Muriel Spark Quotes

Freedom of mind is the proof of one's existence.

I will not have my life narrowed down. I will not bow down to somebody else's whim or to someone else's ignorance.

I shall not change my course because those who assume to be better than I desire it.

I would never wear anything because someone told me to.

I'm not a very good yes man, and I'm not very easily controlled.

I was not born to be forced.

Independence is a state of mind. Independence is spirit without category.

Don't let them fool ya, or even try to school ya! Oh, no! We've got a mind of our own, so go to hell if what you're thinking is not right!

I think the way I want to think. I live the way I want to live.

I'd rather die my way than live yours.

There's people trying to tell me what to do, but I'm not like some marketing scam.

As long as a man had the courage to reject what society told him to do, he could live life on his own terms. To what end? To be free. But free to what end? To read books, to write books, to think.

You must not allow yourself to be advised, cautioned, influenced, persuaded

I hate to tell people what they should think 'cause I really have an aversion when people tell me what to think.

No one can tell you what is right for you except yourself. So start telling yourself what to do. If you blunder for ten years while thinking for yourself, that is rich treasure when compared with living these ten years under the mental domination of another.

The minute I was told what to do at any age, I did the opposite. Hopefully I'll do that for the rest of my life.

Without private thoughts and actions, we can never truly be free.

I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations and you're not in this world to live up to mine.

I'm quite contrary. If people agree on something, I tend to gravitate the other way by my nature. I don't like to be told what to do. I think it goes back to school. I like to do things I want to do and I really don't like doing what I don't want to do.

Determine to do some thinking for yourself. Don't live entirely upon the thoughts of others. Don't be an automaton.

I'll do as I please. My mind is not to be imprisoned.

I don't hold myself dictated to by what everyone is saying, by the tabloids or popular opinion. I don't like bourgeois values. I say you find your own way to live.

I'm not going to conform to some consumer need.

I don't like people telling me what to do. I'm very independent.

I don't live on other people's terms.