None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Talk about slavery! It is not the peculiar institution of the South. It exists wherever men are bought and sold, wherever a man allows himself to be made a mere thing or a tool, and surrenders his inalienable rights of reason and conscience. Indeed, this slavery is more complete than that which enslaves the body alone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Slavery transcends physical bondage, existing wherever human dignity is compromised.
In this thought-provoking quote, Henry David Thoreau reflects on the broader implications of slavery beyond the historical context of physical ownership. He argues that true slavery can manifest in situations where individuals relinquish their autonomy and moral judgement, becoming mere tools or objects within a system that devalues their inherent rights. Thoreau emphasizes that this ideological and existential form of slavery is even more severe than physical enslavement, as it shackles the mind and spirit.
Themes
SlaveryFreedomAutonomyRightsDignity
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about human rights, one might quote Thoreau to emphasize the need for mental and moral freedom.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes →Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
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Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
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As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
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That grand old poem called Winter
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