Humor Quote by Bertrand Russell
“One should as a rule respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Why I Am Not a Christian, Bertrand Russell, 1927
Respect public opinion only to the extent it prevents severe personal consequences; beyond that, it becomes oppressive.
In simple terms: Follow only necessary social rules.
Key Takeaway
Avoid unnecessary conformity.
Themes
individualism
freedom
authority
social contract
Mood
critical
defiant
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- legal compliance
- personal safety
- political activism
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
libertarianism
political philosophy
civil liberty
Questions to Reflect On
- When does respecting opinion become self‑preservation?
- How to balance personal liberty with societal duties?
A Different Perspective
Excessive individualism may erode communal responsibility.
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
