--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just because the only way you can…" description: "\"Just because the only way you can maintain control over your bodily passions is to sit straight in your chair, knees together, hands delicately arrange..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/orson-scott-card-134_chairs_just-because-the-only-way-you-can-mainta_938486.jpg" --- # Just because the only way you can maintain control over… ![“Just because the only way you can maintain control over your bodily passions is to sit straight in your chair, knees together, hands delicately arranged in our lap, fingers tightly intertwined, does not mean that I am required to do the same.” quote by Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/orson-scott-card-134_chairs_just-because-the-only-way-you-can-mainta_938486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/orson-scott-card-134_chairs_just-because-the-only-way-you-can-mainta_938486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/orson-scott-card-134_chairs_just-because-the-only-way-you-can-mainta_938486.jpg) > “Just because the only way you can maintain control over your bodily passions is to sit straight in your chair, knees together, hands delicately arranged in our lap, fingers tightly intertwined, does not mean that I am required to do the same.” [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. External discipline does not dictate personal authenticity; one can choose different ways to express self. **In simple terms:** Control doesn’t equal sameness. Key Takeaway Choose your own posture of self. Themes authenticity individualism self‑expression Mood reflective defiant Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - workplace - creative projects - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts personal freedom social expectations Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance external expectations with inner truth? - What alternative expressions of control feel authentic? A Different Perspective May limit flexibility in environments demanding uniformity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bodily Passions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bodily-passions-1584434/) [Chairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chairs/) [Control Bodily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-bodily-1584433/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Fingers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fingers/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Intertwined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intertwined/) [Knees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knees/) [Lap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lap/) [Maintain Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maintain-control-317109/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Over you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over-you/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Passions Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passions-sit-1584435/) [Sit Straight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-straight-341347/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [When a Pueblo Indian does not feel in the right mood, he stays away from the men's council. When an ancient Roman stumbled on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/when-a-pueblo-indian-does-not-feel-in-the-right-mood-he-stays-away/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Some passions are bodily, other spiritual. Bodily passions have their sources in the body, while spiritual ones come from external things. But love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/some-passions-are-bodily-other-spiritual-bodily-passions-have-their/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [We must not only put bodily passions to death but also destroy the soul's impassioned thoughts. Hence the Psalmist says, 'Early in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/we-must-not-only-put-bodily-passions-to-death-but-also-destroy-the/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [Either way, you are in charge. Jealousy works against you. It takes control away from you, hands it over to the opposition. Maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/either-way-you-are-in-charge-jealousy-works-against-you-it-takes/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [Fears, insecurities, and the need to please can rule our lives. Our society is economically and socially set up for us to live under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-stiles/fears-insecurities-and-the-need-to-please-can-rule-our-lives-our/) [Tara Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-stiles/) > [As long as all four of my limbs keep moving and I can still sit up straight and play hard rock and roll for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/as-long-as-all-four-of-my-limbs-keep-moving-and-i-can-still-sit-up/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [I sit up straight and do the first thing a person is supposed to do in an emergency, which is send a text message.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sloan/i-sit-up-straight-and-do-the-first-thing-a-person-is-supposed-to-do/) [Robin Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sloan/) > [The establishment, whatever rewards it gives us, will also, if necessary to maintain it's control, kill us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-establishment-whatever-rewards-it-gives-us-will-also-if-necessary/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Fear is bossy, the ribs to prompt you to sit up straight, concentrate, and penetrate the maddest clarity of your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley/fear-is-bossy-the-ribs-to-prompt-you-to-sit-up-straight-concentrate/) [Shirley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley/) > [Sit up straight, listen and participate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/sit-up-straight-listen-and-participate/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [I knew that if I wanted to really maintain control, I would have to keep the budget down. And I did. And I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-knew-that-if-i-wanted-to-really-maintain-control-i-would-have-to/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [If you want a Real Man sit up straight close your legs and pay attention :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/if-you-want-a-real-man-sit-up-straight-close-your-legs-and-pay/) [Frenchqueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenchqueen/) > [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/) > [I was really interested in how marriages work, how you can, you know, be in love with somebody and spend many years with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/i-was-really-interested-in-how-marriages-work-how-you-can-you-know-be/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [It makes no sense to talk of the social obligations of the corporation without reference to its economic obligations. The two are intertwined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-r-raymond/it-makes-no-sense-to-talk-of-the-social-obligations-of-the/) [Lee R. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-r-raymond/) ## More by Orson Scott Card > [“You underestimate yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-underestimate-yourself/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Why did he hesitate? 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The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“What we've done is make the categories of science fiction and fantasy larger, freer, and more inclusive than any other genre of contemporary literature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/what-we-ve-done-is-make-the-categories-of-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Where ideas are real and reality is shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-ideas-are-real-and-reality-is-shadow/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Ender, for the past few months you have been the battle commander of our fleets. This was the Third Invasion. There were no games,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/ender-for-the-past-few-months-you-have-been-the-battle-commander-of/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Science fiction is about what could be but isn't; fantasy is about what couldn't be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/science-fiction-is-about-what-could-be-but-isn-t-fantasy-is-about/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Knowledge is just opinion that you trust enough to act upon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/knowledge-is-just-opinion-that-you-trust-enough-to-act-upon/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Of course they accused Marcão of having done it without provocation—that’s the way of torturers of every age, to put the blame on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/of-course-they-accused-marc-o-of-having-done-it-without-provocation/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Civilization is only a pretense; in the crisis, we become mere apes again, forgetting the rational biped of our pretensions and becoming instead the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/civilization-is-only-a-pretense-in-the-crisis-we-become-mere-apes/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Where did this whole thing begin? If what we think of as reality is just a pattern that somebody brought Outside, and the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-did-this-whole-thing-begin-if-what-we-think-of-as-reality-is/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) [Explore all 1,158 Orson Scott Card quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## More Chairs quotes > [“Yes, when I get big and have my own home, no plush chairs and lace curtains for me. And no rubber plants. I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/yes-when-i-get-big-and-have-my-own-home-no-plush-chairs-and-lace/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [He sank into the rocking chair, the same one in which Rebecca had sat during the early days of the house to give embroidery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-sank-into-the-rocking-chair-the-same-one-in-which-rebecca-had-sat/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Forget the noose. Forget the Iron Maiden. Forget the electric chair or the guillotine. The mind was mankind's most painful torture chamber, the blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/forget-the-noose-forget-the-iron-maiden-forget-the-electric-chair-or/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [Now know I well what people sought formerly above all else when they sought Teachers of virtue. Good sleep they sought for themselves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/now-know-i-well-what-people-sought-formerly-above-all-else-when-they/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Keelhaul the poets in the vestry chairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-shapiro/keelhaul-the-poets-in-the-vestry-chairs/) [Karl Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-shapiro/) > [He's earned all his money himself, with his fists. He didn't steal it like the rest of our politicians. And he'll be less tempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/he-s-earned-all-his-money-himself-with-his-fists-he-didn-t-steal-it/) [Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/) > [Dentists tell you not to pick your teeth with any sharp metal object. 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