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There are two good things in life - freedom of thought and freedom of action.
W. Somerset Maugham
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Freedom of thought and action are essential for a fulfilling life.

This quote emphasizes the importance of having both the ability to think independently and the freedom to act on one's thoughts. It suggests that true happiness and fulfillment in life come from the autonomy to make one's own decisions and to cultivate one's own ideas.

Themes

FreedomThoughtActionLifeWisdom

In practice

Example use cases

To inspire students, a teacher could say, 'There are two good things in life - freedom of thought and freedom of action.'

More from W. Somerset Maugham

The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic and self-complacent is erroneous; on the contrary it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant and kind.
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Are you sure you can prevent yourself from falling in love one of these days? Such things do happen, you know, even to the most prudent men.' Simon gave him a strange, one might even have thought a hostile, look. I should tear it out of my heart as I'd wrench out of my mouth a rotten tooth.
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I don't think of the past. The only thing that matters is the everlasting present.
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The world is quickly bored by the recital of misfortune, and willing avoids the sight of distress.
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There in the mist, enormous, majestic, silent and terrible, stood the Great Wall of China. Solitarily, with the indifference of nature herself, it crept up the mountain side and slipped down to the depth of the valley.
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