Freedom Trade-off Quotes

To be frank, it sometimes seems that the American idea of freedom has more to do with my freedom to do what I want than your freedom to do what you want. I think that, in Europe, we're probably better at understanding how to balance those competing claims, though not a lot.

I'm astonished at how readily a great many people I know, young people, have accepted a reduced economic prospect and limited freedoms in any substantial sense, and basically traded them for being able to screw around online.

Men spend the best parts of their lives earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of it.

The liberty of the individual is no gift of civilization. It was greatest before there was any civilization.

You don't sacrifice your individuality; you sacrifice a lot of freedom.

Nobody's busting into YOUR apartment at three in the morning, are they? Well, then don't worry about what they're doing in South Korea and places like that. It's like the standard of living. Are you content to achieve your higher standard of living at the expense of people all over the world who've got a lower standard of living? Most Americans would say yes. Now we ask the question, are you content to enjoy your political freedom at the expense of people who are less free? I think they would also say yes.

I don't agree with the libertarians. I want my security first. I'll deal with all the details after that.

There are some things worth giving up anything for, even your freedom, and getting rid of your period is definitely one of them.

Having money has given me a certain freedom, but being in the public eye has taken away a lot.

The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.

To the frustrated, freedom from responsibility is more attractive than freedom from restraint. They are eager to barter their independence for relief from the burdens of willing, deciding and being responsible for inevitable failure. They willingly abdicate the directing of their lives to those who want to plan, command and shoulder all responsibility.

When 125,000 people are gathered together on 10 square miles of land they must of necessity give up certain of their liberties. It is a sacrifice they must make for the sake of the advantages of city life.

The very freedom we seek cannot be attained until we chain some of our exaggerated individuality.

To protect our freedoms, it seems we're going to have to relinquish some of our freedoms for a short period of time.