Governmental regulations all carry coercion to some degree, and even where they don't, they habituate man to expect teaching, guidance and help outside himself, instead of formulating his own.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Regulations can make people dependent on outside guidance instead of thinking for themselves.
- In plain terms
- Rules can make people stop thinking for themselves.
- What can you take from it?
- Avoid creating dependency through rules.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do we balance guidance and freedom?
- When does rule-following hurt initiative?
Another view
Some rules are necessary for safety and coordination.
More from Wilhelm von Humboldt
True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united.
Permalink to quote #2 How a person masters his fate is more important than what his fate is.
Permalink to quote #4 Diejenige Regierung ist die beste, die sich uberflussing macht.
Permalink to quote #1
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