--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't allow people freedom and then…" description: "\"You can't allow people freedom and then change your mind when the things don't go your way.\" — Penn Jillette" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/penn-jillette-1046_allow_you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then_1674315.png" --- # You can't allow people freedom and then change your mind… ![“You can't allow people freedom and then change your mind when the things don't go your way.” quote by Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/penn-jillette-1046_allow_you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then_1674315.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/penn-jillette-1046_allow_you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then_1674315.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/penn-jillette-1046_allow_you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then_1674315.png) > “You can't allow people freedom and then change your mind when the things don't go your way.” [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People should not be granted freedom only to have rules change when outcomes are unfavorable; consistency is essential. **In simple terms:** Freedom must be consistent, not conditional. Key Takeaway Demand reliable freedom. Themes freedom consistency principles trust fairness Mood skeptical determined Type philosophical political When to use this quote - workplace policies - public governance - personal relationships Key Concepts ethical consistency political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What freedoms do you value most? - How do you respond when rules shift unexpectedly? A Different Perspective Changing rules erodes trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/every-human-being-has-the-freedom-to-change-at-any-instant/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [I allowed the actors to have freedom and sometimes change words if they needed to or thought that another word was more current.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-clarke/i-allowed-the-actors-to-have-freedom-and-sometimes-change-words-if/) [Noel Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-clarke/) > [Change is freedom, change is life. It's always easier not to think for oneself. Find a nice safe hierarchy and settle in. Don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/change-is-freedom-change-is-life-it-s-always-easier-not-to-think-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In Punjabi film industry I am given full freedom to change the lines according to the situation. Directors believe in my gut instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurpreet-ghuggi/in-punjabi-film-industry-i-am-given-full-freedom-to-change-the-lines/) [Gurpreet Ghuggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurpreet-ghuggi/) > [I like to give the actors the freedom, and they know they have the freedom, to change anything they want at any time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramin-bahrani/i-like-to-give-the-actors-the-freedom-and-they-know-they-have-the/) [Ramin Bahrani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramin-bahrani/) > [“Too much freedom seems to change into nothing but too much slavery, both for private man and city.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/too-much-freedom-seems-to-change-into-nothing-but-too-much-slavery/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I came from a Sorkin-like project in the sense that there was no freedom to change a line, which, in a weird way, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-came-from-a-sorkin-like-project-in-the-sense-that-there-was-no/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Be willing to absorb some risk and failures to allow people freedom to express themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/be-willing-to-absorb-some-risk-and-failures-to-allow-people-freedom/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“I don't allow people of your sort to stand in my way. That's what you're leaving out of account. I'm having Christine because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/i-don-t-allow-people-of-your-sort-to-stand-in-my-way-that-s-what-you/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Don't allow people to suck up all your time with their questions or problems. Learn to say 'no' more often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-howes/don-t-allow-people-to-suck-up-all-your-time-with-their-questions-or/) [Lewis Howes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-howes/) > [What I don't underestimate is everybody's deal is different and everybody's deal makes it difficult. And so it is incumbent upon employers to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-brooke/what-i-don-t-underestimate-is-everybody-s-deal-is-different-and/) [Beth Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-brooke/) > [You have to open up and allow people to know you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/you-have-to-open-up-and-allow-people-to-know-you/) [Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/) > [In terms of leadership, you've got to allow for people to be amazing and to contribute in a way that's meaningful. You can't hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/in-terms-of-leadership-you-ve-got-to-allow-for-people-to-be-amazing/) [Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/) > [I'm just like any other man. I understand why people become reclusive. One of my weaknesses is that I sometimes allow people in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-loftin/i-m-just-like-any-other-man-i-understand-why-people-become-reclusive/) Peter Loftin > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More by Penn Jillette > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Part of the experience of being entertained is sitting back and plugging into someone else's vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/part-of-the-experience-of-being-entertained-is-sitting-back-and/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [That whole 99% thing, they are all in the 1% of the world. Every one of them pays a cellphone bill that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/that-whole-99-thing-they-are-all-in-the-1-of-the-world-every-one-of/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I will forever stick up for Catholics and Christians in general. With a small number of very horrible exceptions, they do play by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-will-forever-stick-up-for-catholics-and-christians-in-general-with/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I believe very much that the most damning thing you can say about Muslims is that you're afraid to say anything because they'll hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-believe-very-much-that-the-most-damning-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I'm not bothered by the idea of getting old, or I guess you could say by having arrived at old. I was 10 when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-not-bothered-by-the-idea-of-getting-old-or-i-guess-you-could-say/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I'm always surprised when the corporate world does stupid things, because they're often not very stupid in hindsight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-always-surprised-when-the-corporate-world-does-stupid-things/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [It's only the losers named 'Dave' that think having an unusual name is bad, and who cares what they think? They're named 'Dave.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/it-s-only-the-losers-named-dave-that-think-having-an-unusual-name-is/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [The only secret of magic is that I'm willing to work harder on it than you think it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/the-only-secret-of-magic-is-that-i-m-willing-to-work-harder-on-it/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Well, it's not really the right word, but freedom is kind of a hobby with me, and I have disposable income that I'll spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/well-it-s-not-really-the-right-word-but-freedom-is-kind-of-a-hobby/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [It is really funny to see people that you know acting unpleasantly just because there are TV cameras on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/it-is-really-funny-to-see-people-that-you-know-acting-unpleasantly/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [My whole take on libertarianism is simply that I don't know what's best for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/my-whole-take-on-libertarianism-is-simply-that-i-don-t-know-what-s/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Freedom means the right to be stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/freedom-means-the-right-to-be-stupid/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [“Once you've condoned faith in general, you've condoned any crazy shit done because of faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/once-you-ve-condoned-faith-in-general-you-ve-condoned-any-crazy-shit/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) [Explore all 302 Penn Jillette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## More Allow quotes > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Please don't allow anyone to make you feel less than what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/please-don-t-allow-anyone-to-make-you-feel-less-than-what-you-are/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Verbs allow you to communicate a story in a much more converged or involuntary way for a reader. The verbs allow you to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/verbs-allow-you-to-communicate-a-story-in-a-much-more-converged-or/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Nothing has power over you unless you allow it. No matter what happens, you can choose what and how to think, act, and speak!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-has-power-over-you-unless-you-allow-it-no-matter-what-happens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [While we welcome people of all faiths in America we cannot be so naive as to expect all countries to do the same. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-huffington/while-we-welcome-people-of-all-faiths-in-america-we-cannot-be-so/) [Michael Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-huffington/) > [“Allow yourself some happiness, so that I can be a part of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-mahaffey/allow-yourself-some-happiness-so-that-i-can-be-a-part-of-it/) [Montgomery Mahaffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-mahaffey/) > [I've cosponsored legislation to establish a lend-lease program to simplify bureaucratic barriers and allow a speedier transfer of U.S. military equipment to Ukraine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/i-ve-cosponsored-legislation-to-establish-a-lend-lease-program-to/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“Sometimes life doesn't allow us to be free to fly wherever we'd like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elana-johnson/sometimes-life-doesn-t-allow-us-to-be-free-to-fly-wherever-we-d-like/) [Elana Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elana-johnson/) > [I am that which I am, and I am willing to allow all others to be that which they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/i-am-that-which-i-am-and-i-am-willing-to-allow-all-others-to-be-that/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [By letting go, you allow everything to find it's rightful place. Once free, everything finds its way home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-brown/by-letting-go-you-allow-everything-to-find-it-s-rightful-place-once/) [Leon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-brown/) > [As long as a man's heart beats, as long as a man's flesh quivers, I do not allow that a being gifted with thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/as-long-as-a-man-s-heart-beats-as-long-as-a-man-s-flesh-quivers-i-do/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Allow yourself to graduate, every five years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/allow-yourself-to-graduate-every-five-years/) [Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/) > [“A man will only do what you allow him to do,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kennedi-dior/a-man-will-only-do-what-you-allow-him-to-do/) Kennedi Dior Browse all 1,065 Allow quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't allow people freedom and then change your mind when the things don't go your way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Penn Jillette" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then-change-your-mind-when-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Allow" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then-change-your-mind-when-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/penn-jillette-1046_allow_you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then_1674315.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/penn-jillette-1046_allow_you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then_1674315.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/penn-jillette-1046_allow_you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then_1674315.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't allow people freedom and then change your mind when the things don't go your way.” — Penn Jillette", "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": "Penn Jillette", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't allow people freedom and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then-change-your-mind-when-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/you-can-t-allow-people-freedom-and-then-change-your-mind-when-the/#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 } } ] } ```