---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Promise them free goods, and they are…"
description: "\"“Promise them free goods, and they are yours to control.”\" — Michael Wisehart"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/michael-wisehart-97729_control_promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-you_2522456.jpg"
---

#  Promise them free goods, and they are yours to control.

![“Promise them free goods, and they are yours to control.” quote by Michael Wisehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/michael-wisehart-97729_control_promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-you_2522456.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/michael-wisehart-97729_control_promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-you_2522456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/michael-wisehart-97729_control_promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-you_2522456.jpg)

> ““Promise them free goods, and they are yours to control.””

Michael Wisehart

## About This Quote

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

Offering free goods makes people dependent and controllable.

**In simple terms:** Free gifts create control.

Key Takeaway

Beware of hidden strings.

Themes

control freedom manipulation

Mood

cautious critical

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- marketing strategies
- political propaganda
- personal relationships
- consumer behavior

Key Concepts

psychology economics ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we accept free offers?
- How to maintain autonomy?

A Different Perspective

Not all generosity is manipulative.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/)

## Related quotes

> [“How do we measure the benefits of free goods or services that were unavailable at any price in previous eras?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-brynjolfsson/how-do-we-measure-the-benefits-of-free-goods-or-services-that-were/)

[Erik Brynjolfsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-brynjolfsson/)

> [Kelso's proposals do promise to free us from our morbid dependency on economic health through armament manufacture; they promise a way out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us-from-our-morbid-dependency-on/)

[Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/)

> [The one sure mark of a con, though, is the promise of free money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/the-one-sure-mark-of-a-con-though-is-the-promise-of-free-money/)

[Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/)

> [When we struggle for human rights, for freedom, for dignity, when we feel that it is a ministry of the church to concern itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-struggle-for-human-rights-for-freedom-for-dignity-when-we/)

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

> [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/)

[Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/)

> [“The vision teller tells the vision to unguarded minds' of prey. The programmed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/the-vision-teller-tells-the-vision-to-unguarded-minds-of-prey-the/)

[T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/)

> [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/)

[Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/)

> [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/)

[John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/)

> [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/)

Thomas Miller

> [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/)

[Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/)

> [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/)

[Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/)

> [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/)

[Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/)

> [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/)

[Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/)

> [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/)

[Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/)

> [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/)

[Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/)

## More by Michael Wisehart

> [“where there is humanity, there is always the potential for great evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wisehart/where-there-is-humanity-there-is-always-the-potential-for-great-evil/)

Michael Wisehart

Explore all 2 Michael Wisehart quotes

## More Control quotes

> [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/)

[Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/)

> [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/)

[Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/)

> [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/)

[Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/)

> [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/)

[Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/)

> [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/)

[Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/)

> [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/)

[Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/)

> [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/)

Thomas Miller

> [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/)

[John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/)

> [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/)

[Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/)

> [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/)

[Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/)

> [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/)

[Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/)

> [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/)

[Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/)

> [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/)

[Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/)

> [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/)

[David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/)

> [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/)

[William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/)

[Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Promise them free goods, and they are yours to control.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Wisehart"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wisehart/promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-yours-to-control/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Control"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wisehart/promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-yours-to-control/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/michael-wisehart-97729_control_promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-you_2522456.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/michael-wisehart-97729_control_promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-you_2522456.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/michael-wisehart-97729_control_promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-you_2522456.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Promise them free goods, and they are yours to control.” — Michael Wisehart",
                "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 Wisehart",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wisehart/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Promise them free goods, and they...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wisehart/promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-yours-to-control/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wisehart/promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-yours-to-control/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
