--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the tyrant is the anonymous law…" description: "\"“When the tyrant is the anonymous law, modern man believes he is free.”\" — Nicolás Gómez Dávila" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/nicolas-gomez-davila-9640_anonymous_when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-mod_1639422.png" --- # When the tyrant is the anonymous law, modern man believes… ![“When the tyrant is the anonymous law, modern man believes he is free.” quote by Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/nicolas-gomez-davila-9640_anonymous_when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-mod_1639422.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/nicolas-gomez-davila-9640_anonymous_when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-mod_1639422.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/nicolas-gomez-davila-9640_anonymous_when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-mod_1639422.png) > ““When the tyrant is the anonymous law, modern man believes he is free.”” [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom is an illusion when law is anonymous and tyrannical. **In simple terms:** Anonymous law limits freedom. Key Takeaway Question authority structures. Themes freedom law tyranny anonymity Mood critical reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - politics - workplace - social movements - personal decisions Key Concepts political theory ethics Questions to Reflect On - What laws feel anonymous to you? - How can you ensure transparency? A Different Perspective May ignore legitimate law benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymous/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) ## Related quotes > [Modern man has no real "value" for the ocean. All he has is the most crass form of egoist, pragmatic value for it. 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Van](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-w-van/) > [A man who believes that all things are possible, approaches the unconventional with an open mind and a fearless heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-who-believes-that-all-things-are-possible-approaches-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More by Nicolás Gómez Dávila > [Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“Modern man’s misfortune lies not in having to live a mediocre life, but in believing that he could live one that is not mediocre.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/modern-man-s-misfortune-lies-not-in-having-to-live-a-mediocre-life/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“The liberation promised by every invention ends with the growing submission of the man who adopts it to the man who manufactures it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/the-liberation-promised-by-every-invention-ends-with-the-growing/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“Revolution is progressivist and seeks the strengthening of the state; rebellion is reactionary and seeks its disappearance. The revolutionary is a potential government official;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/revolution-is-progressivist-and-seeks-the-strengthening-of-the-state/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“Rather than humanizing technology, modern man prefers to technify man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/rather-than-humanizing-technology-modern-man-prefers-to-technify-man/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“As they cannot be defined univocally, nor irrefutably demonstrated, so-called “human rights” serve as a pretext for the individual who rebels against a positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/as-they-cannot-be-defined-univocally-nor-irrefutably-demonstrated-so/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“The most ominous of modern perversions is the shame of appearing naïve if we do not flirt with evil. (La más ominosa de las…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/the-most-ominous-of-modern-perversions-is-the-shame-of-appearing-na/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“When nothing in society deserves respect, we should fashion for ourselves in solitude new silent loyalties.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/when-nothing-in-society-deserves-respect-we-should-fashion-for/) [Nicólas Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“Truths are not relative. What is relative are opinions about truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/truths-are-not-relative-what-is-relative-are-opinions-about-truth/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“Every individual with “ideals” is a potential murderer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/every-individual-with-ideals-is-a-potential-murderer/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [Hierarchies are celestial. In hell all are equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/hierarchies-are-celestial-in-hell-all-are-equal/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“Faith is not knowledge of an object but communion with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/faith-is-not-knowledge-of-an-object-but-communion-with-it/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“An atheist is respectable as long as he does not teach that the dignity of man is the basis of ethics and that love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/an-atheist-is-respectable-as-long-as-he-does-not-teach-that-the/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [The genuine coherence of our ideas does not come from the reasoning that ties them together, but from the spiritual impulse that gives rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/the-genuine-coherence-of-our-ideas-does-not-come-from-the-reasoning/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“Progress ages badly. Each generation brings a new model of progressivism which discards with contempt the previous model. Nothing is more grotesque than yesterday’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/progress-ages-badly-each-generation-brings-a-new-model-of/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) [Explore all 67 Nicolás Gómez Dávila quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) ## More Anonymous quotes > [You know, its really strange now with the Internet, with everyone having an unsolicited, anonymous opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/you-know-its-really-strange-now-with-the-internet-with-everyone/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [There's a lot of attention on me which can be good, it can be bad. Sometimes my daughter's acting up in public and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-holzhauer/there-s-a-lot-of-attention-on-me-which-can-be-good-it-can-be-bad/) [James Holzhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-holzhauer/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [“Courtship is the time during which the girl decides whether or not she can do any better. Anonymous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmuley-boteach/courtship-is-the-time-during-which-the-girl-decides-whether-or-not/) [Shmuley Boteach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmuley-boteach/) > [“You Can't Live a Positive Life With a Negative Mind.” ― Anonymous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-live-a-positive-life-with-a-negative-mind-anonymous/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I used to follow people home. I just like being anonymous so much that I would follow people home because they didn't know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-epstein/i-used-to-follow-people-home-i-just-like-being-anonymous-so-much-that/) [Theo Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-epstein/) > [When someone is anonymous, it opens the door to all kinds of antisocial behavior, as seen by the Ku Klux Klan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/when-someone-is-anonymous-it-opens-the-door-to-all-kinds-of/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [My gifts to causes in which I believe have almost always been anonymous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-trump-barry/my-gifts-to-causes-in-which-i-believe-have-almost-always-been/) [Maryanne Trump Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-trump-barry/) > [“If my name were Isaac Newton, would I be a famous no name? I’d have worldwide and historical name recognition, yet I’d be anonymous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-my-name-were-isaac-newton-would-i-be-a-famous-no-name-i-d-have/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [It is hard to violate somebody's privacy if the person is completely anonymous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-milbank/it-is-hard-to-violate-somebody-s-privacy-if-the-person-is-completely/) [Dana Milbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-milbank/) > [Writers are generally anonymous. It just that I think I got out there because I also act as well and put myself in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-grevioux/writers-are-generally-anonymous-it-just-that-i-think-i-got-out-there/) [Kevin Grevioux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-grevioux/) > [Gay men are guardians of the masculine impulse. To have anonymous sex in a dark alleyway is to pay homage to the dream of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/gay-men-are-guardians-of-the-masculine-impulse-to-have-anonymous-sex/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Being anonymous, I thought I'd just release the music and see what happens organically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-wilson/being-anonymous-i-thought-i-d-just-release-the-music-and-see-what/) [Gabriella Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-wilson/) > [“I am convinced that different people bring out different sides of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-convinced-that-different-people-bring-out-different-sides-of-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As anonymous as the universe is. Our identity is anonymous to concept of being anonymous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/as-anonymous-as-the-universe-is-our-identity-is-anonymous-to-concept/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) [Browse all 336 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When the tyrant is the anonymous law, modern man believes he is free.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicolás Gómez Dávila" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-modern-man-believes-he-is-free/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anonymous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-modern-man-believes-he-is-free/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/nicolas-gomez-davila-9640_anonymous_when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-mod_1639422.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/nicolas-gomez-davila-9640_anonymous_when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-mod_1639422.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/nicolas-gomez-davila-9640_anonymous_when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-mod_1639422.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When the tyrant is the anonymous law, modern man believes he is free.” — Nicolás Gómez Dávila", "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": "Nicolás Gómez Dávila", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When the tyrant is the anonymous...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-modern-man-believes-he-is-free/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/when-the-tyrant-is-the-anonymous-law-modern-man-believes-he-is-free/#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 } } ] } ```