Mark Van Doren Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"To be what no one ever was, to be what everyone has been:
Freedom is the mean of those extremes that fence all effort in."

by:	Mark Van Doren (1894-1972) Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, professor, and critic
Rating:
Categories:	Freedom, Individualism, Liberty, Self-Determination
	Tweet

Reader comments about this quote:

I don't know enough of the author's style to understand completely what is trying to be said. If I knew, I would probably give a higher rating. As a stand alone statement and, (?) as I understand the topic, I would state it very differently; for example; a natural law order supports freedom which, the whole thereof facilitates a desired coming to be. May that is what is meant ? -- Mike, Norwalk
" To be or not to be; that is the question; " Freedom , the ability to focus one's own will that fences all effort in. -- Ron w13, Or
Freedom does not lie in the 'mean' between the extremes, it includes the extremes and everything in between. Bear in mind that the freedom to do does not necessarily include the power or ability to do, which I would say fences all effort in. -- E Archer, NYC