--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Each man is his own prisoner, in solitary…" description: "\"Each man is his own prisoner, in solitary confinement for life.\" — Robert A. Heinlein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/robert-a-heinlein-209_confinement_each-man-is-his-own-prisoner-in-solitary_135816.jpg" --- # Each man is his own prisoner, in solitary confinement for… ![“Each man is his own prisoner, in solitary confinement for life.” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/robert-a-heinlein-209_confinement_each-man-is-his-own-prisoner-in-solitary_135816.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/robert-a-heinlein-209_confinement_each-man-is-his-own-prisoner-in-solitary_135816.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/robert-a-heinlein-209_confinement_each-man-is-his-own-prisoner-in-solitary_135816.jpg) > “Each man is his own prisoner, in solitary confinement for life.” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. States that individuals are trapped by their own thoughts and choices, living in self‑imposed isolation. **In simple terms:** People imprison themselves with their own minds. Key Takeaway Recognize and break self‑imposed mental prisons. Themes psychology freedom self‑awareness solitude existence Mood reflective serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - therapy - journaling - mindfulness training - coaching Key Concepts mental confinement personal responsibility inner dialogue Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts keep you confined? - How can you cultivate mental freedom? A Different Perspective May overlook external constraints on freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confinement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confinement/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Solitary confinement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary-confinement/) ## Related quotes > [There is about as much educational benefit to be gained in studying dolphins in captivity as there would be studying mankind by only observing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/there-is-about-as-much-educational-benefit-to-be-gained-in-studying/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [“I have always hesitated to give advice, for how can one advise another how to act unless one knows that other as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-have-always-hesitated-to-give-advice-for-how-can-one-advise-another/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Modern man is a prisoner who thinks he is free because he refrains from touching the walls of his dungeon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/modern-man-is-a-prisoner-who-thinks-he-is-free-because-he-refrains/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“His voice was so faint that it was audible only to those in the first rows. “I haven’t got much to say, only that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-tilley/his-voice-was-so-faint-that-it-was-audible-only-to-those-in-the-first/) Kimberly Tilley > [“Man is a prisoner who has no right to open the door of his prison and run away... A man should wait, and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/man-is-a-prisoner-who-has-no-right-to-open-the-door-of-his-prison-and/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“Man is often the prisoner of the culture he lives in. Question your culture to break the prison doors! Question it so that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/man-is-often-the-prisoner-of-the-culture-he-lives-in-question-your/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [How many persons condemned to the horrors of solitary confinement have gone mad - simply because the thinking faculties have lain dormant!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/how-many-persons-condemned-to-the-horrors-of-solitary-confinement/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [I would like to start a discussion about ending solitary confinement. I'd like to start a discussion about the removal of MO wings -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/i-would-like-to-start-a-discussion-about-ending-solitary-confinement/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [ “\[Solitary confinement\] is terrible. That is terrible. You're in a grave. You can't do anything. Everything's brought to you and you're in a room… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-sweeney/solitary-confinement-is-terrible-that-is-terrible-you-re-in-a-grave/) Megan Sweeney > [We are all sentenced to solitary confinement inside our own skins, for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/we-are-all-sentenced-to-solitary-confinement-inside-our-own-skins-for/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [I found solitary confinement the most forbidding aspect of prison life. There is no end and no beginning; there is only one's mind, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-found-solitary-confinement-the-most-forbidding-aspect-of-prison/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you ever meet someone who cannot understand why solitary confinement is considered punishment, you have met a misanthrope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/if-you-ever-meet-someone-who-cannot-understand-why-solitary/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [As we have seen, WikiLeaks is a robust organization. During my time in solitary confinement in the basement of a Victorian prison, we continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/as-we-have-seen-wikileaks-is-a-robust-organization-during-my-time-in/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [People aren't wired to be alone. Even in the stressful population of prison, solitary confinement is still considered a cruel punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/people-aren-t-wired-to-be-alone-even-in-the-stressful-population-of/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [Something in our nature cries out to be loved by another. Isolation is devastating to the human psyche. That is why solitary confinement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/something-in-our-nature-cries-out-to-be-loved-by-another-isolation-is/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) ## More by Robert A. Heinlein > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Women will forgive anything. Otherwise, the race would have died out long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/women-will-forgive-anything-otherwise-the-race-would-have-died-out/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-neuroses-and-some-psychoses-can-be-traced-to-the-unnecessary-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-statement-should-be-believed-because-it-is-made-by-an-authority/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature-itself-and-every-aspect-of/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I tried to dig out of the computer a call directory for Luna. But it was still sulking. I could not get it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-tried-to-dig-out-of-the-computer-a-call-directory-for-luna-but-it/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-own-more-than-you-can-carry-in-both-hands-at-a-dead-run/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“In Wilson's scale of evaluations breakfast rated just after life itself and ahead of the chance of immortality." ~ By His Bootstraps / Robert A. Heinlein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/in-wilson-s-scale-of-evaluations-breakfast-rated-just-after-life/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ignorance-is-curable-stupid-is-forever/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) [Explore all 888 Robert A. Heinlein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More Confinement quotes > [Some minds corrode and grow inactive under the loss of personal liberty; others grow morbid and irritable; but it is the nature of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/some-minds-corrode-and-grow-inactive-under-the-loss-of-personal/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Something in our nature cries out to be loved by another. Isolation is devastating to the human psyche. That is why solitary confinement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/something-in-our-nature-cries-out-to-be-loved-by-another-isolation-is/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [The premise of Kiss has always been to not live within the confinements and boundaries other people set for themselves. We set our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stanley/the-premise-of-kiss-has-always-been-to-not-live-within-the/) [Paul Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stanley/) > [ “The \[human\] animal cannot cope with \[dense confinement\]; indeed, it is programmed to resist it. It must resist it, in the interest of survival.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-livingston-from-rogue-primate-an-investigation-into-human-domestication/the-human-animal-cannot-cope-with-dense-confinement-indeed-it-is/) John Livingston, from "Rogue Primate: An Investigation Into Human Domestication > [People aren't wired to be alone. Even in the stressful population of prison, solitary confinement is still considered a cruel punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/people-aren-t-wired-to-be-alone-even-in-the-stressful-population-of/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [The secret to responsible trust is acceptance. Acceptance is taking from God's hand absolutely anything He gives, looking into His face in trust and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/the-secret-to-responsible-trust-is-acceptance-acceptance-is-taking/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [ During this period (of technological confinement / \[and language\]) the human mind has been placed in its narrowest confines it has experienced since consciousness… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/during-this-period-of-technological-confinement-and-language-the/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [As we have seen, WikiLeaks is a robust organization. During my time in solitary confinement in the basement of a Victorian prison, we continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/as-we-have-seen-wikileaks-is-a-robust-organization-during-my-time-in/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Needle and thread flesh and bone Spit and sinew, heartbreak is home. Your suture lines, they sparkle like diamonds Bright stars to light my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/needle-and-thread-flesh-and-bone-spit-and-sinew-heartbreak-is-home/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [If you ever meet someone who cannot understand why solitary confinement is considered punishment, you have met a misanthrope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/if-you-ever-meet-someone-who-cannot-understand-why-solitary/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [Even painless research is fascism, supremacism, because the act of confinement is traumatizing in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/even-painless-research-is-fascism-supremacism-because-the-act-of/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [In relating the circumstances which have led to my confinement within this refuge for the demented, I am aware that my present position will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/in-relating-the-circumstances-which-have-led-to-my-confinement-within/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [“...bars can't build better men and misery can only break what goodness remains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-turton/bars-can-t-build-better-men-and-misery-can-only-break-what-goodness/) Stuart Turton > [I breathed the air of deliverance through books, and through books I leapt over the walls of confinement..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/i-breathed-the-air-of-deliverance-through-books-and-through-books-i/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) [Browse all 121 Confinement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confinement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Each man is his own prisoner, in solitary confinement for life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert A. 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