--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I soon learned that thought was not free…" description: "\"“I soon learned that thought was not free in North Korea. A free thought could get you killed if it slipped out. If you were lucky, you might get sent ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/masaji-ishikawa-5495_bad-habit_i-soon-learned-that-thought-was-not-free_1699405.jpg" --- # I soon learned that thought was not free in North Korea. A… ![“I soon learned that thought was not free in North Korea. A free thought could get you killed if it slipped out. If you were lucky, you might get sent to some remote mountainous region to do hard labor. Or you might get sent to a concentration camp for political prisoners because you were deemed a…” quote by Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/masaji-ishikawa-5495_bad-habit_i-soon-learned-that-thought-was-not-free_1699405.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/masaji-ishikawa-5495_bad-habit_i-soon-learned-that-thought-was-not-free_1699405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/masaji-ishikawa-5495_bad-habit_i-soon-learned-that-thought-was-not-free_1699405.jpg) > ““I soon learned that thought was not free in North Korea. A free thought could get you killed if it slipped out. If you were lucky, you might get sent to some remote mountainous region to do hard labor. Or you might get sent to a concentration camp for political prisoners because you were deemed a “liberal” or a “capitalist” with “bad habits.” And bad habits needed to be stamped out. By means of a jackboot to the genitals. Or then again, you might simply be executed.”” [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thought is heavily policed in oppressive regimes; dissent can lead to severe punishment, illustrating the fragility of mental freedom. **In simple terms:** Free thought is dangerous under totalitarian rule. Key Takeaway Recognize and protect mental freedom. Themes oppression freedom human rights Mood somber urgent Type political reflective When to use this quote - activism - journalism - human rights advocacy - education programs Key Concepts political science psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What can individuals do to safeguard free thought? - How can societies resist thought control? A Different Perspective Change is difficult without systemic reform. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habit/) [Bad habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habits/) [Concentration camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration-camp/) [Free thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-thought/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [North korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korea/) [Political prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-prisoners/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [“I soon learned that thought was not free in North Korea. A free thought could get you killed if it slipped out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-soon-learned-that-thought-was-not-free-in-north-korea-a-free-2/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“free thought could get you killed if it slipped out. If”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/free-thought-could-get-you-killed-if-it-slipped-out-if/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“It is clear that thought is not free if the profession of certain opinions makes it impossible to earn a living. It is clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/it-is-clear-that-thought-is-not-free-if-the-profession-of-certain-2/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The only thought in the world that is worth anything is free thought. To free thought we owe all past progress and all hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-savage/the-only-thought-in-the-world-that-is-worth-anything-is-free-thought/) [Richard Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-savage/) > [“Bertrand Russell:   The expression “free thought” is often used as if it meant merely opposition to the prevailing orthodoxy. But this is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-m-s-pearce/bertrand-russell-the-expression-free-thought-is-often-used-as-if-it/) Jonathan M.S. Pearce > [“Freedom is not an idea; a philosophy written about freedom is not freedom. Either one is free or one is not. One is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/freedom-is-not-an-idea-a-philosophy-written-about-freedom-is-not/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Free thought, free speech and a free press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-royall/free-thought-free-speech-and-a-free-press/) [Anne Royall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-royall/) > [It is our attitude toward free thought and free expression that will determine our fate. There must be no limit on the range of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/it-is-our-attitude-toward-free-thought-and-free-expression-that-will/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [The one thing I've learned to do that I never thought I had the ability to do is I don't watch CNN anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-one-thing-i-ve-learned-to-do-that-i-never-thought-i-had-the/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I should have learned this, she thought. I wanted to learn fire, and pain, but I should have learned people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-should-have-learned-this-she-thought-i-wanted-to-learn-fire-and/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [However, I learned something. 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"Dead as doughnuts. Buried him too, just like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lichtenberg/i-thought-you-killed-that-boy-he-finally-grumbled-i-did-kill-him-rags/) [Tom Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lichtenberg/) > [“But I thought you had already killed yourself. Oh, perhaps I read something wrong. Unfortunately, I've already sent some flowers to your mother." "Yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerstin-gier/but-i-thought-you-had-already-killed-yourself-oh-perhaps-i-read/) [Kerstin Gier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerstin-gier/) ## More by Masaji Ishikawa > [“People came to our house from far and wide. Party and military bigwigs, some guy known as the “combat commander,” the village headman, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/people-came-to-our-house-from-far-and-wide-party-and-military-bigwigs/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“This was laughable, of course, but that’s always the way with totalitarian regimes. Language gets turned on its head. Serfdom is freedom. Repression is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/this-was-laughable-of-course-but-that-s-always-the-way-with/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“I was amazed we’d got through the checkpoint so easily. I couldn’t help asking about it. “Well, these soldiers, you see . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-was-amazed-we-d-got-through-the-checkpoint-so-easily-i-couldn-t/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“My family was poor, but my childhood days in Mizonokuchi were the happiest of my life. 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And however hard I worked, I would always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-the-reality-hit-home-late-that-night-i-had-a-wife-and-now-two/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“So we became masters at faking it. Everyone did. To do anything else could have gotten us killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/so-we-became-masters-at-faking-it-everyone-did-to-do-anything-else/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“I still hope to rescue my remaining children. It is a terrible curse to not even know if they are still alive. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-still-hope-to-rescue-my-remaining-children-it-is-a-terrible-curse/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“But that’s the trouble with propaganda. It constantly contradicts itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-that-s-the-trouble-with-propaganda-it-constantly-contradicts/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“The consul was at a loss for words the first time he set eyes on me. “My God! How could they treat you like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/the-consul-was-at-a-loss-for-words-the-first-time-he-set-eyes-on-me/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“We were nothing but a bunch of ravenous ghosts. The barely living dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/we-were-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-ravenous-ghosts-the-barely-living-dead/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“Did the International Committee of the Red Cross know anything about this? Did the United States? The UN? Yes, yes, and yes. And what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/did-the-international-committee-of-the-red-cross-know-anything-about/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“When we got back to our house, the villagers who’d had helped carry her coffin as far as the mountainside were there, partaking enthusiastically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/when-we-got-back-to-our-house-the-villagers-who-d-had-helped-carry/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“Much later, I checked out the Ten Commandments of the Abrahamic religions. You know how many of them contain a reference to God? About…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/much-later-i-checked-out-the-ten-commandments-of-the-abrahamic/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) [Explore all 100 Masaji Ishikawa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) ## More Bad habit quotes > [Working at home is hard. It tends to give you bad habits. It feels more like you're going to work when you get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beaton/working-at-home-is-hard-it-tends-to-give-you-bad-habits-it-feels-more/) [Kate Beaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beaton/) > [Even the most fickle are faithful to a few bad habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/even-the-most-fickle-are-faithful-to-a-few-bad-habits/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“It's a very bad habit to put off disagreeable things...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/it-s-a-very-bad-habit-to-put-off-disagreeable-things/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I’m afraid I don’t suffer petty bureaucrats gladly. A very bad habit, but one I find hard to break. Nevertheless, you will find, Dr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-preston-lincoln-child-2/i-m-afraid-i-don-t-suffer-petty-bureaucrats-gladly-a-very-bad-habit/) Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child > [When you're walking at the airport, you're expected to smile at people because they know you... I find that tough. I'm only trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/when-you-re-walking-at-the-airport-you-re-expected-to-smile-at-people/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) > [Im not actually this tall, Ive got this bad habit of sitting on my wallet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan/im-not-actually-this-tall-ive-got-this-bad-habit-of-sitting-on-my/) [Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan/) > [Sometimes it doesn't take much to slip back into bad habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/didier-deschamps/sometimes-it-doesn-t-take-much-to-slip-back-into-bad-habits/) [Didier Deschamps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/didier-deschamps/) > [I have the same friends and the same bad habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/i-have-the-same-friends-and-the-same-bad-habits/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [I don't want to be overdramatic about it, but I'm starting to see a lot of my bad habits get the best of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/i-don-t-want-to-be-overdramatic-about-it-but-i-m-starting-to-see-a/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [The first duty of a Christian, of a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, is to deny himself. 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They have slipped into the American mind more misinformation in one evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/movies-are-one-of-the-bad-habits-that-have-corrupted-our-century-they/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) [Browse all 567 Bad habit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I soon learned that thought was not free in North Korea. A free thought could get you killed if it slipped out. If you were lucky, you might get sent to some remote mountainous region to do hard labor. Or you might get sent to a concentration camp for political prisoners because you were deemed a “liberal” or a “capitalist” with “bad habits.” And bad habits needed to be stamped out. By means of a jackboot to the genitals. 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