I wish my life and decisions to depend on myself, not on…
““I wish my life and decisions to depend on myself, not on external forces of whatever kind. I wish to be the instrument of my own, not of other men's, acts of will. I wish to be a subject, not an object; to be moved by reasons, by conscious purposes, which are my own, not by causes which affect me, as it were, from outside. I wish to be somebody, not nobody; a doer - deciding, not being decided for, self-directed and not acted upon by external nature or by other men as if I were a thing, or an animal, or a slave incapable of playing a human role, that is, of conceiving goals and policies of my own and realising them. This is at least part of what I mean when I say that I am rational, and that it is my reason that distinguishes me as a human being from the rest of the world. I wish, above all. to be conscious of myself as a thinking, willing, active being, bearing responsibility for my choices and able to explain them by reference to my own ideas and purposes. I feel free to the degree that I believe this to be true, and enslaved to the degree that I am made to realise that it is not.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
He desires self-determination, to act as a rational agent rather than being driven by external forces.
In simple terms: He wants to be in control of his own life.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate autonomy and rational self‑governance.
Themes
autonomy
rationality
self‑direction
Mood
thoughtful
introspective
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- making personal decisions
- setting goals
- reflecting on motivations
- standing up to external pressures
- defining personal values
Key Concepts
free will
responsibility
human agency
Questions to Reflect On
- What external factors shape your choices?
- How can you balance freedom with responsibility?
A Different Perspective
Complete independence is impossible; external influences always affect us.