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I'm a free person; I feel terribly free. They could put me in chains and I still would be free because my thoughts would be mine - and that's all I want to have.
Arthur Rubinstein
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Interpretation

What this quote means

True freedom comes from within and is defined by one's thoughts, not external circumstances.

Arthur Rubinstein expresses a profound belief that freedom is a state of mind, emphasizing that no physical restraints can hinder the liberty one feels in their thoughts. He suggests that while one may face external limitations, the essence of freedom is the ability to think independently and that this internal freedom is what truly matters.

Themes

FreedomThoughtsMindIndependenceLiberty

In practice

Example use cases

During a motivational speech about overcoming challenges, one might quote this to emphasize the importance of mental freedom.

More from Arthur Rubinstein

Of course there is no formula for success, except perhaps an unconditional acceptance of life, and what it brings
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Sometimes when I sit down to practice and there is no one else in the room, I have to stifle an impulse to ring for the elevator man and offer him money to come in and hear me.
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Composing a concert is like composing a menu.... If you start with light pieces and play a 45-minute sonata after the interlude, it's like starting dinner with hors d'oeuvres and dessert and finishing with a Châteaubriand and vegetables.
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To be alive, to be able to see, to walk, to have houses, music, paintings - it's all a miracle. I have adopted the technique of living life miracle to miracle.
Arthur RubinsteinRead
At every concert I leave a lot to the moment. I must have the unexpected, the unforeseen. I want to risk, to dare. I want to be surprised by what comes out. I want to enjoy it more than the audience. That way the music can bloom anew. It's like making love. The act is always the same, but each time it's different.
Arthur RubinsteinRead
To be alive, to able to see, to walk...it's all a miracle. I have adapted the technique of living life from miracle to miracle.
Arthur RubinsteinRead

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