On rare occasions one does hear of a miraculous case of a married couple falling in love after marriage, but on close examination it will be found that it is a mere adjustment to the inevitable.
Anarchism is the only philosophy which brings to man the consciousness of himself; which maintains that God, the State, and society are non-existent, that their promises are null and void, since they can be fulfilled only through man's subordination.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Anarchism promotes individual consciousness and rejects external authorities, highlighting the importance of personal freedom.
In this quote, Emma Goldman articulates the core tenets of anarchism, emphasizing that true awareness and autonomy come from rejecting oppressive structures like the state and societal norms. She asserts that these entities are illusions that diminish individual freedom and potential, advocating for a philosophy that recognizes the self as paramount and emphasizes personal responsibility and liberation from subjugation.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about political systems and individual rights, one could use this quote to support the argument for personal freedom over state control.
More from Emma Goldman
All quotes →No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.
To the indefinite, uncertain mind of the American radical the most contradictory ideas and methods are possible. The result is a sad chaos in the radical movement, a sort of intellectual hash, which has neither taste nor character.
John Burroughs has stated that experimental study of animals in captivity is absolutely useless. Their character, their habits, their appetites undergo a complete transformation when torn from their soil in field and forest. With human nature caged in a narrow space, whipped daily into submission, how can we speak of its potentialities?
If love does not know how to give and take without restrictions, it is not love, but a transaction that never fails to lay stress on a plus and a minus.
There is no hope even that woman, with her right to vote, will ever purify politics.
Similar quotes
I find more and more that I am a man of the 1920s. I still expect something exciting. Drinks, animated conversation, gaiety: the uninhibited exchange of ideas.
It is the stillness that will save and transform the world.
God’s purpose is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”2 That is fundamental to all we do. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in things that we find fascinating or become so consumed by mundane responsibilities that we lose sight of God’s objectives. As you consistently focus your life on the most basic principles, you will gain an understanding of what you are to do, and you will produce more fruit for the Lord and more happiness for yourself.
Let go, and move closer to existence in silence and peace, in meditation.
The magic of America is that we're a free and open society with a mixed population. Part of our security is our freedom.
They don't ask much of you. They only want you to hate the things you love and to love the things you despise.