--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why can't fellows be allowed to do what…" description: "\"Why can't fellows be allowed to do what they like when they like and as they like, instead of other fellows sitting on banks and watching them all the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/kenneth-grahame-3489_critics_why-can-t-fellows-be-allowed-to-do-what_2945502.jpg" --- # Why can't fellows be allowed to do what they like when… ![“Why can't fellows be allowed to do what they like when they like and as they like, instead of other fellows sitting on banks and watching them all the time and making remarks and poetry and things about them?” quote by Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/kenneth-grahame-3489_critics_why-can-t-fellows-be-allowed-to-do-what_2945502.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/kenneth-grahame-3489_critics_why-can-t-fellows-be-allowed-to-do-what_2945502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/kenneth-grahame-3489_critics_why-can-t-fellows-be-allowed-to-do-what_2945502.jpg) > “Why can't fellows be allowed to do what they like when they like and as they like, instead of other fellows sitting on banks and watching them all the time and making remarks and poetry and things about them?” [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions why individuals cannot freely pursue personal desires without constant oversight and judgment from others. **In simple terms:** People should be free to do what they like without constant scrutiny. Key Takeaway Advocate for personal autonomy. Themes freedom society privacy individualism authority Mood contemplative critical Type philosophical social When to use this quote - workplace policies - social media behavior - legal rights - personal relationships Key Concepts libertarianism social contract personal liberty Questions to Reflect On - What limits should exist on personal freedom? - How to protect privacy? A Different Perspective Balancing freedom with social responsibility is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allowed Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed-like-2967083/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Fellows Allowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellows-allowed-4412357/) [Fellows Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellows-sitting-4412359/) [Instead Fellows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-fellows-4412358/) [Making Remarks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-remarks-4412360/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting/) ## Related quotes > [People are allowed to like different things than you. 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As the critic Stanley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/popular-culture-as-a-whole-is-popular-but-in-today-s-fragmented/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [Critics are biased, and so are readers. (Indeed, a critic is a bundle of biases held loosely together by a sense of taste.) But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-balliett/critics-are-biased-and-so-are-readers-indeed-a-critic-is-a-bundle-of/) [Whitney Balliett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-balliett/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' 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I have never yet met anyone who really believed in a pterodactyl; but every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/the-dragon-is-a-more-enduring-animal-than-the-pterodactyl-i-have/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [The past was like a bad dream; the future was all happy holiday as I moved Southwards week by week, easily, lazily, lingering as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/the-past-was-like-a-bad-dream-the-future-was-all-happy-holiday-as-i/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“Independence is all very well, but we animals never allow our friends to make fools of themselves beyond a certain limit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/independence-is-all-very-well-but-we-animals-never-allow-our-friends/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“Supper was finished at last, and each animal felt that his skin was now as tight as was decently safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/supper-was-finished-at-last-and-each-animal-felt-that-his-skin-was/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [The river , corrected the Rat, It's my world...What it hasn't got is not worth having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/the-river-corrected-the-rat-it-s-my-world-what-it-hasn-t-got-is-not/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“What is the meaning of this gross outrage?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/what-is-the-meaning-of-this-gross-outrage/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [Slowly, but with no doubt or hesitation whatever, and in something of a solemn expectancy, the two animals passed through the broken tumultuous water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/slowly-but-with-no-doubt-or-hesitation-whatever-and-in-something-of-a/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“In silence they landed, and pushed through the blossom and scented herbage and undergrowth that led up to the level ground, till they stood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/in-silence-they-landed-and-pushed-through-the-blossom-and-scented/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [It's not the sort of night for bed, anyhow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/it-s-not-the-sort-of-night-for-bed-anyhow/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [But Mole stood still a moment, held in thought. As one wakened suddenly from a beautiful dream, who struggles to recall it, but can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/but-mole-stood-still-a-moment-held-in-thought-as-one-wakened-suddenly/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“This day was only the first of man similar ones for the emancipated Mole, each of them longer and fuller of interest as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/this-day-was-only-the-first-of-man-similar-ones-for-the-emancipated/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“As he hurried along, eagerly anticipating the moment when he would be at home again among the things he knew and liked, the Mole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/as-he-hurried-along-eagerly-anticipating-the-moment-when-he-would-be/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [Animals arrived, liked the look of the place, took up their quarters, settled down, spread, and flourished. They didn't bother themselves about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/animals-arrived-liked-the-look-of-the-place-took-up-their-quarters/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) [Explore all 129 Kenneth Grahame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) ## More Critics quotes > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Critics are biased, and so are readers. (Indeed, a critic is a bundle of biases held loosely together by a sense of taste.) 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All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I get that the media wants us to play theater critics and critique every other proposal. What I'm focusing on are my own policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-get-that-the-media-wants-us-to-play-theater-critics-and-critique/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Yippies, their lifestyle is different from mine. But I consider Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman inspired critics of the kind of society that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/the-yippies-their-lifestyle-is-different-from-mine-but-i-consider/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [This one goes out to all my critics: don't you feel stupid? Look how I did it. Look how it came to pass when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/this-one-goes-out-to-all-my-critics-don-t-you-feel-stupid-look-how-i/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [There's a lot of stuff I want to do, just things that I want to explore that don't involve show business. I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/there-s-a-lot-of-stuff-i-want-to-do-just-things-that-i-want-to/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. 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