It is preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents men from living freely and nobly.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Russell says that obsessive focus on possession stops people from living freely and nobly.
- In plain terms
- Being overly attached to ownership limits freedom and virtue.
- What can you take from it?
- Reducing material obsession can lead to a freer life.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can one be both affluent and free?
- What role does possession play in personal identity?
Another view
Some argue that ownership can also enable personal growth.
More from Bertrand Russell
No nation was ever so virtuous as each believes itself, and none was ever so wicked as each believes the other.
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