Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Without understanding how you work, you cannot control yourself or be truly free.
- In plain terms
- You cannot be free if you do not understand how you function.
- What can you take from it?
- Self-knowledge is the prerequisite for self-governance.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Do you understand your own mechanics?
- What controls your actions?
Another view
External structures can limit freedom regardless of self-knowledge.
More from G. I. Gurdjieff
You must understand that ordinary efforts do not count; only superefforts count.
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