I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.
Charlotte BrontëTags: empowerment gender women freedom identity integrity self-determination independence self-awareness character flaws realism image
I am often described to my irritation as a 'contrarian' and even had the title inflicted on me by the publisher of one of my early books. (At least on that occasion I lived up to the title by ridiculing the word in my introduction to the book's first chapter.) It is actually a pity that our culture doesn't have a good vernacular word for an oppositionist or even for someone who tries to do his own thinking: the word 'dissident' can't be self-conferred because it is really a title of honor that has to be won or earned, while terms like 'gadfly' or 'maverick' are somehow trivial and condescending as well as over-full of self-regard. And I've lost count of the number of memoirs by old comrades or ex-comrades that have titles like 'Against the Stream,' 'Against the Current,' 'Minority of One,' 'Breaking Ranks' and so forth—all of them lending point to Harold Rosenberg's withering remark about 'the herd of independent minds.' Even when I was quite young I disliked being called a 'rebel': it seemed to make the patronizing suggestion that 'questioning authority' was part of a 'phase' through which I would naturally go. On the contrary, I was a relatively well-behaved and well-mannered boy, and chose my battles with some deliberation rather than just thinking with my hormones.
Christopher HitchensTags: words youth dissent independence authority rebellion memoirs free-thought hormones oppositionism contrarianism dissidents harold-rosenberg honorifics
My feeling is this whole country is founded on the principle of 'if you are not hurting anyone, and you're not fucking with someone else's shit, and you are paying your taxes, you should be able to just do what you want to do.' It's the freedom and the independence.
Adam CarollaTags: freedom liberalism united-states independence taxes 2010 podcasts
The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.
Michel de MontaigneTags: individuality inspirational self-esteem solitude ataraxy self-respect self-determination self-reliance self-assurance independence self-awareness self-trust self-sufficiency self-containment
If I follow the inclination of my nature, it is this: beggar-woman and single, far rather than queen and married.
Elizabeth ITags: empowerment women freedom marriage self-determination self-reliance independence bachelorhood singles matrimony dignity queens spinsters preference british-monarchy british-royal-family
Associate with noblest people you can find; read the best books; live with the mighty. But learn to be happy alone.
Rely upon your own energies, and so not wait for, or depend on other people.
Tags: books self-reliance independence
He saw in happiness the seeds of independence, and in independence the seeds of revolt.
Mervyn PeakeTags: happiness independence revolt
I'm heading for a clean-named place
like Wisconsin, and mad as a jack-o'-lantern, will get there
without help and nosy proclivities.
Tags: poetry poem travel independence assistance nosiness wisconsin
Injustice in the end produces independence.
VoltaireTags: injustice suffering independence cause-and-effect
I'm through accepting limits
''cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I'll never know!
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
Well, if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost!
Tags: friendship love independence
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