Accepting Quote by John Dewey
“Plato defined a slave as one who accepts from another the purposes which control his conduct. This condition obtains even where there is no slavery in the legal sense. It is found wherever men are engaged in activity which is socially serviceable, but whose service they do not understand and have no personal interest in.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Experience and Nature, John Dewey, 1925
The quote describes how people can become enslaved by external purposes they follow without understanding or personal interest, even without legal slavery.
In simple terms: People can be controlled by goals they don’t grasp or care about.
Key Takeaway
Seek autonomy by aligning actions with personal values.
Themes
autonomy
control
meaning
social influence
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- workplace tasks
- consumer habits
- political movements
- education curricula
Key Concepts
existentialism
critical theory
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What purposes do you follow without understanding?
- How can you reclaim personal interest in your work?
A Different Perspective
Understanding alone may not free one; deeper reflection and systemic change are needed.
