--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am not a child, I think for myself. No…" description: "\"I am not a child, I think for myself. No man can think for me.\" — Chief Joseph" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/chief-joseph-4820_child_i-am-not-a-child-i-think-for-myself-no-m_2554059.png" --- # I am not a child, I think for myself. No man can think for… ![“I am not a child, I think for myself. No man can think for me.” quote by Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/chief-joseph-4820_child_i-am-not-a-child-i-think-for-myself-no-m_2554059.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/chief-joseph-4820_child_i-am-not-a-child-i-think-for-myself-no-m_2554059.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/chief-joseph-4820_child_i-am-not-a-child-i-think-for-myself-no-m_2554059.png) > “I am not a child, I think for myself. No man can think for me.” [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-determination is essential; only the individual can own their thoughts and decisions. **In simple terms:** I think for myself; no one else can. Key Takeaway Cultivate independent thinking. Themes autonomy identity freedom Mood reflective empowering Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - education - leadership - personal development - activism Key Concepts philosophy political theory Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs do you hold that are truly yours? - How do you respect others’ autonomy? A Different Perspective Independence can lead to isolation if not balanced with community. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Child Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-think-771033/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Man Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-think/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-man/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Think, man, think of all the oceans of lies through all the ages that must have been necessary to make this possible! Think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dos-passos/think-man-think-of-all-the-oceans-of-lies-through-all-the-ages-that/) [John Dos Passos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dos-passos/) > [A Real man can only think for himself on how to be a man not Others..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/a-real-man-can-only-think-for-himself-on-how-to-be-a-man-not-others/) [Frenchqueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenchqueen/) > [I'm a man, and I think every man wants to be No. 1.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/i-m-a-man-and-i-think-every-man-wants-to-be-no-1/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [“You ride as a man, fight as a man, and you think as a man-" "I think as a human being," she retorted hotly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/you-ride-as-a-man-fight-as-a-man-and-you-think-as-a-man-i-think-as-a/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [What one man can think, another man can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-one-man-can-think-another-man-can-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't remember being a child, and that's why I think I'm so child-like now in my unending curiosity and approach to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-wiggins/i-don-t-remember-being-a-child-and-that-s-why-i-think-i-m-so-child/) [Marianne Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-wiggins/) > [“A parent is inexcusable who does not personally teach her child to think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/a-parent-is-inexcusable-who-does-not-personally-teach-her-child-to/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I am a child but I have to think and act like a woman, this business forces you to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/i-am-a-child-but-i-have-to-think-and-act-like-a-woman-this-business/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [As a child, you only think of the now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-berkoff/as-a-child-you-only-think-of-the-now/) [Steven Berkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-berkoff/) > [There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing. Have you cried for that boy today?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-hansberry/there-is-always-something-left-to-love-and-if-you-ain-t-learned-that/) [Lorraine Hansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-hansberry/) > [I did not bring up my child to think that she was a star. If I had treated her any differently, it would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soni-razdan/i-did-not-bring-up-my-child-to-think-that-she-was-a-star-if-i-had/) [Soni Razdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soni-razdan/) > [My dad was a mechanical engineer and a drummer. We had no money, but I never felt we had no money, and that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-air/my-dad-was-a-mechanical-engineer-and-a-drummer-we-had-no-money-but-i/) [Donna Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-air/) > [Give something to your child if you think he must give it later to those when they need it badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/give-something-to-your-child-if-you-think-he-must-give-it-later-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I really didn't have any childhood. When you don't know where you are going to sleep for the night.. or find food.. you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-snow/i-really-didn-t-have-any-childhood-when-you-don-t-know-where-you-are/) [Hank Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-snow/) > [“Clever isn't the same as sensible," said Susan, "and they do say that if you wish to walk the path to wisdom then for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/clever-isn-t-the-same-as-sensible-said-susan-and-they-do-say-that-if/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Chief Joseph > [We did not know there were other people besides the Indian until about one hundred winters ago, when some men with white faces came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/we-did-not-know-there-were-other-people-besides-the-indian-until/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [I would give up everything rather than have the blood of white men upon the hands of my people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-would-give-up-everything-rather-than-have-the-blood-of-white-men/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [I am tired of talk that comes to nothing It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-am-tired-of-talk-that-comes-to-nothing-it-makes-my-heart-sick-when/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/let-me-be-a-free-man-free-to-travel-free-to-stop-free-to-work/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [I have asked some of the great white chiefs where they get their authority to say to the Indian that he shall stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-have-asked-some-of-the-great-white-chiefs-where-they-get-their/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [Good words will not give my people good health and stop them from dying. Good words will not get my people a home where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/good-words-will-not-give-my-people-good-health-and-stop-them-from/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [It does not take many words to speak the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/it-does-not-take-many-words-to-speak-the-truth/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [“I will fight no more forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-will-fight-no-more-forever/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [I do not believe that the Great Spirit Chief gave one kind of men the right to tell another kind of men what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-do-not-believe-that-the-great-spirit-chief-gave-one-kind-of-men-the/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [We ask to be recognized as men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/we-ask-to-be-recognized-as-men/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [We soon found that the white men were growing rich very fast, and were greedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/we-soon-found-that-the-white-men-were-growing-rich-very-fast-and-were/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [I have heard talk and talk, but nothing is done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-have-heard-talk-and-talk-but-nothing-is-done/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [Look twice at a two-faced man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/look-twice-at-a-two-faced-man/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [I believe much trouble and blood would be saved if we opened our hearts more. I will tell you in my way how the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-believe-much-trouble-and-blood-would-be-saved-if-we-opened-our/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [For a short time we lived quietly. But this could not last. White men had found gold in the mountains around the land of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/for-a-short-time-we-lived-quietly-but-this-could-not-last-white-men/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) [Explore all 106 Chief Joseph quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) ## More Child quotes > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. 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Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. 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Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. 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