--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a free person; I feel terribly free…" description: "\"I'm a free person; I feel terribly free. They could put me in chains and I still would be free because my thoughts would be mine - and that's all I wan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d17/arthur-rubinstein-17373_chains_i-m-a-free-person-i-feel-terribly-free-t_2499695.png" --- # I'm a free person; I feel terribly free. They could put me… ![“I'm a free person; I feel terribly free. They could put me in chains and I still would be free because my thoughts would be mine - and that's all I want to have.” quote by Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d17/arthur-rubinstein-17373_chains_i-m-a-free-person-i-feel-terribly-free-t_2499695.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d17/arthur-rubinstein-17373_chains_i-m-a-free-person-i-feel-terribly-free-t_2499695.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d17/arthur-rubinstein-17373_chains_i-m-a-free-person-i-feel-terribly-free-t_2499695.png) > “I'm a free person; I feel terribly free. They could put me in chains and I still would be free because my thoughts would be mine - and that's all I want to have.” [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom lies in the mind; external restraints cannot imprison thoughts. **In simple terms:** Thoughts remain free despite physical limits. Key Takeaway Guard your mental independence. Themes freedom inner strength autonomy Mood thoughtful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - oppressive regimes - personal adversity - creative work - mental health Key Concepts philosophy psychology self‑determination Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your thoughts? - What external factors threaten mental liberty? A Different Perspective Physical constraints can still impact mental freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains/) [Chains Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains-free-520918/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free Chains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-chains-336789/) [Free Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-person-508951/) [Free Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-thoughts-1048015/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Mines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mines/) [My thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-thoughts/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [It is often safer to be in chains than to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/it-is-often-safer-to-be-in-chains-than-to-be-free/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains. Those who think themselves the masters of others are indeed greater slaves than they.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/man-was-born-free-and-he-is-everywhere-in-chains-those-who-think/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The poor themselves can create a poverty-free world. All we have to do is to free them from the chains that we have put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/the-poor-themselves-can-create-a-poverty-free-world-all-we-have-to-do/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [“Wear none of thine own Chains; but keep free, whilst thou art free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/wear-none-of-thine-own-chains-but-keep-free-whilst-thou-art-free/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“The door was easy enough to open from the inside, even if he did have to unlock several deadbolts and slip three chains free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-heaton/the-door-was-easy-enough-to-open-from-the-inside-even-if-he-did-have/) [Felicity Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-heaton/) > [I admit that sometimes I pick on Religions. 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They're wrapped tight on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zion-y-lennox/who-pulls-the-strings-who-makes-you-do-those-things-you-think-your/) [Zion Y Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zion-y-lennox/) > [“The only thing that can set a man free from any chains is the knowledge of Truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-only-thing-that-can-set-a-man-free-from-any-chains-is-the/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In all sorts of government man is made to believe himself free, and to be in chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/in-all-sorts-of-government-man-is-made-to-believe-himself-free-and-to/) [Stanisław I Leszczyński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/) > [Break free from your chains and never stop looking for change!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/break-free-from-your-chains-and-never-stop-looking-for-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Arthur Rubinstein > [“At breakfast, I might pass a Brahms symphony in my head. Then I am called to the phone, and half an hour later I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/at-breakfast-i-might-pass-a-brahms-symphony-in-my-head-then-i-am/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [I feel that special secret current between the public and me. I can hold them with one little note in the air, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/i-feel-that-special-secret-current-between-the-public-and-me-i-can/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [Don't tell me how talented you are. 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Happiness can only be felt if you don't set any condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/most-people-ask-for-happiness-on-condition-happiness-can-only-be-felt/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [“There is no formula for success except perhaps an unconditional acceptance of the act and what it brings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/there-is-no-formula-for-success-except-perhaps-an-unconditional/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [Sometimes when I sit own to practice and there is no one else in the room, I have to stifle an impulse to ring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/sometimes-when-i-sit-own-to-practice-and-there-is-no-one-else-in-the/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [I'm passionately involved in life: I love its change, its color, its movement. To be alive, to be able to see, to walk, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/i-m-passionately-involved-in-life-i-love-its-change-its-color-its/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [Yes, I am very lucky, but I have a little theory about this. I have noticed through experience and observation that providence, nature, God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/yes-i-am-very-lucky-but-i-have-a-little-theory-about-this-i-have/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [Of course there is no formula for success, except perhaps an unconditional acceptance of life, and what it brings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/of-course-there-is-no-formula-for-success-except-perhaps-an/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [“Love life ND IT WILL LOVE YOU BACK. LOVE PEOPLE AND THEY WILL LOVE YOU BACK.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/love-life-nd-it-will-love-you-back-love-people-and-they-will-love-you/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [The result was magnificent . . . I became the father of two girls and two boys, lovely children by good fortune they all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/the-result-was-magnificent-i-became-the-father-of-two-girls-and-two/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) [Explore all 37 Arthur Rubinstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) ## More Chains quotes > [Unchecked, the new tolerance will sooner or later put many people in chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/unchecked-the-new-tolerance-will-sooner-or-later-put-many-people-in/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. 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Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [We don't have a farm-to-table food safety system. I keep saying this. It came as a big surprise to the FDA that tomatoes were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-nestle/we-don-t-have-a-farm-to-table-food-safety-system-i-keep-saying-this/) [Marion Nestle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-nestle/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) [Christy Nockels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-nockels/) > [How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/how-can-i-set-free-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-the-guts-to-stand-up-alone/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [I'm bigger than you! 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