--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We certainly did—I do not deny it—have…" description: "\"“We certainly did—I do not deny it—have immeasurably more individual freedom, and we did not just welcome that, we made use of it. But as Friedrich Heb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/stefan-zweig-811_freedom_we-certainly-did-i-do-not-deny-it-have-i_2981818.jpg" --- # We certainly did—I do not deny it—have immeasurably more… ![“We certainly did—I do not deny it—have immeasurably more individual freedom, and we did not just welcome that, we made use of it. But as Friedrich Hebbel once nicely put it, “Sometimes we have no wine, sometimes we have no goblet.” Both are seldom granted to one and the same generation; if…” quote by Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/stefan-zweig-811_freedom_we-certainly-did-i-do-not-deny-it-have-i_2981818.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/stefan-zweig-811_freedom_we-certainly-did-i-do-not-deny-it-have-i_2981818.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/stefan-zweig-811_freedom_we-certainly-did-i-do-not-deny-it-have-i_2981818.jpg) > ““We certainly did—I do not deny it—have immeasurably more individual freedom, and we did not just welcome that, we made use of it. But as Friedrich Hebbel once nicely put it, “Sometimes we have no wine, sometimes we have no goblet.” Both are seldom granted to one and the same generation; if morality allows a man freedom, the state tries to remould him. If the state allows him freedom, morality will try to impose itself.”” [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom and morality clash; state and morality each try to reshape the other. **In simple terms:** Freedom vs. morality tension. Key Takeaway Navigate societal constraints wisely. Themes politics morality freedom Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - civic engagement - policy making - personal ethics - activism Key Concepts philosophy social theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal freedom with moral duty? - What role should the state play? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex societal dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Individual freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-freedom/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) ## Related quotes > [“I had as lief have the foppery of freedom as the morality of imprisonment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-had-as-lief-have-the-foppery-of-freedom-as-the-morality-of/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A government run by billionaires for billionaires is an affront to freedom and morality and humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/a-government-run-by-billionaires-for-billionaires-is-an-affront-to/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [“Ah. Well, it stands for Freedom From Morality. We don't think healthy amorality happens naturally." "But you're not amoral," I pointed out. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/ah-well-it-stands-for-freedom-from-morality-we-don-t-think-healthy/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [When there is a conflict, which group's sense of right and wrong should prevail? If a morality is a system that allows individuals to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-greene/when-there-is-a-conflict-which-group-s-sense-of-right-and-wrong/) [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) > [I’m accused of having no morality, which is a fair assessment, because my morality is whatever the system allows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-woodcock/i-m-accused-of-having-no-morality-which-is-a-fair-assessment-because/) Peter Woodcock > [Science cannot destroy the consciousness of freedom, without which there is no morality and no art, but it can refute it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-berlin/science-cannot-destroy-the-consciousness-of-freedom-without-which/) [Isaiah Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-berlin/) > [Freedom, morality, and the human dignity of the individual consists precisely in this; that he does good not because he is forced to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/freedom-morality-and-the-human-dignity-of-the-individual-consists/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [“We can observe the process in the very earliest records from ancient Mesopotamia; it finds its first philosophical expression in the Vedas, reappears in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/we-can-observe-the-process-in-the-very-earliest-records-from-ancient/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [Where there is no freedom there can be no morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-roberta-noble-neilans/where-there-is-no-freedom-there-can-be-no-morality/) Alison Roberta Noble Neilans > [Without freedom there can be no morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/without-freedom-there-can-be-no-morality/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/conservatism-is-about-the-basic-rights-of-individuals-god-created-us/) [Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/) > [I believe the role that people like myself have played in the transformation of public opinion has been by persistently presenting a different point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-believe-the-role-that-people-like-myself-have-played-in-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Democracy maintains that government is established for the benefit of the individual, and is charged with the responsibility of protecting the individual, and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-maintains-that-government-is-established-for-the-benefit-of/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [How could the USA champion individual freedom in the world generally while denying it to an important minority in its own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-acheson/how-could-the-usa-champion-individual-freedom-in-the-world-generally/) [Dean Acheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-acheson/) > [“After analyzing our current crisis and studying well-established historical precedents, I must conclude that the global bankers have only three possible cards left to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/after-analyzing-our-current-crisis-and-studying-well-established/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) ## More by Stefan Zweig > [“Madness,” he exclaimed to himself, in astonishment, faltering. “Madness! What do they want? Once again, once again!” War once again, war that had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/madness-he-exclaimed-to-himself-in-astonishment-faltering-madness/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [It is never until one realizes that one means something to others that one feels there is any point or purpose in one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-never-until-one-realizes-that-one-means-something-to-others/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“And if I am asked today to advise a young writer who has not yet made up his mind what way to go, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/and-if-i-am-asked-today-to-advise-a-young-writer-who-has-not-yet-made/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Live and let live” was the famous Viennese motto, which today still seems to me to be more humane than all the categorical imperatives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/live-and-let-live-was-the-famous-viennese-motto-which-today-still/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Değerli olan her zaman için gerçeğin yarısı değil, tamamıdır.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/de-erli-olan-her-zaman-i-in-ger-e-in-yar-s-de-il-tamam-d-r/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [One never gets to know a person's character better than by watching his behavior during decisive moments… It is always only danger which forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/one-never-gets-to-know-a-person-s-character-better-than-by-watching/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Names have a mysterious transforming power. Like a ring on a finger, a name may at first seem merely accidental, committing you to nothing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/names-have-a-mysterious-transforming-power-like-a-ring-on-a-finger-a/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [There is no sense to a sacrifice after you come to feel that it is a sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/there-is-no-sense-to-a-sacrifice-after-you-come-to-feel-that-it-is-a/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [No guilt is forgotten so long as the conscience still knows of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/no-guilt-is-forgotten-so-long-as-the-conscience-still-knows-of-it/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Nothing that has ever been thought and said with a clear mind and pure ethical strength is totally in vain; even if it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/nothing-that-has-ever-been-thought-and-said-with-a-clear-mind-and/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [It is the way of youth that each fresh piece of knowledge of life should go to its head, and that once uplifted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-the-way-of-youth-that-each-fresh-piece-of-knowledge-of-life/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“The truths that he finds may in the coming months or even the coming years be truths no more. He must be forever searching.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-truths-that-he-finds-may-in-the-coming-months-or-even-the-coming/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [The union of opposites, in so far as they are really complementary, always results in the most perfect harmony; and the seemingly incongruous is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-union-of-opposites-in-so-far-as-they-are-really-complementary/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [The sight of a wedding always has a disturbing effect on young girls; at such moments a mysterious sense of solidarity with their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-sight-of-a-wedding-always-has-a-disturbing-effect-on-young-girls/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Lightly, caressingly, Marie Antoinette picked up the crown as a gift. She was still too young to know that life never gives anything for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/lightly-caressingly-marie-antoinette-picked-up-the-crown-as-a-gift-2/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) [Explore all 267 Stefan Zweig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We certainly did—I do not deny it—have immeasurably more individual freedom, and we did not just welcome that, we made use of it. But as Friedrich Hebbel once nicely put it, “Sometimes we have no wine, sometimes we have no goblet.” Both are seldom granted to one and the same generation; if morality allows a man freedom, the state tries to remould him. 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