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Ancient greek Quote by John Robbins

“The ancient Greeks told of a philosopher eating bread and lentils for dinner. He was approached by another man, who lived sumptuously by flattering the king. Said the flatterer, "If you would learn to be subservient to the king, you would not have to live on lentils." The philosopher replied, "If…” quote by John Robbins
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““The ancient Greeks told of a philosopher eating bread and lentils for dinner. He was approached by another man, who lived sumptuously by flattering the king. Said the flatterer, "If you would learn to be subservient to the king, you would not have to live on lentils." The philosopher replied, "If you would learn to live on lentils, you would not have to give up your independence in order to be docile and acquiescent to the king.””

John Robbins

About This Quote

Independence is valued over comfort; compromising freedom for ease is warned against.

In simple terms: Freedom matters more than comfortable subservience.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize autonomy over easy comforts.

Themes

freedom comfort independence

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • career choices
  • political alignment
  • personal lifestyle

Key Concepts

philosophy ethics politics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What comforts might you be sacrificing independence for?
  • How do you maintain independence in a demanding environment?
A Different Perspective

Comfort can sometimes be a subtle form of control.

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