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As soon as we cease to pry about at random, we shall come to rely upon accredited bodies of authoritative dogma; and as soon as we come to rely upon accredited bodies of authoritative dogma, not only are the days of our liberty over, but we have lost the password that has hitherto opened to us the gates of success as well.
Learned Hand
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote warns against blindly accepting established authority, suggesting it hinders personal freedom and success.

Learned Hand's quote addresses the danger of uncritical acceptance of authoritative dogma. It suggests that when individuals stop questioning and seeking knowledge independently, they lose not only their personal liberties but also the ability to achieve success, as they become reliant on external sources of authority that may not always have their best interests in mind.

Themes

AuthorityLibertySuccessKnowledgeIndependence

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about personal empowerment.

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What seems fair enough against a squalid huckster of bad liquor may take on a different face, if used by a government determined to suppress political opposition under the guise of sedition.
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The language of the law must not be foreign to the ears of those who are to obey it.
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I shall ask no more than that you agree with Dean Inge that even though counting heads is not an ideal way to govern, at least it is better than breaking them.
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What to an outsider will be no more than the vigorous presentation of a conviction, to an employee may be the manifestation of a determination which it is not safe to thwart.
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The spirit of liberty is the spirit of him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned ... .
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