Lives based on having are less free than lives based either on doing or being. — William James

Lives based on having are less free than lives based either on doing or being.

Author: William James

Insight: We think freedom means acquiring more stuff, but it's backwards—possessions actually tie us down. Real freedom comes from skills you develop or the person you become, which no one can take away or repossess.

Source: The Varieties of Religious Experience, p. 365, 1902

/Quotes

Lives based on having are less free than lives based either on doing or being.

William JamesThe Varieties of Religious Experience, p. 365, 1902

Insight

We think freedom means acquiring more stuff, but it's backwards—possessions actually tie us down. Real freedom comes from skills you develop or the person you become, which no one can take away or repossess.

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William James

William James was an American philosopher and psychologist, often regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the "Father of American psychology," he was a pioneer in the development of pragmatism and his work explored the realms of consciousness, free will, and the nature of belief.

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