I believe that man is in the last resort so free a being that his right to be what he believes himself to be cannot be contested.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Individual autonomy is fundamental; no external force should dictate a person's self-identity.
- In plain terms
- You have the right to define yourself however you choose.
- What can you take from it?
- Protect your right to self-identity against external demands.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Where do you draw the line between personal freedom and social responsibility?
- Who gets to define who you are?
Another view
Society often requires some conformity for safety and order.
More from Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
With most men, unbelief in one thing springs from blind belief in another.
Permalink to quote #119 As nations improve, so do their gods.
Permalink to quote #121 He was always smoothing and polishing himself, and in the end he became blunt before he was sharp.
Permalink to quote #118
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