--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe in trying to get a balance…" description: "\"I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on the other.\" — Chris Patten" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/chris-patten-22064_balance_i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-bet_1966144.png" --- # I believe in trying to get a balance between individual… ![“I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on the other.” quote by Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/chris-patten-22064_balance_i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-bet_1966144.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/chris-patten-22064_balance_i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-bet_1966144.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/chris-patten-22064_balance_i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-bet_1966144.png) > “I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on the other.” [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing personal liberty with collective duty is essential for a just society. **In simple terms:** Freedom and responsibility must coexist. Key Takeaway Seek harmony between self and community. Themes freedom responsibility society politics Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - community projects - personal decisions Key Concepts social contract liberalism civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize personal rights vs communal duties? - What compromises are acceptable? A Different Perspective Balancing both can be politically contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-freedom/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [“Good government should maintain the balance where every individual may have a place if he will take it, where every individual may find safety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/good-government-should-maintain-the-balance-where-every-individual/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [It's a constant challenge trying to find balance between styling, designing and being a mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zoe/it-s-a-constant-challenge-trying-to-find-balance-between-styling/) [Rachel Zoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zoe/) > [For a really long time, I've been trying to find balance where I can talk about my feelings and be upfront with people, confront…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-green/for-a-really-long-time-i-ve-been-trying-to-find-balance-where-i-can/) [Anthony Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-green/) > [We are all trying to balance our careers and children and give as much of ourselves and our time to them. You work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-preston/we-are-all-trying-to-balance-our-careers-and-children-and-give-as/) [Kelly Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-preston/) > [Companies should not have a singular view of profitability. There needs to be a balance between commerce and social responsibility... The companies that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/companies-should-not-have-a-singular-view-of-profitability-there/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [The hardest thing about having three kids is trying to find a balance, because there's always the odd man out, and you also need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dempsey/the-hardest-thing-about-having-three-kids-is-trying-to-find-a-balance/) [Patrick Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dempsey/) > [Some people don't get that I live a busy life trying to balance school, and other things. So don't think I'm going to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-don-t-get-that-i-live-a-busy-life-trying-to-balance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You're always trying to balance your understanding of who you are and what you need, and your longing and imaginings of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-always-trying-to-balance-your-understanding-of-who-you-are-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“trying to have some balance in life ..and wondering who on the other side of this see~saw??”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammie-wiltz/trying-to-have-some-balance-in-life-and-wondering-who-on-the-other/) Tammie Wiltz > [As a mom, that's at the forefront of everything in my mind, so I'm always trying to balance, whether it's bringing Violet to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-milian/as-a-mom-that-s-at-the-forefront-of-everything-in-my-mind-so-i-m/) [Christina Milian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-milian/) > [“Options. She can sleep with the door open, wander around freely, come and go without someone watching her every move. She hadn’t realized how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/options-she-can-sleep-with-the-door-open-wander-around-freely-come/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“It's just that when you're trying to balance so many things at the same time, it's inevitable that something's going to fall.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/it-s-just-that-when-you-re-trying-to-balance-so-many-things-at-the/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [I've been trying to find a balance between all things in my life - personal, singing, acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letoya-luckett/i-ve-been-trying-to-find-a-balance-between-all-things-in-my-life/) [LeToya Luckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letoya-luckett/) > [“It was like trying to balance on a pair of knife blades. Who had thought of this mad form of travel in the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/it-was-like-trying-to-balance-on-a-pair-of-knife-blades-who-had/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-re-interested-in-balancing-work-and-pleasure-stop-trying-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Chris Patten > [We have our own system, ... and journalists in our system are not put in prison for embarrassing the government by revealing things the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/we-have-our-own-system-and-journalists-in-our-system-are-not-put-in/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [There is a sort of exotic preposterousness about a lot of elections, the way arguments are made even cruder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/there-is-a-sort-of-exotic-preposterousness-about-a-lot-of-elections/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [In a democracy everybody has a right to be represented, including the jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/in-a-democracy-everybody-has-a-right-to-be-represented-including-the/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [Hong Kong represents the kind of Asia with which both West and East are comfortable... It offers, in that sense, a vision for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/hong-kong-represents-the-kind-of-asia-with-which-both-west-and-east/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [I think that what most surprises anybody who goes into politics from even a modestly cerebral background is the vulgarity of much of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/i-think-that-what-most-surprises-anybody-who-goes-into-politics-from/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [Those of us who had a perfectly happy childhood should be able to sue for deprivation of literary royalties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/those-of-us-who-had-a-perfectly-happy-childhood-should-be-able-to-sue/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [Multilateralism is not an easy option. We're going to find that the world is very difficult. And relationships between America and the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/multilateralism-is-not-an-easy-option-we-re-going-to-find-that-the/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [Anyone who supposed that when Margaret Thatcher left Number Ten she was going to take a Trappist vow did not know that formidable politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/anyone-who-supposed-that-when-margaret-thatcher-left-number-ten-she/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [It is a sort of great Victorian truth that actually, trying to do the right thing is pretty good for you and pretty good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/it-is-a-sort-of-great-victorian-truth-that-actually-trying-to-do-the/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [We're not trying to recreate Yugoslavia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/we-re-not-trying-to-recreate-yugoslavia/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [It is almost always wrong that the time isn't ripe to decide something. That is always said of difficult problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/it-is-almost-always-wrong-that-the-time-isn-t-ripe-to-decide/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [I don't think that capitalism should be unbridled, if by "unbridled" you mean unregulated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/i-don-t-think-that-capitalism-should-be-unbridled-if-by-unbridled-you/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [Undoubtedly, at the moment, the major cause of CO2 emission is what happens in developed countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/undoubtedly-at-the-moment-the-major-cause-of-co2-emission-is-what/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [It'd make a wonderful change to have the leader of a pluralist democracy who acted on that, who told people just how tough things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/it-d-make-a-wonderful-change-to-have-the-leader-of-a-pluralist/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [In democracy everyone has the right to be represented, even the jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/in-democracy-everyone-has-the-right-to-be-represented-even-the-jerks/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) [Explore all 28 Chris Patten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. When not trying to beat my personal best, I'm talking to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-never-understood-how-much-running-changes-your-life-i-m-now/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whatever needed to be done, I need to know how to do it just as well as my wife. You know, for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/whatever-needed-to-be-done-i-need-to-know-how-to-do-it-just-as-well/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-don-t-think-my-parents-would-have-let-me-go-straight-into-acting/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on the other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Patten" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-between-individual-freedom-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-between-individual-freedom-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/chris-patten-22064_balance_i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-bet_1966144.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/chris-patten-22064_balance_i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-bet_1966144.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/chris-patten-22064_balance_i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-bet_1966144.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on…” — Chris Patten", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chris Patten", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe in trying to get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-between-individual-freedom-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/i-believe-in-trying-to-get-a-balance-between-individual-freedom-on/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```