--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anyone who promises you something that…" description: "\"Anyone who promises you something that you have not earned is seeking to enslave you.\" — James Wasserman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/james-wasserman-34035_promise_anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-y_1018081.jpg" --- # Anyone who promises you something that you have not earned… ![“Anyone who promises you something that you have not earned is seeking to enslave you.” quote by James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/james-wasserman-34035_promise_anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-y_1018081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/james-wasserman-34035_promise_anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-y_1018081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/james-wasserman-34035_promise_anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-y_1018081.jpg) > “Anyone who promises you something that you have not earned is seeking to enslave you.” [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Making false promises exploits those who cannot yet claim the reward, creating a form of control. **In simple terms:** Empty promises trap people. Key Takeaway Beware of unearned offers. Themes trust exploitation power dynamics Mood cautious critical Type advice warning When to use this quote - financial deals - personal relationships - political rhetoric - marketing - employment Key Concepts manipulation dependency control ethical boundaries Questions to Reflect On - Do you accept offers without proof? - How can you protect yourself from manipulation? A Different Perspective Not all promises are malicious; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Promises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises/) ## Related quotes > [I am not going to make promises I can't keep. I am not going to talk about big ideas like single-payer and then not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-not-going-to-make-promises-i-can-t-keep-i-am-not-going-to-talk/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“Promises,” his gran had said once, her sour commentary on the whole affair, “are like pie crusts—meant to be broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey/promises-his-gran-had-said-once-her-sour-commentary-on-the-whole/) John Harvey > [No circumstance, person, or difficulty can stop the plans and the promises of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/no-circumstance-person-or-difficulty-can-stop-the-plans-and-the/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [...there were no guarantees in life, only promises and whispers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-steel/there-were-no-guarantees-in-life-only-promises-and-whispers/) [Danielle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-steel/) > [To fulfill promises is the highest form of integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-ali/to-fulfill-promises-is-the-highest-form-of-integrity/) [Hazrat Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-ali/) > [I wanted proof, not promises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/i-wanted-proof-not-promises/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [If being recalled is the price for keeping one's promises, then so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-pearce/if-being-recalled-is-the-price-for-keeping-one-s-promises-then-so-be/) [Russell Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-pearce/) > [God promises to meet our needs, not our greeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lawson/god-promises-to-meet-our-needs-not-our-greeds/) [Steve Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lawson/) > [I wonder why people make promises, they won't be able to keep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wonder-why-people-make-promises-they-won-t-be-able-to-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never could keep a promise. I do not blame myself for this weakness, because the fault must lie in my physical organization. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-never-could-keep-a-promise-i-do-not-blame-myself-for-this-weakness/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-m-stephens/god-will-keep-his-promises-to-you-as-you-honor-your-covenants-with-him/) [Carole M. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-m-stephens/) > [Simply put, the promises of God are not automatic; they must be acquired by faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bevere/simply-put-the-promises-of-god-are-not-automatic-they-must-be/) [John Bevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bevere/) > [People nowadays act like promises are meant to be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-nowadays-act-like-promises-are-meant-to-be-broken/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing is worse than broken promises.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-amis/nothing-is-worse-than-broken-promises/) [Lily Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-amis/) > [One can promise actions, but not feelings, for the latter are involuntary. He who promises to love forever or hate forever or be forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/one-can-promise-actions-but-not-feelings-for-the-latter-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by James Wasserman > [I think that what we need is a balance between men and women. I don't believe in the value of the matriarchy as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/i-think-that-what-we-need-is-a-balance-between-men-and-women-i-don-t/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [“Gold is the root-essence of lead. It is considered an implicit component of all metals in greater or lesser degree, based on their density,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/gold-is-the-root-essence-of-lead-it-is-considered-an-implicit/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [“The high principles of Masonry were particularly welcome in the uncertain times leading up to the Revolution. American society was struggling with conflicting political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/the-high-principles-of-masonry-were-particularly-welcome-in-the/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [God gave us reason. He gave us the ability to reason and also have faith and I think that reason and faith go together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/god-gave-us-reason-he-gave-us-the-ability-to-reason-and-also-have/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [I realized that I had been living a great part of my life like an ostrich, with my head stuck in the sand. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/i-realized-that-i-had-been-living-a-great-part-of-my-life-like-an/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [“Ultimately, the greatest mystery cannot be seen or spoken, it is beyond the grasp of the intellect and all symbolic representation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/ultimately-the-greatest-mystery-cannot-be-seen-or-spoken-it-is-beyond/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [I try to do as much as I can within myself, with my friends, with my family. Talking to people who are motivated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/i-try-to-do-as-much-as-i-can-within-myself-with-my-friends-with-my/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [“The infinite seeks manifestation. It projects itself as the point, defined by its position, one coordinate. Further seeking fulfillment, the point extends outward to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/the-infinite-seeks-manifestation-it-projects-itself-as-the-point/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [We're talking a lot about reason and religion today, but I really hope that the American experiment can continue, because liberty really is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/we-re-talking-a-lot-about-reason-and-religion-today-but-i-really-hope/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [“The Masonic philosophy embodied the political movement under way in America to promote individual liberty and establish a broad-based national identity that encouraged fraternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/the-masonic-philosophy-embodied-the-political-movement-under-way-in/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [“In 1738, the Pope issued an encyclical banning all participation in Masonry under threat of excommunication.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/in-1738-the-pope-issued-an-encyclical-banning-all-participation-in/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [The English monarchy is at best symbolic, whereas the Saudi monarchy is a bloodline, but it's also showing itself as a very primitive culture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/the-english-monarchy-is-at-best-symbolic-whereas-the-saudi-monarchy/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) > [If we don't take responsibility for ourselves, someone else will take it for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/if-we-don-t-take-responsibility-for-ourselves-someone-else-will-take/) [James Wasserman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) [Explore all 14 James Wasserman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/) ## More Enslave quotes > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [A man who will enslave his own blood, may not be safely relied on for magnamity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-man-who-will-enslave-his-own-blood-may-not-be-safely-relied-on-for/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Why not exploit, enslave, or exterminate a class that everybody is taught to regard as inferior?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/why-not-exploit-enslave-or-exterminate-a-class-that-everybody-is/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) > [“Society always tries to enslave, imprison, and execute its greatest men, those who dare to stand apart and rise above.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-torode/society-always-tries-to-enslave-imprison-and-execute-its-greatest-men/) [Sam Torode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-torode/) > [“To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them." -George Mason - Father of the Bill of Rights”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goodwin/to-disarm-the-people-is-the-best-and-most-effectual-way-to-enslave/) [Mark Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goodwin/) > [Some people steal from others, or defraud them, or enslave them, seizing their product and preventing them from living as they choose, or forcibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nozick/some-people-steal-from-others-or-defraud-them-or-enslave-them-seizing/) [Robert Nozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-nozick/) > [The Hebrew scriptures say it's okay to enslave anybody except your fellow Jews. It says you should enslave only your neighbors. I say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-hebrew-scriptures-say-it-s-okay-to-enslave-anybody-except-your/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [They wanna hang us, see us dead, or enslave us, keep us trapped in the same place we raised in. Then they wonder why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre/they-wanna-hang-us-see-us-dead-or-enslave-us-keep-us-trapped-in-the/) [Dr. Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre/) > [“To disarm the people--that was the best and most effective way to enslave them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/to-disarm-the-people-that-was-the-best-and-most-effective-way-to/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [Give. Giving affirms Christ's lordship. It dethrones me and exalts Him. It breaks the chains of mammon that would enslave me and transfers my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/give-giving-affirms-christ-s-lordship-it-dethrones-me-and-exalts-him/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [They enslave their children's children who make compromise with sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/they-enslave-their-children-s-children-who-make-compromise-with-sin/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The Grecians and Romans were strongly possessed of the spirit of liberty but not the principle, for at the time they were determined not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-grecians-and-romans-were-strongly-possessed-of-the-spirit-of/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“But if you want to truly enslave someone, there is something even more powerful than fear, and that is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-thorn/but-if-you-want-to-truly-enslave-someone-there-is-something-even-more/) [J. Thorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-thorn/) > [Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/dictators-free-themselves-but-they-enslave-the-people/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [“There is no such thing as "the right to enslave".A nation can do it , just as a man can become a criminal -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-is-no-such-thing-as-the-right-to-enslave-a-nation-can-do-it/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) Browse all 116 Enslave quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anyone who promises you something that you have not earned is seeking to enslave you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Wasserman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-you-have-not-earned-is-seeking/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enslave" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-you-have-not-earned-is-seeking/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/james-wasserman-34035_promise_anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-y_1018081.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/james-wasserman-34035_promise_anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-y_1018081.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/james-wasserman-34035_promise_anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-y_1018081.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anyone who promises you something that you have not earned is seeking to enslave you.” — James Wasserman", "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": "James Wasserman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wasserman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anyone who promises you something that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-you-have-not-earned-is-seeking/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wasserman/anyone-who-promises-you-something-that-you-have-not-earned-is-seeking/#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 } } ] } ```