--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As it happens, I am still committed to…" description: "\"“As it happens, I am still committed to the idea that the ability to think for one's self depends upon one's mastery of the language.”\" — Joan Didion" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/joan-didion-497_language_as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-th_2100584.jpg" --- # As it happens, I am still committed to the idea that the… ![“As it happens, I am still committed to the idea that the ability to think for one's self depends upon one's mastery of the language.” quote by Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/joan-didion-497_language_as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-th_2100584.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/joan-didion-497_language_as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-th_2100584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/joan-didion-497_language_as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-th_2100584.jpg) > ““As it happens, I am still committed to the idea that the ability to think for one's self depends upon one's mastery of the language.”” [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language mastery shapes independent thought; without it, self‑directed reasoning falters. **In simple terms:** Thinking for yourself needs language skill. Key Takeaway Cultivate precise language use. Themes education independence communication Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - debate - self‑reflection - teaching Key Concepts Linguistics critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does language influence your decisions? - Can you think without words? A Different Perspective Language barriers can limit autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ## Related quotes > [The ability to think for one's self depends upon one's mastery of the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/the-ability-to-think-for-one-s-self-depends-upon-one-s-mastery-of-the/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [I think, with TG, in our own ways, we have been committed to the idea of evolution on some level and change on some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-p-orridge/i-think-with-tg-in-our-own-ways-we-have-been-committed-to-the-idea-of/) [Genesis P-Orridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-p-orridge/) > [I am committed to the idea of information politics. 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Lots of idiots read books. Trust me, the ability to read does not necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-sexton/first-you-don-t-have-to-be-smart-to-read-books-lots-of-idiots-read/) [Marie Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-sexton/) > [Smart people are a dime a dozen. What matters is the ability to think different... to think out of the box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/smart-people-are-a-dime-a-dozen-what-matters-is-the-ability-to-think/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [I believe the ability to think is blessed. If you can think about a situation, you can deal with it. 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Sure. But only after long practice and only with the ability to think under pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-didrikson-zaharias/luck-sure-but-only-after-long-practice-and-only-with-the-ability-to/) [Babe Didrikson Zaharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-didrikson-zaharias/) ## More by Joan Didion > [To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence, as definitely and inflexibly as the position of a camera alters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/to-shift-the-structure-of-a-sentence-alters-the-meaning-of-that/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [I work every day. 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I was crazy about reading biographies. \[...\] I think biographies are very urgent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-read-so-ravenously-that-i-would-read-through-whole-categories-i-was/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [To those of us who remained committed mainly to the exploration of moral distinctions and ambiguities, the feminist analysis may have seemed a particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/to-those-of-us-who-remained-committed-mainly-to-the-exploration-of/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) [Explore all 515 Joan Didion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) ## More Language quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. 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I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The words for what I want to say right now don't exist. Everything sounds…so cliché.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/the-words-for-what-i-want-to-say-right-now-don-t-exist-everything/) [Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Words can kill you trust towards someone, mind you language people, every reaction had its consequence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-can-kill-you-trust-towards-someone-mind-you-language-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Finxerunt animi, raro et perpauca loquentis. (To action little, less to words inclinded.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/finxerunt-animi-raro-et-perpauca-loquentis-to-action-little-less-to/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) [Browse all 21,951 Language quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As it happens, I am still committed to the idea that the ability to think for one's self depends upon one's mastery of the language.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joan Didion" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-the-idea-that-the-ability-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Language" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-the-idea-that-the-ability-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/joan-didion-497_language_as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-th_2100584.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/joan-didion-497_language_as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-th_2100584.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/joan-didion-497_language_as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-th_2100584.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As it happens, I am still committed to the idea that the ability to think for one's self depends upon one's…” — Joan Didion", "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": "Joan Didion", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As it happens, I am still...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-the-idea-that-the-ability-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/as-it-happens-i-am-still-committed-to-the-idea-that-the-ability-to/#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 } } ] } ```