--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first duty of a man is to think for…" description: "\"The first duty of a man is to think for himself\" — Jose Marti" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/jose-marti-3352_duty_the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for_688125.jpg" --- # The first duty of a man is to think for himself ![“The first duty of a man is to think for himself” quote by Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/jose-marti-3352_duty_the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for_688125.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/jose-marti-3352_duty_the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for_688125.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/jose-marti-3352_duty_the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for_688125.jpg) > “The first duty of a man is to think for himself” [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages independent thought over blind conformity. **In simple terms:** Think for yourself. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal judgment. Themes independence critical thinking self‑reliance Mood determined reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - political activism - personal decision‑making Key Concepts philosophy political thought Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑thinking with learning from others? - What risks arise from excessive independence? A Different Perspective May ignore valuable expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Socialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialism/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [It is the duty of man to raise up man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/it-is-the-duty-of-man-to-raise-up-man/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [The first duty of man is that of subduing fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-first-duty-of-man-is-that-of-subduing-fear/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Since National Socialism came to power, I have striven to make its consequences milder for its victims and to prepare the way for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmuth-james-graf-von-moltke/since-national-socialism-came-to-power-i-have-striven-to-make-its/) Helmuth James Graf von Moltke > [It is the system of nationalist individualism that has to go…We are living in the end of the sovereign states…In the great struggle to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/it-is-the-system-of-nationalist-individualism-that-has-to-go-we-are/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [The basic struggle today is not between individualism and collectivism, free enterprise and socialism, democracy and dictatorship. These are only the superficial manifestations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-basic-struggle-today-is-not-between-individualism-and/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Despair is typical of those who do not understand the causes of evil, see no way out, and are incapable of struggle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/despair-is-typical-of-those-who-do-not-understand-the-causes-of-evil/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [But love, like the sun that it is, sets afire and melts everything. what greed and privilege to build up over whole centuries the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/but-love-like-the-sun-that-it-is-sets-afire-and-melts-everything-what/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [To be good, and do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/to-be-good-and-do-good-is-the-whole-duty-of-man-comprised-in-a-few/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Women think of being a man as a gift. It is a duty. Even making love can be a duty. A man has always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/women-think-of-being-a-man-as-a-gift-it-is-a-duty-even-making-love/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [The first duty of man is to conquer fear; he must get rid of it, he cannot act till then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-first-duty-of-man-is-to-conquer-fear-he-must-get-rid-of-it-he/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [It is the duty of every man to uphold the dignity of every woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-to-uphold-the-dignity-of-every-woman/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [To mind your own business incorporates the whole duty of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/to-mind-your-own-business-incorporates-the-whole-duty-of-man/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [The real duty of man is not to extend his power or multiply his wealth beyond his needs, but to enrich and enjoy his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-highet/the-real-duty-of-man-is-not-to-extend-his-power-or-multiply-his/) [Gilbert Highet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-highet/) > [The foundation of a man's duty as a man is in truth. Beyond this there is nothing to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torii-mototada/the-foundation-of-a-man-s-duty-as-a-man-is-in-truth-beyond-this-there/) [Torii Mototada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torii-mototada/) ## More by Jose Marti > [Only those who hate the Negro see hatred in the Negro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/only-those-who-hate-the-negro-see-hatred-in-the-negro/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Treacherous assassins, enemies of the people, and worthy of everyone's ridicule are those who, under the pretext of guiding future generations, teach them an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/treacherous-assassins-enemies-of-the-people-and-worthy-of-everyone-s/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [To use for our exclusive benefit what is not ours is theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/to-use-for-our-exclusive-benefit-what-is-not-ours-is-theft/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [To beautify life is to give it an object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/to-beautify-life-is-to-give-it-an-object/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [America is a land of creators and rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/america-is-a-land-of-creators-and-rebels/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Cultivo una rosa blanca, En julio como en enero, Para el amigo sincero Que me da su mano franca. Y para el cruel que…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/cultivo-una-rosa-blanca-en-julio-como-en-enero-para-el-amigo-sincero/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [All is beautiful and unceasing, all is music and reason, and all, like diamond, is carbon first, then light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/all-is-beautiful-and-unceasing-all-is-music-and-reason-and-all-like/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/love-is-the-bond-between-men-the-way-to-teach-and-the-center-of-the/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [One revolution is still necessary: the one that will not end with the rule of its leader. It will be the revolution against revolutions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/one-revolution-is-still-necessary-the-one-that-will-not-end-with-the/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [I come from all places and to all places I go: I am art among the arts and mountain among mountains. I know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/i-come-from-all-places-and-to-all-places-i-go-i-am-art-among-the-arts/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Fortunately, there is a sane equilibrium in the character of nations, as there is in that of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/fortunately-there-is-a-sane-equilibrium-in-the-character-of-nations/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [An insatiable appetite for glory leads to sacrifice and death, but innate instinct leads to self-preservation and life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/an-insatiable-appetite-for-glory-leads-to-sacrifice-and-death-but/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Our wine is bitter, but it is our wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/our-wine-is-bitter-but-it-is-our-wine/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Others go to bed with their mistresses; I with my ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/others-go-to-bed-with-their-mistresses-i-with-my-ideas/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [One just principle from the depths of a cave is more powerful than an army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/one-just-principle-from-the-depths-of-a-cave-is-more-powerful-than-an/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) [Explore all 118 Jose Marti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) ## More Duty quotes > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. I fought as hard as I could on the Remain side, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/few-political-debates-have-been-as-divisive-as-the-european-one-i/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [“Is that what they teach you at the convent? That the gods demand the hearts from our bodies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/is-that-what-they-teach-you-at-the-convent-that-the-gods-demand-the/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“You have a right to be sad, and a duty to move on. Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/) [Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/) > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Regardless of how you feel about war and peace those serving military are doing a duty for the rest of us and they're protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/regardless-of-how-you-feel-about-war-and-peace-those-serving-military/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Politics...You see, it depends on what kind of politics. What we did during my father's generation was a duty. And it was beautiful because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/politics-you-see-it-depends-on-what-kind-of-politics-what-we-did/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-do-not-so-much-rejoice-that-god-hath-made-me-to-be-a-queen-as-to-be/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Browse all 5,178 Duty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first duty of a man is to think for himself", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jose Marti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for-himself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Duty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for-himself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/jose-marti-3352_duty_the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for_688125.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/jose-marti-3352_duty_the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for_688125.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/jose-marti-3352_duty_the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for_688125.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first duty of a man is to think for himself” — Jose Marti", "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": "Jose Marti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first duty of a man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for-himself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for-himself/#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 } } ] } ```