--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only people who have been allowed to…" description: "\"Only people who have been allowed to practise freedom can have the grown-up look in their eyes.\" — E. M. Forster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/e-m-forster-1118_freedom_only-people-who-have-been-allowed-to-pra_417601.png" --- # Only people who have been allowed to practise freedom can… ![“Only people who have been allowed to practise freedom can have the grown-up look in their eyes.” quote by E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/e-m-forster-1118_freedom_only-people-who-have-been-allowed-to-pra_417601.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/e-m-forster-1118_freedom_only-people-who-have-been-allowed-to-pra_417601.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/e-m-forster-1118_freedom_only-people-who-have-been-allowed-to-pra_417601.png) > “Only people who have been allowed to practise freedom can have the grown-up look in their eyes.” [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only those who experience true liberty can show mature confidence in their gaze. **In simple terms:** Freedom yields mature confidence. Key Takeaway Cultivate freedom to gain confidence. Themes freedom confidence maturity Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - self‑development Key Concepts personal liberty psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does personal freedom affect self‑esteem? - What barriers prevent people from feeling free? A Different Perspective Freedom may be limited by external oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [The outward freedom that we shall attain will only be in exact proportion to the inward freedom to which we may have grown at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-outward-freedom-that-we-shall-attain-will-only-be-in-exact/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Personal freedom has grown greatly within China, and that will provoke ever more points of conflict between the individual and state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/personal-freedom-has-grown-greatly-within-china-and-that-will-provoke/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [People should be allowed to do whatever they want in the privacy of their own home or their own hotel room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/people-should-be-allowed-to-do-whatever-they-want-in-the-privacy-of/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [No one is innocent, and people are allowed to criticize everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-rouhani/no-one-is-innocent-and-people-are-allowed-to-criticize-everyone/) [Hassan Rouhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-rouhani/) > [I think that we have to be aware that people are allowed to make mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-winehouse/i-think-that-we-have-to-be-aware-that-people-are-allowed-to-make-2/) [Amy Winehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-winehouse/) > [“Our lives are like a house. Some people are allowed on the lawn, some onto the porch, some get into the vestibule or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/our-lives-are-like-a-house-some-people-are-allowed-on-the-lawn-some/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“There are some people who should not be allowed on the road. Maybe they shouldn't even be allowed to walk anywhere, either. Maybe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/there-are-some-people-who-should-not-be-allowed-on-the-road-maybe/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I can understand why those bands do it. It can be a hell of a lot of bloody fun. People are allowed to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nik-kershaw/i-can-understand-why-those-bands-do-it-it-can-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-of/) [Nik Kershaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nik-kershaw/) > [People do have a - people, unlike politicians, are allowed to change their minds. People are allowed to look back and say, you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/people-do-have-a-people-unlike-politicians-are-allowed-to-change/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [“I want people to be allowed to make jokes about, and discuss, anything they want. I don’t think people should be ostracized for doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-want-people-to-be-allowed-to-make-jokes-about-and-discuss-anything/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [People should be allowed to express their opinion. But, Americans need to know I'll be making up my mind based upon the latest intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/people-should-be-allowed-to-express-their-opinion-but-americans-need/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I think arts should be liberal, people should be allowed to express themselves. It happens in most democratic countries in the world, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-think-arts-should-be-liberal-people-should-be-allowed-to-express/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [People are allowed to say whatever they want. But if you always talk rubbish, and never fulfil your words, then you need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-van-gerwen/people-are-allowed-to-say-whatever-they-want-but-if-you-always-talk/) [Michael van Gerwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-van-gerwen/) > [“Gay people should be allowed to get married. Just because somebody's gay doesn't mean he shouldn't suffer like the rest of us”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-shaw/gay-people-should-be-allowed-to-get-married-just-because-somebody-s/) Jeff Shaw > [The people have allowed me to - they've respected my choice of wanting to be like, a little, you know, a baby alchemist, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharrell-williams/the-people-have-allowed-me-to-they-ve-respected-my-choice-of-wanting/) [Pharrell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharrell-williams/) ## More by E. M. Forster > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Reverence is fatal to literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/reverence-is-fatal-to-literature/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [It is so difficult - at least, I find it difficult - to understand people who speak the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/it-is-so-difficult-at-least-i-find-it-difficult-to-understand-people/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Railway termini are our gates to the glorious and the unknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/railway-termini-are-our-gates-to-the-glorious-and-the-unknown/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Ah, but you see, I didn't want to be fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/ah-but-you-see-i-didn-t-want-to-be-fair/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [The final test for a novel will be our affection for it, as it is the test of our friends, and of anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/the-final-test-for-a-novel-will-be-our-affection-for-it-as-it-is-the/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [America is rather like life. You can usually find in it what you look for It will probably be interesting, and it is sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/america-is-rather-like-life-you-can-usually-find-in-it-what-you-look/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [A critic has no right to the narrowness which is the frequent prerogative of the creative artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/a-critic-has-no-right-to-the-narrowness-which-is-the-frequent/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [All men are equal — all men, that is to say, who possess umbrellas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/all-men-are-equal-all-men-that-is-to-say-who-possess-umbrellas/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Before the civil war, Pottibakia was a normal member of the Comity of Nations. She erected tariff walls, broke treaties, persecuted minorities, obstructed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/before-the-civil-war-pottibakia-was-a-normal-member-of-the-comity-of/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Chess is a forcing house where the fruits of character can ripen more fully than in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/chess-is-a-forcing-house-where-the-fruits-of-character-can-ripen-more/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [I distrust Great Men... I believe in aristocracy, though... Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and all through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/i-distrust-great-men-i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-its-members-are/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Liking one person is an extra reason for liking another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/liking-one-person-is-an-extra-reason-for-liking-another/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [We are not concerned with the very poor. They are unthinkable, and only to be approached by the statistician or the poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/we-are-not-concerned-with-the-very-poor-they-are-unthinkable-and-only/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) [Explore all 287 E. M. Forster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## 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. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only people who have been allowed to practise freedom can have the grown-up look in their eyes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E. M. 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