Frederick Douglass Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"To educate a man is to unfit him to be a slave."

by:	Frederick Douglass [Frederick Baily] (1818-1895), escaped slave, Abolitionist, author, editor of the North Star and later the New National Era
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Categories:	Education, Knowledge, Slavery, Liberty, Freedom, Independence, Responsibility, Black
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-- Anonymous, Reston, VA US
"WHAT' the man is taught, is the qualifier to the above statement. To teach the failings of socialism/fascism, and implement those failings in new packages, over and over again, expecting a different result, is a slave's education. -- Mike, Norwalk 9 1
Of course, the statement can be perverted to represent today's situation -- 'to indoctrinate a man is to make him fit to be a slave.' -- E Archer, NYC 6
There are millions of educated slaves. -- David L. Rosenthal, Hollywood 4 1
E Archer was correct in making the fine line (that a truck could drive through) distinction between indoctrination and education. There are millions of indoctrinated slaves with fewer than that educated free men. -- Mike, Norwalk 4
I belive that is a strong uplifting statement. If teenagers would make up their minds and make the right decisions, then we would all experience change. -- Billy Couldron, Loutiwissee 4
Education allows you to see. Then its up to you whether you wanna remain a slave or not. Will you apply the Knowledge or will you continue to close your eyes? -- Alex T., Knoxville, TN. 4
when you are not educated then you do not know any different. As a slave you have no reason for education and you might be one of the few like frederick that begins to understand that what is being done to him is wrong.. but not every one does that -- Anonymous, magflosa 2
when you are not educated then you do not know any different. As a slave you have no reason for education and you might be one of the few like frederick that begins to understand that what is being done to him is wrong.. but not every one does that I belive that is a strong uplifting statement. If teenagers would make up their minds and make the right decisions, then we would all experience change. Education allows you to see. Then its up to you whether you wanna remain a slave or not. Will you apply the Knowledge or will you continue to close your eyes? -- phillip r., rayville,La 2
Teenager here, "Mises Law 08. No person does anything unless they thought it would increase their satisfaction." Every person acts to gain satisfaction, whether there act be self serving or for the greater good. With teenagers, with the entire U.S. even. Many see that self gain will give them the greatest satisfaction. As for an education preparing someone to be a slave, that CAN be true but the end choice is the students. Outside circumstances can only do so much to influence someones direction in life. No matter how good the education the choice to use it remains with the student, if they choose not to use it. They become a slave to those who use it against them in this dangerous world. -- JoW, Utah 2 1
-- Anonymous
-- Erica, Grovetown
-- Anonymous, idk
education education education -- T, MD
i love frederick douglass he is the greatest man ever -- calvin robinson, savege 1
A smart slave can do more things.. -- Jon, New York 1
The ablilty to read and write can open ones mind to great possiblities. -- wayne, naples
Depends on what he is being educated "for". -- J Carlton, Calgary 2
All the more reason to promote affordable education. -- Johann Hollar, St Paul, Minnesota
Thinking and then choosing is what freedom is all about. In some southern cities it was illegal (I mean really it was on the books) for a salve to think.The more education there is the more thinking and choosing people can do. -- Waffler, Smith
Douglass' dictum is plausible, but nothing more than that. I submit that it becomes more plausible if it is elaborated as follows. "To educate a child (not "a man"!) is to teach him obedience. This is because freedom is responsibility, because responsibility implies obedience to one's self and because the capacity to obey is not inborn. Since only their parents have rightful authority over their offspring, it is the parents who must shoulder this task. By forcing (yes, forcing) their children to be obedient to their, external, authority, the parents prepare them for obedience to their own, internal, authority, and thus for individual freedom. If parents shy away from this task, as they have been indoctrinated to do for the past half century, their children will likely remain as dependent as they were at birth. They will remain slaves, first to their needs and their passions, later to their peers and to fashion, and whatever else prevails. And the public (!) schools will take it from there. They will mould them to become citizens of the New World Order, who are actually unquestioning, uncritical and unfree, but have been taught to believe themselves the opposite." In other words, if we want freedom rather than slavery, we should reclaim our educational responsibility as parents AND abolish the public schools. Knowing something about Frederick Douglass, however, I doubt very much if this is what he meant. -- Koen de Groot, Amsterdam, Netherlands
-- DENNIS KOLB, WARRENTON
Now children require Education, Not indoctrination of secular humanist perennialism. Which is contrary to our Founding principles and doctrines of Liberty and Freedom at natural law. There is a rise of " one nation conservative " favoring " Paternalism " through government intervention for the sake of what is Presumed to be good for the person or group. This of course at the point of a gun. Break the chains that bind, through education freedom is realized. Another fan of Epictetus who was also a born slave in AD 50. "If thou will be free, choose it rather". Apostle Paul, a Freeborn Roman. -- Ronw13, Oregon 1
Specifically, an uneducated individual would be displaying their status by the enslavement of others while the educated individual would be justifying their competent educational status by demonstrating no desire or motivation to enslave. Socialism is the challenge of social abilities to create freedom. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown
No one is fit to be a slave. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown
Sillik, I agree with your statement, "No one is fit to be a slave" Socialism IS slavery, NOT freedom. Your circular word salad promotes slavery (socialism) that is antithetical to freedom. Socialism is an absolute challenge to freedom. Freedom is not created, it is a natural consequence of an individual's expression through nature's law. Out of one side of your mouth you paraphrase Hitler's social abilities while out of the other side of your mouth you promote Lenin's "a lie told often enough becomes the truth" - when you falsely attempt to conceal your goals by speaking of individual freedom. -- Mike, Norwalk 1
-Sigh- Fred, your incessant parroting of your tired motto makes it no less fraudulent. It is not even logically or grammatically correct. Socialism is not a "challenge", it is a political ideology. There is no such thing as a "social ability." Where is "freedom" in a socialist country? Can you criticize 'authorities' or refuse government mandates? What rights are inviolate with a socialist government? What is not subject to vote? Socialism imposes many obligations upon the people that they have no power to resist. This is not freedom but a form of authoritarianism. A republican form of government founded upon the inalienable rights of the people is the only protection of freedom. The challenge of socialism is to lay claim to that which belongs to the people individually and in concert without resistance. The primary tool for such a 'revolution' is to twist truth into error and lies into gospel, the questioning of which is heresy — a statist theocracy indeed. (Thanks, Mike!) -- E Archer, NYC 1
Mr. Archer, "No such thing as a social ability?" I would be careful about this revealing personality trait self disclosure. I personally have improved my abilities to communicate and understand my human essence and the ability to express myself in that essence. I've learned more to empathize and sympathize with my fellows. My empathy, sympathy, messaging abilities have moved forward significantly. And I admit I have lots of room for improvement, infinite. Socialism, in the final analysis, is the challenge to find our fundamental traits as a socially connected adult responsible individual, to find our humanity, the ultimate challenge. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown
Mike, Norwalk, the reason Socialism may appear a threat to freedom is because of the freedoms you involk. We can't allow you your continued interests of kill, crush, and destroy. These "freedoms" are not allowed for the development of the being we call human. Humans are creative, constructive, and caring. Only with the socially instilled abilities promoted to optimum levels will these attributes be fully appreciated. The social being satisfactorily realized is the goal. Only through this realization can we attain the aforementioned abilities, and I call it Socialism. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 1
Sillik, your stupid word salad would almost be funny if it wasn't so sad. It is very sad when you pass your own attributes (socialism) off on to innocent others and them condemn them for what you do (socialism kills, crushes and destroys freedom, is life degenerating, is anti-economy, is detrimental to positive development and is contrary to all that is noble within the genus man). You once lied about never saying anything you can't prove. Please prove how I kill, crush and destroy freedom. -- Mike, Norwalk

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