and contradicts the freedom of community life. Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace
Until we are all free, we are none of us free. Emma Lazarus
This was freedom. Losing all hope was freedom. Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club
In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, Make us your slaves, but feed us. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Grand Inquisitor
Go back to bed, America. Your government has figured out how it all transpired. Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control again. Here. Here’s American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up. Go back to bed, America. Here is American Gladiators. Here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their fucking skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom. Here you go, America! You are free to do what we tell you! You are free to do what we tell you! Bill Hicks
There were those who loved liberty, who cried out to live their own lives, to strive, to rise above, to achieve, and those bent on the mindless equality of stagnation brought about through the enforcement of an artificial, arbitrary, gray uniformity – those who wanted to transcend through their own effort, and those who wanted others to think for them and were willing to pay the ultimate price. Terry Goodkind, Faith of the Fallen
Is love possible? Is freedom possible? Is the truth possible? Is it possible to be one’s actual self with another human being? Is it possible to be a human being any more? Is it possible to be a person? Do persons even exist? R D Laing, psychiatrist
Punk has always been about doing things your own way. What it represents for me is ultimate freedom and a sense of individuality. Billy Joe Armstrong
Only the educated are free. Epictetus
Almost 2,500 years ago a philosopher was born here: his name was Socrates. And he’s come to symbolise one of philosophy’s most inspiring gifts to the rest of us. The idea that thinking logically about our lives might help us to be more certain of ourselves, more independent, less conformist, less hamstrung by what other people think. It’s the dream that philosophy can set us free. Alain de Botton, Philosophy: Socrates on Self-Confidence, Channel 4 2000
He who is brave is free. Seneca
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free. Jim Morrison
He who has overcome his fears will truly be free. Aristotle
I look upon human beings as automatons because they all think they can do what they want but they can’t. They are not free. No-one is. L S Lowry, interview Hugh Maitland
They spread the idea of a God who represented freedom, freedom for people to keep the fruits of their own labour. This was a message that was so powerful that it brought people together and gave them a new kind of identity. Carol Meyers, Duke University
Freedom was gone from the world. The Ten Commandments 1956 starring Yul Brynner & Anne Baxter & Charlton Heston & Edward G Robinson & Yvonne De Carlo & Debra Paget & John Derek & Sir Cedric Hardwicke & Vincent Price et al, producer & director Cecil B DeMille, opening commentary
Christianity must also be overthrown because it is based on Jewish sources; the rule of Christ must come to an end, because only the rule of force is right. In the world order of the Axis powers, the individual has no rights; he has no freedom in so far as he serves the state. Alice Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy
Losing all hope was freedom. Fight Club ***** 1999 starring Edward Norton & Brad Pitt & Helena Bonham Carter & Meatloaf & Jared Leto et al, director David Fincher, hero
You don’t know what’s it’s like inside: I used to be afraid of freedom; now I can’t do without it. Outside the Wall 1950 starring Richard Basehart & Marilyn Maxwell & Signe Hasso & Dorothy Hart & Joseph Pevney & Lloyd Gough & Harry Morgan & John Hoyt, director Crane Wilbur
I aim to be freer than the rest of the people. Bloody Mama 1970 starring Shelley Winters & Lisa Jill & Robert Walden & Alex Nicol & Robert De Niro & Pat Hingle & Don Stroud & Diane Varsi & Bruce Dern & Clint Kimbrough et al, director Roger Corman, Ma
Liberty and freedom have to be more than just words. Star Trek s2e23: The Omega Glory, Kirk
Freedom’s untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. Stuff happens. Donald Rumsfeld, re Iraqi looting post-US invasion
We look forward to a world founded upon four essential freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression – everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way – everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want … everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear … anywhere in the world. Franklin D Roosevelt, 6th January 1941
Someone forgot the fact that it’s not our government that gives us our freedoms, they are inalienable rights and they cannot be taken away. The people of the United States have simply been conditioned to give their rights away freely. The USA Patriot Act seems less of a tool to fight terrorism and more of an instrument to monitor and track and intimidate every-day law-abiding citizens in this country. One Nation Under Siege
There is no British Government any more in Ireland. It is gone. It is no longer the enemy. We have now a native government, constitutionally elected, and it is the duty of every Irish man and woman to obey it. Anyone who fails to obey is an enemy of the people and must expect to be treated as such. We have to learn that attitudes and actions which were justifiable when directed against alien administration, holding its position by force, are wholly unjustifiable against a native government which exists only to carry out the people’s will, and can be changed the moment it ceases to do so. We have to learn that freedom imposes responsibilities. Michael Collins
Where people are denied the right of choice, recourse to such struggle is the only means of achieving their liberties. John F Kennedy, February 1961