Able Quote by Idries Shah
“To be obsessed by the idea of freedom, for instance, is itself a form of slavery. Such people are in the chains of the hope of freedom, and are therefore able to do little else than struggle with them.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Book of Secrets by Idries Shah, 1975
Obsessing over freedom creates a mental cage, limiting action to endless yearning.
In simple terms: Freedom obsession traps you.
Key Takeaway
Avoid fixation, focus on tangible actions.
Themes
freedom
obsession
mental constraints
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- political activism
- personal goals
- social movements
Key Concepts
psychology
paradox
self‑limitation
Questions to Reflect On
- What freedoms do you chase without acting?
- How can you balance desire with action?
A Different Perspective
It can ignore practical steps toward actual liberty.
![“I was obsessed with the idea of sitting next to someone and playing a game that we were both competing in, and we were also competing with the computer. That was mind-blowing to me at that time. It was just so cool to think about the computer being able to play with us, and then also [for] us to…” quote by Robin Hunicke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a22/robin-hunicke-82184_able_i-was-obsessed-with-the-idea-of-sitting_574145.jpg)
