Phil Ochs Quotes

The opposite of courage is not so much fear as it is conformity.

I do not bow. I do not obey. I do not 'worship.'

The opposite of bravery is not cowardice but conformity.

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

One thing about me is that I don't like being told I can't do something.

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

I never liked being told what to do, so even in school plays, I never liked being an actor.

I have a really hard time with people telling me what to do.

I couldn't follow nobody's rules.

I just wish I could have all this and stand up to her a little. Rose would." "Rose would have gotten herself arrested for treason the first time Tatiana asked her to do something.

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.

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.

Freedom lies in being bold.

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'm no one's lap dog, you can't put me on a leash.

Don't care what people say. Don't give a damn about their laws.

I'm old enough and cranky enough now that if someone tried to tell me what to do, I'd tell them where to put it.

My characters aren't losers. They're rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone else's rules.

Rules are made for people who aren't willing to make up their own.

I've always embraced failure as a noble pursuit. It allows you to be anti whatever anyone wants you to be, and to break all the rules.

There are those who dance to the rhythm that is played to them, those who only dance to their own rhythm, and those who don't dance at all.

I've never reacted well to other people telling me what to do.

I don't worry. I don't doubt. I'm daring. I'm a rebel.

I have to say I have never been comfortable with somebody else telling me what to do - in any way.

There's a line in the picture where he snarls, 'Nobody tells me what to do.' That's exactly how I've felt all my life.