Freedom Quote by Jim Lacey
““And it is plain enough, not from this instance only, but from many everywhere, that freedom is an excellent thing since even the Athenians, who, while they continued under the rule of tyrants, were not a whit more valiant than any of their neighbors, no sooner shook off the yoke than they became decidedly the first of all. These things show that, while undergoing oppression, they let themselves be beaten, since then they worked for a master; but so soon as they got their freedom, each man was eager to do the best he could for himself.2 Despite Herodotus’s””
About This Quote
Source Historical Text: Herodotus, The Histories, 5th century BC
Freedom inspires individuals to pursue personal excellence, whereas oppression suppresses ambition and self‑interest.
In simple terms: Freedom drives personal achievement; oppression dampens it.
Key Takeaway
Encourage liberty to unlock potential.
Themes
freedom
human nature
political change
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
historical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education reform
- political activism
- personal development
- leadership training
Key Concepts
self‑actualization
motivation
social dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does liberty affect personal ambition?
- What safeguards prevent misuse of freedom?
A Different Perspective
Freedom alone may not guarantee wise choices without civic education.
![“[M]ore than they wanted freedom, the Athenians wanted security. Yet they lost everything-security, comfort, and freedom. This was because they wanted not to give to society, but for society to give to them. The freedom they were seeking was freedom from responsibility. It is no wonder, then, that…” quote by Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/12b/margaret-thatcher-463_athenians_m-ore-than-they-wanted-freedom-the-athen_3205501.jpg)
![“...for the interests of rulers require that their subjects should be poor in spirit, and that there should be no strong bond of friendship or society among them, which love, above all other motives, is likely to inspire, as our Athenian tyrants learned by experience; for... [love] had a strength…” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f26/plato-103_friendship_for-the-interests-of-rulers-require-that_127166.jpg)
![“But what about the apparent absurdity of the idea of dignity, freedom, and reason, sustained by extreme military discipline, including of the practice of discarding weak children? This “absurdity” is simply the price of freedom—freedom is not free, as they put it in the film [300]. Freedom is not…” quote by Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5f6/slavoj-i-ek-1738_children_but-what-about-the-apparent-absurdity-of_806718.jpg)
