Every mystic had always longed for slaves, to protect him…
““Every mystic had always longed for slaves, to protect him from the material reality he dreaded. But you, you grotesque little atavists, stare blindly at the skyscrapers and smokestacks around you and dream of enslaving the material providers who are scientists, inventors, industrialists. When you clamor for public ownership of the means of production, you are clamoring for public ownership of the mind. I have taught my strikers that the answer you deserve is only: ‘Try and get it.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote criticizes mystics who seek to escape material reality by enslaving the minds of those who produce material goods, arguing that true freedom comes from personal effort rather than collective ownership.
In simple terms: Mystics want to control minds through ownership; true freedom is earned individually.
Key Takeaway
Seek personal agency instead of demanding collective control.
Themes
politics
philosophy
individualism
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- activism
- labor movements
- political debate
Key Concepts
anarchism
materialism
freedom
ownership
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities accompany personal freedom?
- Can collective ownership ever align with individual liberty?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook systemic inequities that limit individual agency.