--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A liberal is a man who wants to use his…" description: "\"A liberal is a man who wants to use his own ideas on things in preference to generations who he knows know more than he does.\" — Will Rogers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/will-rogers-272_doe_a-liberal-is-a-man-who-wants-to-use-his_699687.jpg" --- # A liberal is a man who wants to use his own ideas on… ![“A liberal is a man who wants to use his own ideas on things in preference to generations who he knows know more than he does.” quote by Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/will-rogers-272_doe_a-liberal-is-a-man-who-wants-to-use-his_699687.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/will-rogers-272_doe_a-liberal-is-a-man-who-wants-to-use-his_699687.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/will-rogers-272_doe_a-liberal-is-a-man-who-wants-to-use-his_699687.jpg) > “A liberal is a man who wants to use his own ideas on things in preference to generations who he knows know more than he does.” [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A liberal prefers personal ideas over traditional wisdom, valuing individual insight over assumed generational expertise. **In simple terms:** Prefers personal ideas to tradition. Key Takeaway Trust your own judgment. Themes individualism skepticism tradition knowledge generational Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical political inspirational When to use this quote - political debate - family discussions - education reform - media analysis Key Concepts critical thinking autonomy epistemology Questions to Reflect On - Do you value fresh perspectives over established knowledge? - How can you balance new ideas with learned wisdom? A Different Perspective May overlook valuable experience from elders. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Liberal Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-man-728734/) [Man Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-wants/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Preference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preference/) [Preference Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preference-generations-5541191/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [A liberal is a man who is willing to spend somebody else's money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-glass/a-liberal-is-a-man-who-is-willing-to-spend-somebody-else-s-money/) [Carter Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-glass/) > [A liberal is a man or a woman or a child who looks forward to a better day, a more tranquil night, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/a-liberal-is-a-man-or-a-woman-or-a-child-who-looks-forward-to-a/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [No liberal man would impute a charge of unsteadiness to another for having changed his opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/no-liberal-man-would-impute-a-charge-of-unsteadiness-to-another-for/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [A liberal is a man who is right most of the time, but he's right too soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-nunn/a-liberal-is-a-man-who-is-right-most-of-the-time-but-he-s-right-too/) [Gregory Nunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-nunn/) > [It's getting so if a man wants to stand well socially, he can't afford to be seen with either the Democrats or the Republicans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/it-s-getting-so-if-a-man-wants-to-stand-well-socially-he-can-t-afford/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [It looks to me like any man that wants to be President in times like these lacks something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/it-looks-to-me-like-any-man-that-wants-to-be-president-in-times-like/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Defer not charities till death; for certainly, if a man weigh it rightly, he that doth so is rather liberal of another man's than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/defer-not-charities-till-death-for-certainly-if-a-man-weigh-it/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dane/a-liberal-is-a-man-who-will-give-away-everything-he-doesn-t-own/) [Frank Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dane/) > [A Liberal is a man who uses his legs and his hands at the behest-at the command-of his head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/a-liberal-is-a-man-who-uses-his-legs-and-his-hands-at-the-behest-at/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“Men often want to be known as gods, or, at the very least, to be their own gods; and indeed, they most definitely act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/men-often-want-to-be-known-as-gods-or-at-the-very-least-to-be-their/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [In defiance of all the tortue, of all the might, of all the malice of the world, the liberal man will ever be rich;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-barrow/in-defiance-of-all-the-tortue-of-all-the-might-of-all-the-malice-of/) [Isaac Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-barrow/) > [A liberal is a man who leaves the room before the fight starts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/a-liberal-is-a-man-who-leaves-the-room-before-the-fight-starts/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/a-liberal-is-a-man-too-broadminded-to-take-his-own-side-in-a-quarrel/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [He that defers his charity until he is dead is, if a man weighs it rightly, rather liberal of another man's goods than his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/he-that-defers-his-charity-until-he-is-dead-is-if-a-man-weighs-it/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [LIBERAL, n. A man with his mind open at both ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-falconer/liberal-n-a-man-with-his-mind-open-at-both-ends/) [Colin Falconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-falconer/) ## More by Will Rogers > [She was so ugly she could make a mule back away from an oat bin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/she-was-so-ugly-she-could-make-a-mule-back-away-from-an-oat-bin/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Politicians, after all, are not over a year behind public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/politicians-after-all-are-not-over-a-year-behind-public-opinion/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [American invents everything, but the trouble is we get tired of it the minute the new is wore off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/american-invents-everything-but-the-trouble-is-we-get-tired-of-it-the/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I don't know what humor is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-know-what-humor-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There are two things I don't care how smart you are, you will never understand. One is an alienist's testimony, and the other is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-are-two-things-i-don-t-care-how-smart-you-are-you-will-never/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-more-you-observe-politics-the-more-you-ve-got-to-admit-that-each/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I don't think you can make a lawyer honest by an act of legislature. You've got to work on his conscience. And his lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-think-you-can-make-a-lawyer-honest-by-an-act-of-legislature/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-are-two-theories-to-arguing-with-a-woman-neither-works/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [America is a great country, but you can't live in it for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/america-is-a-great-country-but-you-can-t-live-in-it-for-nothing/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There ought to be one day - just one - when there is open season on senators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-ought-to-be-one-day-just-one-when-there-is-open-season-on/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Every Gag I tell must be based on truth. No matter how much I may exaggerate it, it must have a certain amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/every-gag-i-tell-must-be-based-on-truth-no-matter-how-much-i-may/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [So live that you would not mind selling your pet parrot to the town gossip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/so-live-that-you-would-not-mind-selling-your-pet-parrot-to-the-town/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) [Explore all 776 Will Rogers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. 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