Rudyard Kipling Quote

"The individual has always had to struggle
to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is hard business.
If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened.
But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself."

by:	Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
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Categories:	Collectivist, Independence, Individualism, Responsibility, Sovereignty
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I can testify to the veracy of this. It's worth it, tho. The worst thing that happens is everyone thinks of you as an ass-hole!  -- Rick Zahniser, Ashdown, AR      3
5 stars!  -- nikki, h ton      2
You've got to have courage to be free.  -- Chicago      3
Beautiful, it inspires me to keep on going on the same path; like many other books and things have for me, not to mention my relentless stubborn Magyar outlook. Still, a fact for tyrants to fear.  -- Gölök Zoltán Leenderdt Franco Buday, Vancouver, GVRD(Paine Cnty), Coastal Lwr Mainland BC(State of Neo Sumer), U.S. of Eh!      2
People who think for themselves are a threat to the status quo.  -- E Archer, NYC      3
-- Logan, Memphis, TN
-- Joe, Rochester, MI
Goodness... I thought it took a villiage. A great test of any man / woman is whether they can endure liberty without turning it into license for depravity. There is an innate downward pull that always has to be reckoned into the equation. Few can endure such freedom... and the balance struck by our Founding Fathers is incrediby wise. As one said... "God will rule the affairs of men, or tyrants will."  -- MK, Houston, TX      2
I concur with MK of Houston. You might as well be your own man; you are so before the law. Remember the recent John Locke quote...every person must decide for himself whether to obey or rebel against the magistrate. You own yourself and your rights, in a sense, but you also own your responsibilities and the consequences of your actions. If you cross the line, and there are lines, you will pay the price. Freedom is not license to do as you please. And whether you know it or not, on some level you agree to obey God or the Devil.  -- David L. Rosenthal, Hollywood      2
Well, now there's a controversy for you! Kudos Ashdown!  -- Terry Berg, Occidental, CA      1
Well, now we know that you obey either God or the Devil. Thus you are absolved from shouldering the responsibility for setting your own direction. At least it's consistent.  -- Terry Berg, Occidental, CA      2
I won't ask for permission (for a license) from the government, I don't ask them to give even a moment when they say "allow". My own rights must be defended only by fighting against any tyranny. It "will be lonely often", but that is the price for freedom.  -- Noel Diotte, Redondo Beach, CA      2
BADASS  -- Carlos, Azusa, CA      1
ummm....actually, this is paraphrased from Friedrich Nietzsche...  -- Heather, Knoxville, TN
I think that Rudyard Kipling was a man with high ideals and healthy self-direction. I believe that he was able to discover that walking the line and it is not as narrow as one might think. His poetry shows us balance and justice in nature. His gentle nature would not have offended and he knew better than to dance with the Devil or evil, if you will. He waltzed with wise words that guide us today; to goodness and peace and non-judgement, you might say. I know nothing of his life but his poetry resounds through decades of praise and appraisal. His work has always given me courage and strength to allow life to blossom on it's own.  -- Anonymous, Toronto      1
I thought Nietzsche wrote that quote. I think this is an error.  -- Janey, Farmington, NM
I find the tribe becoming more hard core polarized in its defamation of absolute individualism. With that, I also see an awakening by many to the principles of liberty's self-sovereign expressions. Hope does burn eternal.  -- Mike, Norwalk
The true dignity of every individual resides in the singularity of his or her individuality. The American Ideal is that of a polity peopled by Sovereign Individuals. To the collectivist, human beings are little more than cattle/chattel, to be directed and disposed of according to the dictates of the requirements of the State.  -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill      1
The brave new world began, " When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins." Rudyard Kipling " The Gods of the Copybook Headings" " And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Rev 7:13 befitting for the day in due season, how sweet it is. Semper FI  -- Ronw13, 0regon
I wish I could post 10,000 Stars for this quote of Rudyard Kipling's.  -- Mary - MI      1
-- jim k, Austin
The independent individual has my full support.  -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

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