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You beg for happiness in life, but security is more important to you, even if it costs you your spine or your life. Your life will be good and secure when aliveness will mean more to you than security; love more than money; your freedom more than party line or public opinion; when your thinking will be in harmony with your feelings; when the teachers of your children will be better paid than the politicians; when you will have more respect for the love between man and woman than for a marriage license.

Wilhelm Reich#52

PsychologySocietyFreedomLoveHappinessSecurityValuesWell being

About this quote

What does it mean?
Security is often prioritized over happiness, but true fulfillment comes from valuing aliveness, love, freedom, and authentic values over material or societal approval.
In plain terms
Choosing security over genuine joy limits life; prioritize love, freedom, and authenticity.
What can you take from it?
Re‑evaluate what you value to align with deeper fulfillment.

Where it applies

  • career decisions
  • relationships
  • political activism

Putting it to work

  • identify core values
  • reduce fear of loss
  • cultivate meaningful connections

Questions to consider

  • What are you willing to sacrifice for security?
  • How can you integrate love and freedom into daily life?

Another view

Security can be necessary for basic survival and cannot always be ignored.

More from Wilhelm Reich

  1. The kindly individual believes that all people are kindly and act accordingly. The plague individual believes that all people lie, swindle, steal and crave pow…

    Permalink to quote #51
  2. You will no longer believe that you 'don't count.' You will know and advocate your knowledge that you are the bearer of human society. Don't run away. Don't be…

    Permalink to quote #53
  3. You are afraid of life, Little Man, deadly afraid. You will murder it in the belief of doing it for the sake of 'socialism,' or 'the state,' or 'national honor…

    Permalink to quote #50

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