--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have more possibilities, more freedom…" description: "\"We have more possibilities, more freedom, more options than any people who have ever lived. Yet there is more junk, more mediocrity, more garbage to so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/michael-j-gelb-27607_freedom_we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom_2921277.jpg" --- # We have more possibilities, more freedom, more options… ![“We have more possibilities, more freedom, more options than any people who have ever lived. Yet there is more junk, more mediocrity, more garbage to sort through than ever, too.” quote by Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/michael-j-gelb-27607_freedom_we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom_2921277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/michael-j-gelb-27607_freedom_we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom_2921277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/michael-j-gelb-27607_freedom_we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom_2921277.jpg) > “We have more possibilities, more freedom, more options than any people who have ever lived. Yet there is more junk, more mediocrity, more garbage to sort through than ever, too.” [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern abundance offers unprecedented freedom and options, yet also overwhelms with excess junk and mediocrity. **In simple terms:** More freedom now, but also more junk and mediocrity. Key Takeaway Curate choices to avoid overload. Themes freedom choice overload Mood overwhelmed motivated Type practical strategic When to use this quote - digital decluttering - minimalism - education - career planning Key Concepts consumerism information age Questions to Reflect On - What criteria help you filter options? - How can you maintain quality amid abundance? A Different Perspective Too much choice can lead to decision paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Possibilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibilities/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) ## Related quotes > [Man is always something more than what he knows of himself. He is not what he is simply once and for all, but is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-jaspers/man-is-always-something-more-than-what-he-knows-of-himself-he-is-not/) [Karl Jaspers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-jaspers/) > [As one gets older one sees many more paths that could be taken. Artists sense within their own work that kind of swelling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/as-one-gets-older-one-sees-many-more-paths-that-could-be-taken-2/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [When there are no other options, people fight harder. If the choice is life or death they have nothing to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/when-there-are-no-other-options-people-fight-harder-if-the-choice-is/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [There are just so many options that people have. But as a writer, you'll drive yourself crazy, if you worry about that too much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlton-cuse/there-are-just-so-many-options-that-people-have-but-as-a-writer-you/) [Carlton Cuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlton-cuse/) > [“But it's better to have bad options than no options. And people won't save you either, ya know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-huss/but-it-s-better-to-have-bad-options-than-no-options-and-people-won-t/) [J.A. Huss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-huss/) > [Our modern industrial economy takes a mountain covered with trees, lakes, running streams and transforms it into a mountain of junk, garbage, slime pits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/our-modern-industrial-economy-takes-a-mountain-covered-with-trees/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [You can exercise vigorously and eat junk and get by. But you can't eat perfectly and not exercise. Look at many athletes today; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/you-can-exercise-vigorously-and-eat-junk-and-get-by-but-you-can-t-eat/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) > [Have you noticed that they put advertisements in with your bills now? Like bills aren't distasteful enough, they have to stuff junk mail in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/have-you-noticed-that-they-put-advertisements-in-with-your-bills-now/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I think of my art materials not as junk but as garbage. Manure, actually: it goes from being the waste material of one being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chamberlain/i-think-of-my-art-materials-not-as-junk-but-as-garbage-manure/) [John Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chamberlain/) > [But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags that time cannot decay, I'm junk but I'm still holding up this little wild bouquet: Democracy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/but-i-m-stubborn-as-those-garbage-bags-that-time-cannot-decay-i-m/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [What happened was I saw this ad for a yogurt plant for sale. It was in my junk mail pile, and I threw it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamdi-ulukaya/what-happened-was-i-saw-this-ad-for-a-yogurt-plant-for-sale-it-was-in/) [Hamdi Ulukaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamdi-ulukaya/) > [The attitude of gratitude is yoga. Ingratitude is "unyoga," like "uncola." Where gratitude is, there is yoga. Where there is ingratitude, yoga is gone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-attitude-of-gratitude-is-yoga-ingratitude-is-unyoga-like-uncola/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [When I die throw my body in the back and drive me to the junk yard in my Cadillac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-i-die-throw-my-body-in-the-back-and-drive-me-to-the-junk-yard-in/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/just-because-the-americans-are-so-good-at-rattling-out-accessible-and/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) ## More by Michael J. Gelb > [Confusion is the welcome mat at the door of creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/confusion-is-the-welcome-mat-at-the-door-of-creativity/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [By stretching yourself beyond your perceived level of confidence you accelerate your development of competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/by-stretching-yourself-beyond-your-perceived-level-of-confidence-you/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [Crazy people who are productive are geniuses. Crazy people who are rich are eccentric. Crazy people who are neither productive nor rich are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/crazy-people-who-are-productive-are-geniuses-crazy-people-who-are/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [Surrounded by noises from televisions, airplanes, subways and automobiles, most of us 'tune out' for self-protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/surrounded-by-noises-from-televisions-airplanes-subways-and/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [“Life is a continuous exercise is creative problem solving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/life-is-a-continuous-exercise-is-creative-problem-solving/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [Your brain has a capacity for learning that is virtually limitless, which makes every human a potential genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/your-brain-has-a-capacity-for-learning-that-is-virtually-limitless/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [Life is a continuous exercise in creative problem solving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/life-is-a-continuous-exercise-in-creative-problem-solving/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [Innovation is the creation and delivery of new customer value in the marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/innovation-is-the-creation-and-delivery-of-new-customer-value-in-the/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [Keeping your mind open in the face of uncertainty is the single most powerful secret of unleashing your creative potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/keeping-your-mind-open-in-the-face-of-uncertainty-is-the-single-most/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [“The Seven Da Vincian Principles are: Curiosità—An insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning. Dimostrazione—A commitment to test knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/the-seven-da-vincian-principles-are-curiosit-an-insatiably-curious/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [You can increase your problem-solving skills by honing your question-asking ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/you-can-increase-your-problem-solving-skills-by-honing-your-question/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [“Brain researchers estimate that your unconscious data base outweighs the conscious on an order exceeding ten million to one. This data base is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/brain-researchers-estimate-that-your-unconscious-data-base-outweighs/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [Champions know that success is inevitable, that there is no such thing as failure, only feedback. They know that the best way to forecast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/champions-know-that-success-is-inevitable-that-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [How does your experience of one sense affect all the others? In addition to being the conduits of pleasure and pain, your senses are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/how-does-your-experience-of-one-sense-affect-all-the-others-in/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) > [As you embrace the process-oriented approach described in The Practicing Mind, you'll achieve better results in any endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/as-you-embrace-the-process-oriented-approach-described-in-the/) [Michael J. Gelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) [Explore all 20 Michael J. Gelb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have more possibilities, more freedom, more options than any people who have ever lived. Yet there is more junk, more mediocrity, more garbage to sort through than ever, too.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael J. Gelb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom-more-options-than-any-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Freedom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom-more-options-than-any-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/michael-j-gelb-27607_freedom_we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom_2921277.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/michael-j-gelb-27607_freedom_we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom_2921277.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/michael-j-gelb-27607_freedom_we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom_2921277.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have more possibilities, more freedom, more options than any people who have ever lived. Yet there is…” — Michael J. Gelb", "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": "Michael J. Gelb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gelb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have more possibilities, more freedom,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom-more-options-than-any-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gelb/we-have-more-possibilities-more-freedom-more-options-than-any-people/#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 } } ] } ```