---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The oppressed, having internalised the…"
description: "\"“The oppressed, having internalised the image of the oppressor and adopted his guideline are fearful of freedom. Freedom would require them to eject th..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/paulo-freire-1551_fear_the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-im_206021.jpg"
---

#  The oppressed, having internalised the image of the…

![“The oppressed, having internalised the image of the oppressor and adopted his guideline are fearful of freedom. Freedom would require them to eject this image and replace it with autonomy and responsibility.” quote by Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/paulo-freire-1551_fear_the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-im_206021.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/paulo-freire-1551_fear_the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-im_206021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/paulo-freire-1551_fear_the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-im_206021.jpg)

> ““The oppressed, having internalised the image of the oppressor and adopted his guideline are fearful of freedom. Freedom would require them to eject this image and replace it with autonomy and responsibility.””

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

## About This Quote

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

People internalize the oppressor's image, fearing freedom because it demands autonomy and responsibility.

**In simple terms:** Fear of freedom stems from internalized oppression.

Key Takeaway

Embrace autonomy, reject imposed images.

Themes

oppression freedom identity responsibility psychology

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- education reform
- personal growth
- community activism
- mental health therapy

Key Concepts

critical theory self‑determination social conditioning

Questions to Reflect On

- How can individuals safely transition to autonomy?
- What role does community play in fostering responsibility?

A Different Perspective

Freedom may be overwhelming without supportive structures.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Liberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberation/) [Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/)

## Related quotes

> [The oppressed, having internalized the image of the oppressor and adopted his guidelines, are fearful of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-oppressed-having-internalized-the-image-of-the-oppressor-and/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [We shouldn't be fearful of freedom, we shouldn't be fearful of individual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/we-shouldn-t-be-fearful-of-freedom-we-shouldn-t-be-fearful-of/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [“The following afternoon, alone in their room, and oppressed by not yet having made the promised call to Connie...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/the-following-afternoon-alone-in-their-room-and-oppressed-by-not-yet/)

[Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/)

> [How can the oppressed, as divided, unauthentic beings, participate in developing the pedagogy of their liberation? Only as they discover themselves to be 'hosts'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/how-can-the-oppressed-as-divided-unauthentic-beings-participate-in/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [“For the oppressors..to 'be' is to have and to be the class of the "haves".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/for-the-oppressors-to-be-is-to-have-and-to-be-the-class-of-the-haves/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [Libertarian action must recognize this dependence as a weak point and must attempt through reflection and action to transform it into independence. However, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/libertarian-action-must-recognize-this-dependence-as-a-weak-point-and/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [China not only fights for her own independence, but also for the liberation of every oppressed nation. For us, the Atlantic Charter and President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiang-kai-shek/china-not-only-fights-for-her-own-independence-but-also-for-the/)

[Chiang Kai-shek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiang-kai-shek/)

> [Your generous part in my liberation is taken by the world for the revelation of the fact, that the United States are resolved not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lajos-kossuth/your-generous-part-in-my-liberation-is-taken-by-the-world-for-the/)

[Lajos Kossuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lajos-kossuth/)

> [A liberation movement that is nonviolent sets the oppressor free as well as the oppressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-deming/a-liberation-movement-that-is-nonviolent-sets-the-oppressor-free-as/)

[Barbara Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-deming/)

> [With the establishment of a relationship of oppression, violence has already begun. Never in history has violence been initiated by the oppressed. How could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/with-the-establishment-of-a-relationship-of-oppression-violence-has/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [“The fact that certain members of the oppressor class join the oppressed in their struggle for liberation, thus moving from one pole of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-fact-that-certain-members-of-the-oppressor-class-join-the/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [No pedagogy which is truly liberating can remain distant from the oppressed by treating them as unfortunates and by presenting for their emulation models…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/no-pedagogy-which-is-truly-liberating-can-remain-distant-from-the/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [It is only the oppressed who, by freeing themselves, can free their oppressors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/it-is-only-the-oppressed-who-by-freeing-themselves-can-free-their/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [It is absolutely essential that the oppressed participate in the revolutionary process with an increasingly critical awareness of their role as subjects of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/it-is-absolutely-essential-that-the-oppressed-participate-in-the/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [The behavior and reactions of the oppressed, which lead the oppressor to practice cultural invasion, should evoke from the revolutionary a different theory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-behavior-and-reactions-of-the-oppressed-which-lead-the-oppressor/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

## More by Paulo Freire

> [The teacher is of course an artist, but being an artist does not mean that he or she can make the profile, can shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-teacher-is-of-course-an-artist-but-being-an-artist-does-not-mean/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [“if i am not in the world simply to adapt to it, but rather transform it, and if it is not possible to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/if-i-am-not-in-the-world-simply-to-adapt-to-it-but-rather-transform/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [The earliest language was body language and, since this language is the language of questions, if we limit the questions, and if we only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-earliest-language-was-body-language-and-since-this-language-is/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [The behavior and reactions of the oppressed, which lead the oppressor to practice cultural invasion, should evoke from the revolutionary a different theory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-behavior-and-reactions-of-the-oppressed-which-lead-the-oppressor/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [“The fact that certain members of the oppressor class join the oppressed in their struggle for liberation, thus moving from one pole of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-fact-that-certain-members-of-the-oppressor-class-join-the/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [“When a word is deprived of its dimension of action,reflection automatically suffers as well and the word is changed into idle chatter, into verbalism,into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/when-a-word-is-deprived-of-its-dimension-of-action-reflection/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [A reader does not suddenly comprehend what is being read or studied, in a snap, miraculously. Comprehension needs to be worked forged, by those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/a-reader-does-not-suddenly-comprehend-what-is-being-read-or-studied/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [“If I do not love the world, if I do not love life, if I do not love people, I cannot enter into dialogue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/if-i-do-not-love-the-world-if-i-do-not-love-life-if-i-do-not-love/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [ \[Humans'\] capacity to intervene, to compare, to judge, to decide, to choose, to desist makes them capable of acts of greatness, of dignity, and,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/humans-capacity-to-intervene-to-compare-to-judge-to-decide-to-choose/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [If I am a pure product of genetic, cultural, or class determination, I have no responsibility for my action in the world and, therefore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/if-i-am-a-pure-product-of-genetic-cultural-or-class-determination-i/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [“To begin always anew, to make, to reconstruct, and to not spoil, to refuse to bureaucratize the mind, to understand and to live life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/to-begin-always-anew-to-make-to-reconstruct-and-to-not-spoil-to/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [“The man or woman who proclaims devotion to the cause of liberation yet is unable to enter into communion with the people, whom he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-man-or-woman-who-proclaims-devotion-to-the-cause-of-liberation/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [One cannot expect positive results from an educational or political action program which fails to respect the particular view of the world held by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/one-cannot-expect-positive-results-from-an-educational-or-political/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [Any situation in which some men prevent others from engaging in the process of inquiry is one of violence;… to alienate humans from their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/any-situation-in-which-some-men-prevent-others-from-engaging-in-the/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [Educators need to know what happens in the world of the children with whom they work. They need to know the universe of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/educators-need-to-know-what-happens-in-the-world-of-the-children-with/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

[Explore all 223 Paulo Freire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

## More Fear quotes

> [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/)

[Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/)

> [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/)

[Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/)

> [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/)

[M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/)

> [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/)

Nagisa Tatsumi

> [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/)

[Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/)

[Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/)

> [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/)

[Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/)

> [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/)

[Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/)

> [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/)

[Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/)

> [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/)

[Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

[Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The oppressed, having internalised the image of the oppressor and adopted his guideline are fearful of freedom. Freedom would require them to eject this image and replace it with autonomy and responsibility.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paulo Freire"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-image-of-the-oppressor-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fear"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-image-of-the-oppressor-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/paulo-freire-1551_fear_the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-im_206021.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/paulo-freire-1551_fear_the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-im_206021.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/paulo-freire-1551_fear_the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-im_206021.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The oppressed, having internalised the image of the oppressor and adopted his guideline are fearful of…” — Paulo Freire",
                "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": "Paulo Freire",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The oppressed, having internalised the image...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-image-of-the-oppressor-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-oppressed-having-internalised-the-image-of-the-oppressor-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
