--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the struggle of every person: be…" description: "\"“This is the struggle of every person: be free or be a slave.”\" — Pope Francis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/pope-francis-85_adversity_this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be_2882851.png" --- # This is the struggle of every person: be free or be a slave. ![“This is the struggle of every person: be free or be a slave.” quote by Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/pope-francis-85_adversity_this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be_2882851.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/pope-francis-85_adversity_this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be_2882851.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/pope-francis-85_adversity_this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be_2882851.png) > ““This is the struggle of every person: be free or be a slave.”” [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the binary nature of human freedom: either one lives authentically or becomes enslaved by external constraints. **In simple terms:** Freedom is a choice between authenticity and oppression. Key Takeaway Choose authentic freedom over imposed servitude. Themes freedom choice authenticity Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal decisions - political activism - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What does being free truly mean to you? - How do societal structures influence personal freedom? A Different Perspective Freedom can be limited by systemic oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [None can be free who is a slave to, and ruled by, his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/none-can-be-free-who-is-a-slave-to-and-ruled-by-his-passions/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [See, it's no in between: you're either free or you're a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rap-brown/see-it-s-no-in-between-you-re-either-free-or-you-re-a-slave/) [H. Rap Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rap-brown/) > [A struggle, to the person experiencing it, is a struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-minot/a-struggle-to-the-person-experiencing-it-is-a-struggle/) [Susan Minot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-minot/) > [Yes, I'm very close to my family. And being that close to your family, I think you also struggle with how to become your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/yes-i-m-very-close-to-my-family-and-being-that-close-to-your-family-i/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [The real struggle is about you: you, a person who has to learn to live in the real world, to inhabit her own skin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/the-real-struggle-is-about-you-you-a-person-who-has-to-learn-to-live/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [“I struggle with the person I am, while the person I hope to be is like the stars, brilliantly radiant, yet for some reason,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-t-mcgrath/i-struggle-with-the-person-i-am-while-the-person-i-hope-to-be-is-like/) [Joel T. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-t-mcgrath/) > [The black woman had had to struggle against being a person of great strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-height/the-black-woman-had-had-to-struggle-against-being-a-person-of-great/) [Dorothy Height](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-height/) > [You don't see the struggle part of a person's life. You only see the success they have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/you-don-t-see-the-struggle-part-of-a-person-s-life-you-only-see-the/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [“What did it mean for a person to be free? she would often ask herself. Even if you managed to escape from one cage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/what-did-it-mean-for-a-person-to-be-free-she-would-often-ask-herself/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Such is the cost of immortality. No person is whole. No person is free. Over time, some have determined that the only way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/such-is-the-cost-of-immortality-no-person-is-whole-no-person-is-free/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [What did it mean for a person to be free? Even if you managed to escape from one cage, weren't you just in another,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-did-it-mean-for-a-person-to-be-free-even-if-you-managed-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person now I was free. There was such glory over everything. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-tubman/i-looked-at-my-hands-to-see-if-i-was-the-same-person-now-i-was-free/) [Harriet Tubman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-tubman/) > [And the Buddha is the person who's free: free of plans, free of cares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/and-the-buddha-is-the-person-who-s-free-free-of-plans-free-of-cares/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [“If a person is not free, his right is restricted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/if-a-person-is-not-free-his-right-is-restricted/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I like to help others and count it as my greatest pleasure in life to see a person free himself of the shadows which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/i-like-to-help-others-and-count-it-as-my-greatest-pleasure-in-life-to/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) ## More by Pope Francis > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Most people nowadays would not consider love as related in any way to truth. Love is seen as an experience associated with the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/most-people-nowadays-would-not-consider-love-as-related-in-any-way-to/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Listen to Jesus and follow him. That's the message of the Transfiguration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/listen-to-jesus-and-follow-him-that-s-the-message-of-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Proceed calmly in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/proceed-calmly-in-life/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I like to say that women are those who form life in their wombs - and this is a comparison I make - they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-like-to-say-that-women-are-those-who-form-life-in-their-wombs-and/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [You cannot insult the faith of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/you-cannot-insult-the-faith-of-others/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-want-to-remind-priests-that-the-confessional-must-not-be-a-torture/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [To all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-all-people-of-good-will-who-are-working-for-social-justice-never/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [In Confession, Jesus welcomes us with all our sinfulness, to give us a new heart, capable of loving as he loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-confession-jesus-welcomes-us-with-all-our-sinfulness-to-give-us-a/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I pray every day for all who are suffering in Iraq. Please join me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-pray-every-day-for-all-who-are-suffering-in-iraq-please-join-me/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I entrust this Twenty-second World Day of the Sick to the intercession of Mary. I ask her to help the sick to bear their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-entrust-this-twenty-second-world-day-of-the-sick-to-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Certain realities in life are only seen through eyes that are cleansed through our tears. Let us learn how to weep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/certain-realities-in-life-are-only-seen-through-eyes-that-are/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) [Explore all 1,479 Pope Francis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) S.E. SEVER > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is the struggle of every person: be free or be a slave.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pope Francis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be-free-or-be-a-slave/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be-free-or-be-a-slave/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/pope-francis-85_adversity_this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be_2882851.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/pope-francis-85_adversity_this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be_2882851.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/pope-francis-85_adversity_this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be_2882851.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is the struggle of every person: be free or be a slave.” — Pope Francis", "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": "Pope Francis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“This is the struggle of every...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be-free-or-be-a-slave/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/this-is-the-struggle-of-every-person-be-free-or-be-a-slave/#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 } } ] } ```