--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In teaching me independence of thought…" description: "\"“In teaching me independence of thought, they had given me the greatest gift an adult can give to a child besides love, and they had given me that also..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/bryce-courtenay-7125_freedom_in-teaching-me-independence-of-thought-t_472949.jpg" --- # In teaching me independence of thought, they had given me… ![“In teaching me independence of thought, they had given me the greatest gift an adult can give to a child besides love, and they had given me that also.” quote by Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/bryce-courtenay-7125_freedom_in-teaching-me-independence-of-thought-t_472949.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/bryce-courtenay-7125_freedom_in-teaching-me-independence-of-thought-t_472949.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/bryce-courtenay-7125_freedom_in-teaching-me-independence-of-thought-t_472949.jpg) > ““In teaching me independence of thought, they had given me the greatest gift an adult can give to a child besides love, and they had given me that also.”” [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encouraging independent thinking equips a child with lasting value beyond affection. **In simple terms:** Teaching independence is a priceless gift. Key Takeaway Foster critical thinking early. Themes education independence growth Mood inspired reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - schooling - mentoring - self‑directed learning Key Concepts critical thinking self-reliance gift of thought Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance guidance with independence? - What habits nurture independent thought in children? A Different Perspective May overlook the need for guidance alongside freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Greatest gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-gift/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) ## Related quotes > [. . . besides love, independence of thought is the greatest gift an adult can give a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/besides-love-independence-of-thought-is-the-greatest-gift-an-adult/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [My only supporter and comrade-in-arms was Georg Helm, who had endeavored to formulate an energetic conception of science before me and had presented his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-ostwald/my-only-supporter-and-comrade-in-arms-was-georg-helm-who-had/) [Wilhelm Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-ostwald/) > [“Freedom is a feeling, and the brave heart gets it ، Independence is a thought, and an enlightened mind can obtain it .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elhachemi-sabi/freedom-is-a-feeling-and-the-brave-heart-gets-it-independence-is-a/) Elhachemi Sabi > [“The American tradition of separation of church and state grew directly from the freethinking of the Founders. After political independence, they considered independence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wolf-shenk/the-american-tradition-of-separation-of-church-and-state-grew/) [Joshua Wolf Shenk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wolf-shenk/) > [Independence of thought is a most valuable quality in a chess-player, both at the board and when preparing for a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bronstein/independence-of-thought-is-a-most-valuable-quality-in-a-chess-player/) [David Bronstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bronstein/) > [Now and then women should do for themselves what men have already done—occasionally what men have not done—thereby establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-earhart/now-and-then-women-should-do-for-themselves-what-men-have-already/) [Amelia Earhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-earhart/) > [Among the droves of men with political ambitions in the United States, I found very few with that virile candor, that manly independence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/among-the-droves-of-men-with-political-ambitions-in-the-united-states/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/the-fact-is-that-censorship-always-defeats-its-own-purpose-for-it-2/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [“The development of science and of the creative activities of the spirit requires a freedom that consists in the independence of thought from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-development-of-science-and-of-the-creative-activities-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“What this world needs more than almost anything else is independence of thought. 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A society which wants to create and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-society-with-too-few-independent-thinkers-is-vulnerable-to-control/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“The mania for giving the Government power to meddle with the private affairs of cities or citizens is likely to cause endless trouble, through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-mania-for-giving-the-government-power-to-meddle-with-the-private-2/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The most unpardonable sin in society is independence of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-most-unpardonable-sin-in-society-is-independence-of-thought/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [ In the long run \[censorship\] will create a generation incapable of appreciating the difference between independence of thought and subservience. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/in-the-long-run-censorship-will-create-a-generation-incapable-of/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [“We are kind people in an unkind world, to paraphrase Wallace Stevens. How do you pretend you don't know about it, after you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/we-are-kind-people-in-an-unkind-world-to-paraphrase-wallace-stevens/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) ## More by Bryce Courtenay > [“It's who you is when folks knocks at the door of your heart what counts. Hide the past and it gives them what's jealous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/it-s-who-you-is-when-folks-knocks-at-the-door-of-your-heart-what/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [I watch people get older and lose their intellectual acuity; you lose that sharpness, that cleanness, that brain that you worked so hard on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/i-watch-people-get-older-and-lose-their-intellectual-acuity-you-lose/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [“every man is an island and at the same time also robinson crusoe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/every-man-is-an-island-and-at-the-same-time-also-robinson-crusoe/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [“First with the head and then with the heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/first-with-the-head-and-then-with-the-heart/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [Good conversational debate is an end in itself, and talking for the love of conversation is what makes us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/good-conversational-debate-is-an-end-in-itself-and-talking-for-the/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [“I wish to cup knowledge in my hand and drink it as one drinks water by the side of the stream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/i-wish-to-cup-knowledge-in-my-hand-and-drink-it-as-one-drinks-water/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [You've got to be quick on your feet in this world if you want to survive. Though once you know the rules, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/you-ve-got-to-be-quick-on-your-feet-in-this-world-if-you-want-to/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [I knew then that the person on the outside was only a shell, a presence to be seen and provoked. Inside was the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/i-knew-then-that-the-person-on-the-outside-was-only-a-shell-a/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [Always listen to yourself... It is better to be wrong than simply to follow convention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/always-listen-to-yourself-it-is-better-to-be-wrong-than-simply-to/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [The only thing I can say that is wonderful about my mother is she forced me to learn three verses of the Bible every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/the-only-thing-i-can-say-that-is-wonderful-about-my-mother-is-she/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [I have found in life that everything, no matter how bad, comes to an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/i-have-found-in-life-that-everything-no-matter-how-bad-comes-to-an-end/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [I guess my use-by date is just about up but if I could come back as a storyteller now, I would be jumping over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/i-guess-my-use-by-date-is-just-about-up-but-if-i-could-come-back-as-a/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [Inside all people there is love, also the need to take care of the other man who is his brother. Inside everyone is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/inside-all-people-there-is-love-also-the-need-to-take-care-of-the/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [. . . besides love, independence of thought is the greatest gift an adult can give a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/besides-love-independence-of-thought-is-the-greatest-gift-an-adult/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [My job is essentially that of an entertainer, no different to that of a musician, no different to that of an actor. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/my-job-is-essentially-that-of-an-entertainer-no-different-to-that-of/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) [Explore all 92 Bryce Courtenay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. 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