---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never liked to work because I don't…"
description: "\"I never liked to work because I don't want no one to be a slave. I want to be worked in my mind. Every thing that's going on, there's some big spirit b..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/lee-scratch-perry-57630_be-a-slave_i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-wa_2239671.jpg"
---

#  I never liked to work because I don't want no one to be a…

![“I never liked to work because I don't want no one to be a slave. I want to be worked in my mind. Every thing that's going on, there's some big spirit behind me who send me to do the thing that I must do.” quote by Lee “Scratch” Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/lee-scratch-perry-57630_be-a-slave_i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-wa_2239671.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/lee-scratch-perry-57630_be-a-slave_i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-wa_2239671.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/lee-scratch-perry-57630_be-a-slave_i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-wa_2239671.jpg)

> “I never liked to work because I don't want no one to be a slave. I want to be worked in my mind. Every thing that's going on, there's some big spirit behind me who send me to do the thing that I must do.”

[Lee “Scratch” Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Work should be mental freedom, not forced labor; a guiding spirit drives purpose.

**In simple terms:** Freedom in thought, not forced work.

Key Takeaway

Seek mental autonomy in tasks.

Themes

freedom purpose spirituality

Mood

contemplative spiritual

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- artistic creation
- personal projects
- mindful work

Key Concepts

creative autonomy inner drive

Questions to Reflect On

- What inner drive guides your work?
- How do you balance freedom and duty?

A Different Perspective

Balancing freedom with responsibility can be challenging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/)

## Related quotes

> [I decided I didn't want to be a slave to any passion any more except for my work, i had too many passions -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sharif/i-decided-i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-slave-to-any-passion-any-more-except/)

[Omar Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sharif/)

> [If I had my life to live over I would die fighting rather than be a slave again. I want no man's yoke on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-falls/if-i-had-my-life-to-live-over-i-would-die-fighting-rather-than-be-a/)

Robert Falls

> [If you want to be a slave in life, then continue going around asking others to do for you. They will oblige, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/if-you-want-to-be-a-slave-in-life-then-continue-going-around-asking/)

[Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/)

> [Once you become tagged as anything, it becomes difficult to shake it, because the less imaginative people in the business want you to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/once-you-become-tagged-as-anything-it-becomes-difficult-to-shake-it/)

[John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/)

> [To be free means to choose, whose slave you want to be. ­](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-moreau/to-be-free-means-to-choose-whose-slave-you-want-to-be/)

[Jeanne Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-moreau/)

> [I don't know what I want, but I know what I don't want, which has worked out well for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-del-rio/i-don-t-know-what-i-want-but-i-know-what-i-don-t-want-which-has/)

[Bianca Del Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-del-rio/)

> [“Britta wanted to try to turn a guard. Tamara thought it was idiotic. “What are you going to do? Buy him beer and tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-veselka/britta-wanted-to-try-to-turn-a-guard-tamara-thought-it-was-idiotic/)

[Vanessa Veselka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-veselka/)

> [I moved to New York aged 16, and worked part-time in a Korean store in South Bronx selling groceries, bread and confectionery. I earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/i-moved-to-new-york-aged-16-and-worked-part-time-in-a-korean-store-in/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [Lord, I want to be your slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bright/lord-i-want-to-be-your-slave/)

[Bill Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bright/)

> [If you don't want to be a slave, stop acting like a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/if-you-don-t-want-to-be-a-slave-stop-acting-like-a-slave/)

[Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/)

> [I don't want to be a slave to commercial success any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-hucknall/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-slave-to-commercial-success-any-more/)

[Mick Hucknall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-hucknall/)

> [Understand me: I wish to be a man from somewhere, a man among men. You see, a slave, when he passes by, weary and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/understand-me-i-wish-to-be-a-man-from-somewhere-a-man-among-men-you/)

[Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/)

> [I'm trying to get to a point where I tell people, if you want to get in touch with me, please don't rely on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-m-trying-to-get-to-a-point-where-i-tell-people-if-you-want-to-get/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [Neither should men study war with a view to the enslavement of those who do not deserve to be enslaved; but first of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/neither-should-men-study-war-with-a-view-to-the-enslavement-of-those/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [“Freedom is for the educated people who fought for it. We were slaves of the English, now we will be slaves of the educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/freedom-is-for-the-educated-people-who-fought-for-it-we-were-slaves/)

[Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/)

## More by Lee “Scratch” Perry

> [I'm a miracle man, things happen which I don't plan, I've never planned anything. Whatsoever I do, I want it to be an instant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/i-m-a-miracle-man-things-happen-which-i-don-t-plan-i-ve-never-planned/)

[Lee “Scratch” Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/)

> [Without music you are all dead; with music you are alive. There is nothing music can't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/without-music-you-are-all-dead-with-music-you-are-alive-there-is/)

[Lee “Scratch” Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/)

> [God got nothing to lose. Them who think they can use God, they wiping out them own selves. If you think you can use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/god-got-nothing-to-lose-them-who-think-they-can-use-god-they-wiping/)

[Lee “Scratch” Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/)

> [The Earth is the Lord. Everybody walks on the earth. And nobody respects the Earth. Everybody who walks on the earth, shits on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/the-earth-is-the-lord-everybody-walks-on-the-earth-and-nobody/)

[Lee “Scratch” Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/)

> [The people who need help, run and get help. They don't remember where they get the help. If the devil wants to reach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/the-people-who-need-help-run-and-get-help-they-don-t-remember-where/)

[Lee “Scratch” Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/)

[Explore all 6 Lee “Scratch” Perry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/)

## More Be a slave quotes

> [“Freedom is for the educated people who fought for it. We were slaves of the English, now we will be slaves of the educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/freedom-is-for-the-educated-people-who-fought-for-it-we-were-slaves/)

[Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/)

> [Neither should men study war with a view to the enslavement of those who do not deserve to be enslaved; but first of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/neither-should-men-study-war-with-a-view-to-the-enslavement-of-those/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [Once a man has tasted freedom he will never be content to be a slave. That is why I believe that this frightfulness we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-a-man-has-tasted-freedom-he-will-never-be-content-to-be-a-slave/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/knowledge-makes-a-man-unfit-to-be-a-slave/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-we-could-not-survive-as-a-free-land/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [If you're not confident in the authority of the Scriptures, you will be a slave to what sounds right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-chandler/if-you-re-not-confident-in-the-authority-of-the-scriptures-you-will/)

[Matt Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-chandler/)

> [Christ preaches only servitude and dependence... True Christians are made to be slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/christ-preaches-only-servitude-and-dependence-true-christians-are/)

[Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/)

> [In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-giving-freedom-to-the-slave-we-assure-freedom-to-the-free/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Everyone wants a happy life without difficulties or suffering. We create many of the problems we face. No one intentionally creates problems, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/everyone-wants-a-happy-life-without-difficulties-or-suffering-we/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [Unless you have found something in life to live for that is more important to you than your own life, you will always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/unless-you-have-found-something-in-life-to-live-for-that-is-more/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [People allow themselves to be slaves of their bad habits and society's bad habits - but they have free will, and if they wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/people-allow-themselves-to-be-slaves-of-their-bad-habits-and-society/)

[Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/)

> [Colonization was the idea that once slavery ended African-Americans should be encouraged - or required, in some people's view - required to leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/colonization-was-the-idea-that-once-slavery-ended-african-americans/)

[Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/)

> [The Grecians and Romans were strongly possessed of the spirit of liberty but not the principle, for at the time they were determined not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-grecians-and-romans-were-strongly-possessed-of-the-spirit-of/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [Every lord's mansion stands on the foundation of your bones, soldier, every field has been saturated with your sweat, and you, peasant, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladyslaw-stanislaw-reymont/every-lord-s-mansion-stands-on-the-foundation-of-your-bones-soldier/)

[Wladyslaw Stanislaw Reymont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladyslaw-stanislaw-reymont/)

> [I decided I didn't want to be a slave to any passion any more except for my work, i had too many passions -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sharif/i-decided-i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-slave-to-any-passion-any-more-except/)

[Omar Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sharif/)

Browse all 130 Be a slave quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I never liked to work because I don't want no one to be a slave. I want to be worked in my mind. Every thing that's going on, there's some big spirit behind me who send me to do the thing that I must do.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lee “Scratch” Perry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-want-no-one-to-be-a-slave-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Be a slave"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-want-no-one-to-be-a-slave-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/lee-scratch-perry-57630_be-a-slave_i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-wa_2239671.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/lee-scratch-perry-57630_be-a-slave_i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-wa_2239671.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/lee-scratch-perry-57630_be-a-slave_i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-wa_2239671.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I never liked to work because I don't want no one to be a slave. I want to be worked in my mind. Every thing…” — Lee “Scratch” Perry",
                "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": "Lee “Scratch” Perry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I never liked to work because...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-want-no-one-to-be-a-slave-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/i-never-liked-to-work-because-i-don-t-want-no-one-to-be-a-slave-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
