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Full Idea
The only way one man can exercise power over another is over his body and what is inferior to it, his possessions. You cannot impose anything on a free mind.
Gist of Idea
You can't control someone's free mind, only their body and possessions
Source
Boethius (The Consolations of Philosophy [c.520], II.VI)
Book Ref
Boethius: 'The Consolations of Philosophy', ed/tr. Watts,V.E. [Penguin 1969], p.70
A Reaction
Written, of course, in prison. Boethius had not met hypnotism, or mind-controlling drugs, or invasive brain surgery. He hadn't read '1984'. He hadn't seen 'The Ipcress File'. (In fact, he should have got out more…)
| 5754 | You can't control someone's free mind, only their body and possessions [Boethius] |
| 19939 | Government is oppressive if opinions can be crimes, because people can't give them up [Spinoza] |
| 19944 | Without liberty of thought there is no trust in the state, and corruption follows [Spinoza] |
| 19858 | No one should be molested for their opinions, if they do not disturb the established order [Mirabeau/committee] |
| 22972 | Bourgeois 'freedom of conscience' just tolerates all sorts of religious intolerance [Marx] |
| 21848 | Some lines (of flight) are becomings which escape the system [Deleuze] |