--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Forbid a man to think for himself or to…" description: "\"Forbid a man to think for himself or to act for himself and you may add the joy of piracy and the zest of smuggling to his life.\" — Elbert Hubbard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/elbert-hubbard-510_add_forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to_3070726.png" --- # Forbid a man to think for himself or to act for himself… ![“Forbid a man to think for himself or to act for himself and you may add the joy of piracy and the zest of smuggling to his life.” quote by Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/elbert-hubbard-510_add_forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to_3070726.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/elbert-hubbard-510_add_forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to_3070726.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/elbert-hubbard-510_add_forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to_3070726.png) > “Forbid a man to think for himself or to act for himself and you may add the joy of piracy and the zest of smuggling to his life.” [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Restricting personal thought and action drives people toward illicit, rebellious pursuits for excitement. **In simple terms:** Denial of autonomy leads to illegal thrills. Key Takeaway Allow freedom to prevent rebellion. Themes freedom rebellion control psychology Mood defiant cautionary Type philosophical political When to use this quote - education - workplace - political regimes - family dynamics Key Concepts autonomy piracy smuggling human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does autonomy affect moral choices? - What legal alternatives satisfy the desire for excitement? A Different Perspective If people have safe outlets, they may not turn to crime. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Piracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piracy/) [Smuggling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smuggling/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Zest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zest/) [Zest for life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zest-for-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Forbid a man something and he craves it like his soul’s salvation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/forbid-a-man-something-and-he-craves-it-like-his-soul-s-salvation/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [I am sarcastic and dry, but I also have a pretty huge zest for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krysten-ritter/i-am-sarcastic-and-dry-but-i-also-have-a-pretty-huge-zest-for-life/) [Krysten Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krysten-ritter/) > [Without zest, what is life? Just waiting for death?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/without-zest-what-is-life-just-waiting-for-death/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I can't stay friends with anyone who doesn't have a passion for something; and, generally speaking, artistic people, creative people carry it right into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-king/i-can-t-stay-friends-with-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-a-passion-for/) [Alan King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-king/) > [“If a purpose is to be assigned to Life, it should be Living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anand-damani/if-a-purpose-is-to-be-assigned-to-life-it-should-be-living/) Anand Damani > [“There is so much zest in life! It is perpetually and enduringly luscious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wiggins/there-is-so-much-zest-in-life-it-is-perpetually-and-enduringly/) [Karl Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wiggins/) > [In bad times and in good I've never lost my sense of zest for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/in-bad-times-and-in-good-i-ve-never-lost-my-sense-of-zest-for-life/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Have you ever considered how much pure stuff and nonsense surrounds this subject of interior decoration? Probably not. Almost everyone believes that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-draper/have-you-ever-considered-how-much-pure-stuff-and-nonsense-surrounds/) [Dorothy Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-draper/) > [Adam Brown’s zest for life led him down a few dark alleys and more than one dead end. Kind-hearted and wild, Adam led a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stu-weber/adam-brown-s-zest-for-life-led-him-down-a-few-dark-alleys-and-more/) [Stu Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stu-weber/) > [In times of unrest and in an unstable economy, it is very easy to let your attitude slip and begin feeling sorry for yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/in-times-of-unrest-and-in-an-unstable-economy-it-is-very-easy-to-let/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [I have a lot of respect for Ovechkin as a player. I like his enthusiasm. I know the kid has a zest for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ovechkin/i-have-a-lot-of-respect-for-ovechkin-as-a-player-i-like-his/) [Alexander Ovechkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ovechkin/) > [The zest for life, which is the source of all passion and all insight, even divine, does not come to us from ourselves… It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/the-zest-for-life-which-is-the-source-of-all-passion-and-all-insight/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [The zest for life of those unusual men and women who make a great zealous success of living is due more often in good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hoagland/the-zest-for-life-of-those-unusual-men-and-women-who-make-a-great/) [Edward Hoagland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hoagland/) > [Nothing quite brings out the zest for life in a person like the thought of their impending death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/nothing-quite-brings-out-the-zest-for-life-in-a-person-like-the/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [Attempt to be creative for the joy it brings… Select something like music, dance, sculpture, or poetry. Being creative will help you enjoy life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/attempt-to-be-creative-for-the-joy-it-brings-select-something-like/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) ## More by Elbert Hubbard > [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-highest-reward-that-god-gives-us-for-good-work-is-the-ability-to/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Art is nothing; it's a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/art-is-nothing-it-s-a-way/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The poor and ignorant will continue to lie and steal as long as the rich and educated show them how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-poor-and-ignorant-will-continue-to-lie-and-steal-as-long-as-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/so-long-as-governments-set-the-example-of-killing-their-enemies/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [If I supply you with a thought, you may remember it and you may not. But if I can make you think a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-i-supply-you-with-a-thought-you-may-remember-it-and-you-may-not/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 A conservative is a man who is too cowardly to fight and too fat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/1-2-3-4-5-a-conservative-is-a-man-who-is-too-cowardly-to-fight-and/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The great man is not so great as folks think, and the dull man is not quite so stupid as he seems. The difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-not-so-great-as-folks-think-and-the-dull-man-is-not/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Every knock is a boost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/every-knock-is-a-boost/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [What boy well raised can compare with your street gamin who has the knowledge and the shrewdness of a grown-up broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-boy-well-raised-can-compare-with-your-street-gamin-who-has-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Don't make excuses, make good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/don-t-make-excuses-make-good/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [What people need and what they want may be very different… Teachers are those who educate the people to appreciate the things they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-people-need-and-what-they-want-may-be-very-different-teachers/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Men who sit back and pride themselves on their culture haven't any to speak of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/men-who-sit-back-and-pride-themselves-on-their-culture-haven-t-any-to/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) [Explore all 506 Elbert Hubbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Global is a unifying bond for people. Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Forbid a man to think for himself or to act for himself and you may add the joy of piracy and the zest of smuggling to his life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elbert Hubbard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to-act-for-himself-and-you-may/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Add" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to-act-for-himself-and-you-may/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/elbert-hubbard-510_add_forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to_3070726.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/elbert-hubbard-510_add_forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to_3070726.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/elbert-hubbard-510_add_forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to_3070726.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Forbid a man to think for himself or to act for himself and you may add the joy of piracy and the zest of…” — Elbert Hubbard", "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": "Elbert Hubbard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Forbid a man to think for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to-act-for-himself-and-you-may/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/forbid-a-man-to-think-for-himself-or-to-act-for-himself-and-you-may/#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 } } ] } ```