Wharton thought no one could have freedom, but James knew no one wanted freedom.

Vivian Gornick
Wharton thought no one could have freedom, but James knew...
Wharton thought no one could have freedom, but James knew...
Wharton thought no one could have freedom, but James knew...
Wharton thought no one could have freedom, but James knew...
About This Quote

Benjamin Franklin once said, “When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.” His point was that no one wants freedom, but we need it because we all want the same things: to live in peace and to be safe from harm. And, when we get our freedom, we want to take care of ourselves and do what we feel is right. Benjamin Franklin was right: no one wants freedom. But, James taught us that no one wants freedom for freedom’s sake.

Everyone wants freedom to do what they want and be free from fear and oppression. But, freedom is nothing without responsibility and morality under law. When we get our freedom, we need to recognize that we’ll be held accountable for our actions and that our actions will affect others just as much as they affect us.

Source: The Odd Woman And The City: A Memoir

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