Book Club: How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World

[TopHatFox]

Overview

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/How-Found-Freedom ... 0965603679

Synopsis: "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World is a Handbook for Personal Liberty — showing you how to use libertarian principles to make your life much freer right now. It presents a unique libertarian view of morality, government, society, and human nature. Part I identifies the mental traps that are so easy to fall into — traps that prevent you from being as free as you could be. Part II provides specific techniques you can use today to obtain greater freedom from government, from societal restrictions, and from business, personal, and family problems. Part III shows how to make necessary changes to a freer life right now."

--------------------------------------------------------

Review:

In high school/community college, I would often skip required but otherwise meaningless classes to go read by the river, or in my case, a man-made canal with an overlooking bench. I had already discovered ERE, and, while already riding my bike as main transport in a major city and talking about investments & 401ks with professors, I wanted to solidify the philosophy of going my own way irrelevant of the opinions of others.

Jacob pointed to How I Found Freedom in an Unfree world in a post, and there I went.

On the bench, I sat an angry and judgmental, but otherwise seeking and curious 17 year old. I was looking for an explanation to why the world was replete with people who went to school, went to compulsory 9-5 work, retired at 65, and ultimately died having lived a relatively conventional & likely uninteresting life. Browne's book provided those answers, and many more. He wrote about people falling into various traps that prevented them from doing what they really wanted in life; he wrote about greater freedom from the government via tax efficiency; greater freedom from emotional decisions by allowing a cool-off period; greater freedom from social expectations by placing more emphasis on what you care about, rather than what others care about; he even mentioned the idea of the freedom to explore non-exclusive relationships, something new to me at the time. All of these words on increasing freedom by thought, action, and being okay with standing out were powerful motivators to fuel my interest in ERE and to really start doing whatever I thought best at the time, and would think to be best in my future.

At the heart of the book, Browne encouraged the reader to take the direct alternative over the indirect alternative. In other words, riding a bicycle to work instead of writing a grievance to the governor about car grid-lock or increasing gas prices. This philosophy relates to us all on the ERE forums. I think many of us strive to do our best to maximize individual control, in everything from career, to money management, to unforeseen events that happen in our lives. We seek to accumulate our capital--average job/education or not--invest it well--self-taught or not--and retire well--social security or not. It is our goal to try our best to reach our goals via direct alternatives, even if there are systematic obstacles in the way. Browne sheds additional light on these often unnoticed constraints controlling our lives, and supplies additional strategies for us to liberate ourselves from them.

Because of these reasons, and if you haven't already, I would highly suggest that you read How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World. I think it will provide a lot of value in your life if you'd like to create your own path in a world that already has a path set for you. Determining which way to go is still up for you to decide, however.

--------------------------------------------------------

Discussion:

If you've already read How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World, feel free to discuss whatever you'd like about it with others on this post. Some suggested questions to bounce ideas off of:

1. Why did you choose to read this book?
2. What did it offer you once you read it? Anything you disagreed with?
3. How did it affect your relationship with other peers, perhaps ones who were constrained by many of the traps?
4. Who did this book make you want to become--did you change anything in your life after you read it?
5. When did you first read the book? What prompted the decision?

[Tyler9000]

Harry Browne has been very influential for me. His thoughtful libertarian message speaks to me, his investment advice (he invented the Permanent Portfolio) is truly insightful, and his manta of personal empowerment in How I Found Freedom helped push me over the edge to embrace ERE to its fullest.

I read this book about a year ago. I was about 4 months away from ultimately pulling the ERE ripcord (although I had not fully decided that at the time) and was on vacation in Oahu. Work was stressful at the time, I felt really indecisive and a bit anxious about next steps after reaching my FI goal, and was generally in a mental malaise. Especially with the relaxing backdrop of a sunny beach with no work in sight, the book was exactly the kick to the ass I needed at the time to stop complaining and start acting! I returned from vacation with a renewed sense of self-confidence and empowerment. Perhaps there would be a price to pay for quitting my job, but so what? The resulting freedom would be worth it.

Depending on the edition you read, you may come away with a rather negative opinion on his section about relationships. Or at least I did. While consistent with his philosophy of personal independence, the parts where he discusses marriage may seem rather cold and selfish at times. I have the 1997 edition that includes an afterword where he speaks of meeting his new wife Pamela and how his views on marriage evolved over the years. He definitely softened up a bit after finding the right woman. Perhaps that speaks to his idea of finding someone who is a great fit for you just as they (and you) are.

[Sere]

1. Why did you choose to read this book? / 5. When did you first read the book? What prompted the decision?
Thanks for choosing this book for discussion @Zalo. Like @Tyler9000, I first read this book on holiday (a few years ago), after finding it in the same place as yourself (ERE). How amazing to have found ERE so early though!
Prior to reading the book, I had been put off somewhat by some descriptions I read of it (and I cannot recall where now!) as a sort of “playboy” manifesto. I can see where this reputation comes from, however, it was a much better book than I expected on this basis. The version I read appears to be the revised one, and perhaps some of the basis of such descriptions was the type of content @Tyler9000 mentions, not mitigated by the afterword.

2. What did it offer you once you read it? Anything you disagreed with?
In my view, the main tools the book offers are the steps for building your code of conduct, evaluating your current life, and making a fresh start.
I’ve looked over the parts of the book I originally highlighted, and can’t find anything I particularly disagree with (it is quite possible, however, that this is simply due to me only highlighting the parts I liked!)
Before reading, I was primarily concerned about how the book might treat (romantic) relationships, and what the author's views on women might be given the descriptions I had heard of the book, however, overall, I found that Browne emphasised personal responsibility and reasonableness. At first, I was unsure about Browne’s choice to use all male pronouns (personally I prefer neutral “they/their/thiers” etc. when describing people in general despite the grammatical difficulties this sometimes causes, and I don’t consider using neutral forms simply “today’s fashions” as Browne describes it). However, I have to applaud Browne’s consistency in application. What irritates me is when authors use masculine pronouns everywhere except for when they want to talk about roles they view as specific to women. Browne, on the other hand, definitely sticks to his guns and uses “he/him/his” to refer to people of any sex: “If you want your lover to keep house for you, you’ll offer him enough to make it worth his while; you won’t expect him to do it because of a label attached to him, or because he should “give a little”.” (p. 144) (I raise this as an example because I don’t think Browne envisions himself as talking to a primarily female audience, nor a primarily gay audience, but even when he appears to be talking to the heterosexual male (I make this assumption here because of the comment about the “label” – I am pretty sure he is talking about the label “wife” here), he doesn’t waiver in his consistency of style).
I did find the book contained a rather limited understanding of conservation: “The entire issue of conservation has always seemed to be a strange one for me. I’ve never been able to figure out for whom we’re saving the irreplaceable resources. If we aren’t allowed to use them, then the next generation shouldn’t use them either, nor the one after that” (p. 86). However, a large part of that may be due to the time in which it was written, and shifting attitudes in what we consider important. It made me think about the difference between the underlying assumptions of “conservation” (i.e. that certain resources are limited and we need to save them) vs. “sustainability” (i.e. that certain resources are limited and/or harmful to use, and therefore we need to find new ways of reducing our dependence on them by finding alternatives/reducing our use).

3. How did it affect your relationship with other peers, perhaps ones who were constrained by many of the traps?
Actually, I shared a quote from this book on another forum today, in response to a poster’s experiences with people who think retirement even at the traditionally designated age has become impossible, and who refuse to believe otherwise: "I can explain my position - in case he wants to understand. But I don't have to convince him of anything. There are always new, and probably more appropriate, friends." I found this to be a very useful mindset.
Other quotes on the same theme:

• “An efficiently selfish person is sensitive to the needs and desires of others. But he doesn’t consider those desires to be demands upon him. Rather, he sees them as opportunities” (p. 43)
  “Joint efforts are possible. In fact, they’re necessary to increase standards of living. You can’t produce your own automobile from scratch… This problem is solved by what is called the specialization of labour.” (p. 45)
  “You can decide for yourself which of the people you meet have the most to offer you and develop relationships with them, based upon the compatible values between you.” (p. 21) At first, this sounded somewhat utilitarian, however, I think a rational reading of this sentiment leads to acknowledgement that a relationship that isn't mutually beneficial is wasting both of your time and potentially removing opportunities not only for you to find someone you get along with better, but also the other party to do the same. On this this theme, Browne says “If you wear a “socially acceptable” mask, those whom you seek will walk right by you. And those whom you do attract with the mask will only add to the pressure that you be something other than yourself.” (p. 125)
  Browne also says “If you’re not free now, it might be because you’ve been preoccupied with the people or institutions that you feel have restrained your freedom… those people and institutions are relatively powerless to stop you – once you decide how you will achieve your freedom.” (p. 10)
  And specifically on gifts, “The unselfishness concept is a merry-go-round that has no ultimate purpose. No one’s self-interest is enhanced by the continual relaying of gifts from one person to another to another” (p. 40) “…giving a gift can be a gratifying expression of the affection you feel for him. But, you’re in the trap if you do such things in order to appear unselfish” (p. 41)

4. Who did this book make you want to become--did you change anything in your life after you read it?
One of the central themes of this book that kept coming up over and over again in my mind was that of being the “sovereign authority” in your own life:
“It’s important to recognize that you are the final authority – whether or not you choose to be, whether or not you have the confidence to assume the role. The role is yours, regardless. You are the sovereign authority for your life.” (p. 106)
As someone who reads a lot, and attempts to make mental frameworks/latticeworks of the sort advocated by Charlie Munger as well as, I believe, Jacob, I found this similarly useful: “All the answers must come from you – not from a book or a lecture or a sermon. To assume that someone once wrote down the final answers for your morality is to assume that the writer stopped growing the day he wrote the code. Don’t treat him unfairly by thinking that he couldn’t have discovered more and increased his own understanding after he’d written the code. And don’t forget that what he wrote was based upon what he saw.” (p. 38)
Other quotes I noted:

• “…it’s commonly assumed that there can be free nations in a world that contains enslaved nations. Why, then, can’t there be free states within a nation that isn’t free? Or free towns within an unfree state? Most important, why can’t there be free individuals within unfree towns, states, or nations?” (p. 10)
  “Since no one has to produce what I want, I’m relieved and grateful when I find that the things I want are available. I feel fortunate that others have chosen to produce the things I’d like to have.” (p. 181)
  “There are three basic sources of information to tell you what you want most – past experiences, daydreams, and new experiences.” (p. 199)
  “But who made your life complicated? You did, of course. It wasn’t society, the economic system, the people you consider to be nuisances, your parents, or anyone else. Every complication in your life today is the result of something you’ve allowed to happen. You initiated it, or you consented to it, or you’ve allowed it to continue. You are where you are today because you’ve chosen to be there. And you can choose not to be there. You’ll have to pay for past mistakes, but no mistake warrants a life sentence.” (p. 218)

[SimpleLife]

His book, "Fail Safe Investing" was pretty dang good, I might just have to read this. Reminds me a lot of the principles of Dr. Wayne Dwyer in "Pulling Your Own Strings".

[7Wannabe5]

1) 5) I chose to read this book because recommended on other thread here as good resource for advice on dealing with the emotion of jealousy.

2) I found the author's suggestions for freedom within relationships very interesting because I have been in relationships that were very-close-but-no-cigar in alignment with his suggestions. I think his point that if a love relationship can't flourish under the very freedom-enhancing terms of the no-marriage-marriage it is very unlikely that it would succeed under more restrictive terms is quite true. OTOH, I think he glosses over the difficulties that might result from the almost inherently uneven power dynamic of a sub-landlord/tenant domestic contract. It has been my experience that there is almost as much need for constant negotiation in this sort of situation as when you are legally married and pooling funds. OTOH, it is much easier and cleaner when you end the relationship and you are more likely to exit right at the margin of feeling resentment rather than finding yourself drowning in a sunk-cost pool of it.

3) N/A thus far.

4) I am considering ending my 35 year run of serial monogamy and becoming poly-amorous due to the recent influence of reading this book right after watching a very good Catherine Deneuve film and thinking a bit about the Rule of 3 in perma-culture philosophy or systems theory in combination with the concept of anti-fragility. However, I understand making such a decision under these circumstances would likely be an instance of falling into one of the traps described in the book, such as Emotional or Group or Intellectual,so...?

Anyways, thanks for the recommendation and lock up your Grandpas!

[sky]

$55 used, I may check the library for this one.

[tonyedgecombe]

$55 used, I may check the library for this one.

There is a Kindle edition for about $9 on Amazon.

[Dragline]

1. Why did you choose to read this book? and 5. . When did you first read the book? What prompted the decision?

I read it a few years back, because it was cited in so many other things I have read. So I wanted to see what it was all about. I think I actually read Browne’s book about the Permanent Portfolio before I read this one.

2. What did it offer you once you read it? Anything you disagreed with?

This book is a mixture of (a) timeless wisdom and (b) a product of its times, with (c) an overlay of Austrian economics/modern libertarianism that is unnecessary to and clouds the core message.

(a) The timeless wisdom part is the simple idea that our satisfaction (happiness or meaning if you prefer), is not dictated by the world we live in and its conventions, but by our attitudes toward it and our individual choices. The idea of separating our personal world into things we can control and things we cannot, and concentrate on the former, is at the heart of ancient stoicism and factors into such more modern formulations as the Serenity Prayer.

But the idea of flouting cultural conventions and that governments are irrelevant is at the core of ancient Cynicism and belongs to Diogenes of Sinope (from wikipedia):

“Diogenes maintained that all the artificial growths of society were incompatible with happiness and that morality implies a return to the simplicity of nature. So great was his austerity and simplicity that the Stoics would later claim him to be a wise man or "sophos". In his words, "Humans have complicated every simple gift of the gods."[38] Although Socrates had previously identified himself as belonging to the world, rather than a city. Diogenes is credited with the first known use of the word "cosmopolitan". When he was asked where he came from, he replied, "I am a citizen of the world (cosmopolites)".[40] This was a radical claim in a world where a man's identity was intimately tied to his citizenship in a particular city state. An exile and an outcast, a man with no social identity, Diogenes made a mark on his contemporaries.

Diogenes had nothing but disdain for Plato and his abstract philosophy. Diogenes viewed Antisthenes as the true heir to Socrates, and shared his love of virtue and indifference to wealth,[42] together with a disdain for general opinion. Diogenes shared Socrates' belief that he could function as doctor to men's souls and improve them morally, while at the same time holding contempt for their obtuseness. Plato once described Diogenes as "a Socrates gone mad."

Diogenes taught by living example. He tried to demonstrate that wisdom and happiness belong to the man who is independent of society and that civilization is regressive. He scorned not only family and political social organization, but also property rights and reputation. He even rejected normal ideas about human decency. Diogenes is said to have eaten in the marketplace,[45] urinated on some people who insulted him,[46] defecated in the theatre,[47] and masturbated in public. When asked about his eating in public he said, "If taking breakfast is nothing out of place, then it is nothing out of place in the marketplace. But taking breakfast is nothing out of place, therefore it is nothing out of place to take breakfast in the marketplace." [48] On the indecency of him masturbating in public he would say, "If only it were as easy to banish hunger by rubbing my belly.”

Some of these ideas were re-popularized in the 19th century by the transcendentalists that Browne often quotes and references. Hence what he draws from Emerson:

“Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson (from “Self-Reliance” -- from which this book is largely derived)

“It is as impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself, as for a thing to be, and not to be, at the same time.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

And Thoreau:

“Most of the rest of the world will remain unfree during the rest of your life. Most people will continue to lead what Thoreau called “lives of quiet desperation”1[1] — paying high taxes, bowing to social pressures, working long hours with little to show for them, never having the time to do what they want to do, resigning themselves to loveless compromises that masquerade as marriages. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be your life.” Browne, Harry (2012-03-15). How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World (Kindle Locations 357-361).

“The individual becomes much less flexible and mobile, because he must deal with others before getting on with the task at hand. As Thoreau said, “The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”” Browne, Harry (2012-03-15). How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World (Kindle Locations 1196-1198).

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” — Henry David Thoreau [Aside – this is my favorite Thoreau quote. My mother hung it on my wall when I was a child as inspiration.]

And Whitman:

“What do you suppose will satisfy the soul, except to walk free and own no superior?” — Walt Whitman

“And nothing, not God, is greater to one than one’s self is.” — Walt Whitman

“O you and I what is it to us, what the rest do or think? What is all else to us, who have voided all but freedom and all but our own joy?” — Walt Whitman and Frederick Delius

The parallel here is quite interesting from an historical perspective if you are into the Strauss & Howe generational theories of history. Both Browne and the transcendentalists were writing in periods known as “Awakenings” where old cultural conventions are questioned and overturned.

Note that none of the foregoing is a product of or is necessarily related to modern libertarianism, except perhaps to the extent that libertarianism has incorporated these ideas.



Which leads to (b), that the book is also a product of its times. Living in the 1950s and 1960s was much different than today – so much different that it’s hard to imagine. Cultural norms were not only cultural norms, they were typically also legal dictates. Thus, for Browne, there was no “no fault divorce” law to terminate marriages in most places. It really did require permission from the state as he mentions, which had to be proved up with reasons that would satisfy a judge. Similarly, discrimination was legal both in the form of racial segregation and exclusions applying to all kinds of people and situations, including the exclusion of women from many colleges and most professional schools and the exclusion of jewish people from the most prominent law firms and clubs. Heck, you couldn’t even legally own gold in the US or marry outside your race in many places.

So what he was talking about was a lot more radical and even dangerous at the time, as you risked not only public disapproval, but also could be prosecuted.


As for (c), the economics and libertarian philosophy, it’s really kind of poorly presented – you’d be better off reading von Mises and Hazlitt for that sort of stuff. Couple of examples: First, much of this discussion is built on the fallacious assumption that there is something in the real world called the General Market, which is introduced as:

“Billions of exchanges take place daily, and they’re expressions of the desires of billions of human beings. If we could somehow add up all the desires of all individuals in a given area (or the whole world) and compare that with the products and services available, we would have the General Market.”

It’s obvious that this is just a theoretical construct, yet he assumes it as reality for the rest of the book. In fact, the world is filled with specialized markets in which actors are often limited in information and access. The General Market is magical thinking that was used by late 19th Century economists to build the first mathematical models.

Second, the theoretical idea that we’d be better off without any government at all is not borne out by what goes on in the real world. In places where governments are weak or non-existent, warlords or quasi-criminal organizations usually rule the day and private property is not legally protected, so all of the capital leaves. The lack of governmental protection for people and private property is a leading cause of keeping people in poverty. So the opposite of bad government is good government, not no government. To Browne’s credit, even he backs away from this position in the Afterword, along with reconsidering what he wrote about marriage.

The other thing I thought was that by going down this road, he was simply creating his own Randian Utopia Trap, which is endemic on the interwebs these days.

I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point – the political thought is a distraction to the main message.

The Epilogue actually snaps the reader back into the main message quite well, because it acknowledges that agreement with the author is unnecessary:

“We’ve come a long way, you and I, since we started in the first chapter. We’ve covered a great many matters and discussed a great many questions that affect your life. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve agreed with everything I’ve said — or even a large part of it. My main objective has been to get you thinking about yourself, to open up new avenues of freedom for you, to help you think of ways to use direct alternatives to build a better life for yourself. The important thing is that you take yourself more seriously, that you respect your own view of the world and make sure that it really is your view, not something you’ve been told. What I’ve said should never be considered to be the final answers to any of the questions raised — not even by me. For I’m growing daily. Today, I understand more about life and myself and my ways of living than I did when I began to write this book. There’s no way that anything I write could be guaranteed to be my last words on the subject. But that doesn’t alter the usefulness of the ideas. What I say is a means of stimulating you to find ideas and rules for yourself — rules you can live by because they come from you. So whether you agree or disagree is unimportant. It’s even unimportant if I’ve changed my mind about some point in the book since I wrote it. I don’t expect you to live by my code — anymore than I would live by someone else’s code. I only hope you can find a way of life that fits your unique nature, one that will bring you the freedom and happiness that life has to offer. Your life belongs wholly to you. Make it what you think it should be. Trust yourself. For you, your views are far more important than mine.”

Browne, Harry (2012-03-15). How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World (Kindle Locations 6228-6244). . Kindle Edition.

The power in the basic idea is that it does not matter if you agree with the author, and in fact you should go down your own path – your own “Different Drummer” if you will.

Indeed, the foregoing is almost straight out of Emerson’s essay “Self Reliance”, down to the recognition that one might and probably ought to change one’s mind in the future if one is actually continuing to think. Compare Browne with these passages from that work:

“These are the voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world. Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. Society is a joint-stock company, in which the members agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs.

Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world. I remember an answer which when quite young I was prompted to make to a valued adviser, who was wont to importune me with the dear old doctrines of the church. On my saying, What have I to do with the sacredness of traditions, if I live wholly from within? my friend suggested, — "But these impulses may be from below, not from above." I replied, "They do not seem to me to be such; but if I am the Devil's child, I will live then from the Devil." No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature. Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this; the only right is what is after my constitution, the only wrong what is against it. A man is to carry himself in the presence of all opposition, as if every thing were titular and ephemeral but he. I am ashamed to think how easily we capitulate to badges and names, to large societies and dead institutions."

And:

“The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or word, because the eyes of others have no other data for computing our orbit than our past acts, and we are loath to disappoint them.

But why should you keep your head over your shoulder? Why drag about this corpse of your memory, lest you contradict somewhat you have stated in this or that public place? Suppose you should contradict yourself; what then? It seems to be a rule of wisdom never to rely on your memory alone, scarcely even in acts of pure memory, but to bring the past for judgment into the thousand-eyed present, and live ever in a new day. In your metaphysics you have denied personality to the Deity: yet when the devout motions of the soul come, yield to them heart and life, though they should clothe God with shape and color. Leave your theory, as Joseph his coat in the hand of the harlot, and flee.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — 'Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.' — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.”

3. How did it affect your relationship with other peers, perhaps ones who were constrained by many of the traps?

It really didn’t, but I learned long ago that it is folly to attempt to control or teach others what they don’t care to learn. Most people would prefer to wallow in their own foolish consistencies or utopian traps.

“When you achieve freedom from the urge to control others, your life is truly your own — to make of it almost anything you might want. For you’re no longer burdened by the need to make others understand; your time is no longer regulated by plans that depend upon your persuasive powers or your ability to dominate situations.”

Also, I thought Browne is really not very good on relationships themselves – the parenting advice he gave was pretty god-awful for the most part. I felt sorry for his daughter. In some respects this book was an apologia for his failed family life.

4. Who did this book make you want to become--did you change anything in your life after you read it?

No, but it tended to confirm that my general approach to life is tried and true. Made me go back and read some more Emerson, which is always worthwhile.

I liked this reference to accepting uncertainty as well, since we live in an age where certainty seems expected:

“The desire for certainty can cause you to try to have an explanation for everything that happens. Many things that happen seem to defy explanation — at least at the time they happen. If so, accept that. If you think you have to have an explanation, you can devote a great deal of time and attention to finding the answer to something that may not be that important. Or, worse yet, you could be tempted to accept a rash explanation that isn’t true — and which could cause you to act foolishly in a later situation. For example, a man says, “I was fired from my job because the boss doesn’t like Jews; so I’ll never work for a Gentile again.” Or a woman says, “I was out dancing when my mother had a heart attack; so as long as she lives, I’ll never go dancing again.” Or “The Communists wanted that legislation and it passed; so there must be a conspiracy that I must devote my life to stopping.” Or “That no-talent actress became a star — she must have slept with the producers; so I have to choose between being promiscuous or not acting.””

[jacob]

1+2+3+4+5) I picked it up for $0.25 several years ago at a Salvation Army because of the Harry Browne name. I subsequently sold it for $26. I suppose I should have hung onto it given that it apparently sells for $55 now. Would have beat the market too, eh? My primary lesson was to give up on things I couldn’t change anyway although I think that lesson was more forcefully brought home to me by a friend(*) who kept saying “I don’t care” after every statement about the world acknowledging that he was powerless to change it anyway.

(*) Same dude who introduced me to motorcycle riding and AR15 shooting. Living in the present instead of the future, eh?

This [book] definitely but a damper on my desire to “fix stupid”. It didn’t completely fix this desire though as I still suffer from the delusion that stupid can be fixed. However, I credit this book towards spending a lot less effort on that attempt though. I care less that people disagree with facts. Let them be convinced by reality instead..

PS: I recently reread it and it didn't seem quite as profound as the first itme around. I totally get that the relationship parts where written during a time when the author had divorce on his mind. To me that illustrates the difference between readers who like to think that written words are some kind of "fixed truth" whereas to authors: their writings are just some point in time. Like, the ERE books is a timestamp of my understanding at age 35. Obviously it's changed subsequently. Lesson to readers: Just because it's printed, it ain't gospel. It's just some dude writing it down. He doesn't stop thinking after that.
PPS: I also gave it to DW (IstJ) to read. She found it a slog and said it didn't contain anything I wasn't already espousing.

[sky]

$55 used, I may check the library for this one.

There is a Kindle edition for about $9 on Amazon.

I found a torrent and am reading it now

[steveo73]

I've read and I liked it. It was a while ago though. I think he ended up married after stating that marriage was a dumb idea.

[7Wannabe5]

Yeah, there comes a moment in the life of many men where the desire to have a good woman available to accompany him to his next colonoscopy overcomes the fear of financial risk. There also comes a moment in the life of some women when they fear marriage due to the risk of incarceration for crime they are likely to commit if it ever again happens that they wake up in the morning and find a post-it note that says "Clean Me" attached to the coffee maker.

[cmonkey]

I decided to read How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World after finding the bookclub thread and so just finished reading it for the first time.

Overall, I found the book to be quite enjoyable and particularly liked the first section on traps that you can fall into. In fact I have identified quite a few that I have fallen into over the years, and some that I am even in now. Most interestingly though I identified a few that I have gotten out of (for the most part) on my own without actually identifying them as traps.

First off is the Box Trap, which I think is one of the most common from the sound of it. My stressful commute was a perfect example of that. I felt I had no other choice but to engage in it day after day and so I did for about 3 years, driving through busy metro traffic day after day all the while hating it. Deciding to engage the metro as my commute, I effectively opened the box and stepped into a larger (but overall freer) box. Both the DW and I have noticed how I have lost some weight (due to walking a lot more) have more muscle tone and look significantly healthier than I did before.

Second off is the Burning Issue Trap/Utopia Trap. For several years I engaged in this, thinking I had a duty to let people know about many of the political issues, environmental issues, etc... that are occuring in our world. This dovetails a bit with the Rights Trap since I was pretty concerned with government encroachment on the freedoms we enjoy in western culture. I gave this up voluntarily since it just didn't fit with who I was (the Identity Trap) and it was frankly just wearing me out and very frusterating when no one would listen. You just can't fix stupid as jacob stated.

I really liked this passage from pg 96.

No matter what social changes are made, human beings will continue to be different from one another. Any new order of things will be oppsed by many dissidents - just as you might oppose the old order now. The opponents of the new way will work to change it, and they'll be joined by others (previously unaffected and unnoticed) who are bothered by the new conditions.

You'll have to work just as hard to defend your changes as you did to bring them about. There won't be a stopping point where you can say the job is done and you can return to your private life to enjoy the blessings of freedom.

That came across to me as a very profound and obvious statement and really relieved me of any lingering thoughts on the subjects I had been passionate about. This was probably the passage that had the most impact on me while reading the book.

I can also feel that the Previous Investment Trap is playing a small role in our lives right now and might in the future. I talked with the DW about it last night and we both agreed on this. We have put a lot of work into our homestead (building soil, planting trees, making the house energy effiecient etc...) and really love it a lot. There are, however, quite a few things we don't enjoy. Number one is the amount of traffic in our area. Living by the main south routh out of the Quad Cities (a 4 lane highway which essentially is an Interstate highway in traffic volume) is VERY loud and is constantly driving us a little crazy. This background anxiety is not good for us at all. Couple this with being a bit too close to neighbors (most of which we share nothing in common with) and we don't feel like our love of privacy is being tended. We have planted hedging and put up fencing (to essentially make a Secret Garden) but its not quite enough with the drone of traffic, lawn mowers and weed whackers.

Once we are FIRE, we have talked about our desire to move to a better location, away from a metropolitan area, into a small town area or even go rural. However, our work and love of our homestead might hold us back for a while. This is something we will have to grapple with as a Previous Investment Trap.

I have also gotten more inspired to really embrace who I am as an individual and really focusing on what I am passionate about. Really embracing my introverted self and relish privacy and quiet and contemplation is something I feel I need to do more of and not embrace the extroverted dominated world we live in right now. Thus my decision not to share as much financial info in my journal.

Some negatives about the book include the feeling that is somewhat of a self-help book, although I have never read one and so could not comment on how similar it is to one. This is just the overall feeling I got. Also, I felt like a few more examples of solutions to the traps would be handy. I thought that he repeated himself a LOT throughout every chapter and I found myself going back and comparing sentences and finding them to be essentially word for word. I didn't really appreciate this, finding him almost playing the role of an overbearing coach or teacher saying "you can do it, you can do it" over and over again.

[KevinW]

1) After reading Browne's investing books and listening to his radio show, I wanted to check out some of his other writing.

2) The recurring themes are to focus on things you can control and ignore things you can't; and to take immediate pragmatic action to solve problems rather than leaving them unfixed or hoping for things to fix themselves. These are good ideas but I had already seen them, in more abstract terms, in reading on Stoic philosophy, Taoist philosophy, and the Direct Action political ethos. Browne is a good communicator and does a good job of conveying these ideas through simple and relatable language. But the ideas are not novel.

I didn't agree with his views on romantic relationships. But as others have said, his Epilogue recants some of that. And, one of the main points of the book is that Browne and I can agree to run our relationships differently and that is not a problem for anyone.

The Starting From Zero exercise is a gem. It's a great way to decide whether it's time to let something go.

[fiby41]

recently reread it and it didn't seem quite as profound as the first itme around.

Maybe you successfully internalized the message to the point it becomes 'obvious' second nature?

Happened to me with a list of tips book named '100 Money Saving Tips for Kids.'

[jacob]

@fiby41 - Absolutely.

[vexed87]

Lesson to readers: Just because it's printed, it ain't gospel. It's just some dude writing it down. He doesn't stop thinking after that.

So when is ERE 2.0 coming out?

[enigmaT120]

Lesson to readers: Just because it's printed, it ain't gospel. It's just some dude writing it down. He doesn't stop thinking after that.

So when is ERE 2.0 coming out?

If I understood him right, you are helping him write it.

[jennypenny]

I'm sorry, Zalo. I thought I posted my review before I went on vacation last month. I can’t find what I wrote, and today is the first chance I've had to rewrite it. I tried to reconstruct it as best I could (but assume the other review was brilliant ). I left out some things so as not to repeat what others have said.

----------

I’m free and happy because I accepted myself as I am and found a life that suits me — and it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I had thought it might be.

You can decide to be free. No one else has to be convinced — it requires only your decision and action.

-- Harry Browne, How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World


This was the first time I read How I Found Freedom. People talked about it when I first joined the forum, but I think I was a little cocky back then and thought I didn’t need it. Jacob’s ‘web’ and cohesive strategy were new to me, but the idea that I didn’t have to play by the rules wasn’t. After reading the book, however, I’ve discovered areas where I still try to do just that. I believed freedom was possible solely through financial and 'physical' independence. I never recognized how important emotional independence is to that freedom, and didn't attempt to shed all of the mental bonds that I should have. Some shedding has occurred naturally over the last few years as a result of hanging out with all of you in the ERE bring-your-own-coffee café. There are still some areas where I have a lot of work to do, though.

I almost gave up on the book after the first few chapters. Some of it seemed too basic for me. The male-centric view which Sere mentioned also grated a little. And as Dragline pointed out, some of the discussion about government and taxes is simply a product of the '70s and not really applicable. I'm glad I didn't put it down because I think the book is really good and some of the chapters (a few of which I'll mention) are worth the price of the book. I agree with KevinW about the value of the Starting from Zero approach. If you read nothing else, read that chapter (Chapter 30: A Fresh Start).

I hate to generalize, but I wonder if men and women have different struggles/issues with Browne’s concept of finding freedom. Do men struggle more with a need to provide or prove themselves? Or to support others in ways that are easier to measure (like financially)? I’m unfeminine, shall we say, but I still have that instinct to care for others and put their needs before my own. Most of the work I’ve done in my adult life has been in a supportive role, whether as a mother, wife, caretaker, editor, publishing assistant, etc. I’m always the person who has someone else’s back. I’m never out in front. Is that a female instinct? Or maybe it’s just me and I’m generalizing when I shouldn’t?


Instead of repeating what others have said, I’ll just mention a concept and three chapters that resonated with me.


The Cost of Freedom
I like Browne’s concept of ‘paying’ for mistakes or to get out of obligations. It goes beyond money to emotional ‘costs’ that can be weighed against the cost of retaining the obligation. In some situations it sounds a little mercenary, but I think that’s just a function of the format and tone. ERE can sound mercenary, too, when taken out of context. I think that model is much better than the normal objection to ERE that it requires too much 'sacrifice' as well as the overly-stoic ERE response to simply learn to live without. The 'payment' concept is emotionally neutral.

There are always prices. You pay them whether you change things or leave them alone. The price that gets you out of a bad situation is by far the least expensive one. It’s usually far less terrifying than it was when you let it scare you from a distance. Pay it. You have nothing to lose but your boxes. (Kindle 2530-2533)

As you look at items labeled bad, ask yourself, “Why am I continuing these activities?” If you answer, “Because they’re necessary,” get tough with yourself and demand to know why they can’t be eliminated. If it’s a box that you’re maintaining, find a price and pay your way out. (Kindle 5527-5529)

You are where you are today because you’ve chosen to be there. And you can choose not to be there. You’ll have to pay for past mistakes, but no mistake warrants a life sentence. You can telescope those payments into the short term and get rid of them quickly. (Kindle 5651-5654).



Chapter 17: Freedom from Social Restrictions
This chapter made me realize how far I still have to go to achieve the kind of freedom Browne is talking about. IRL, jennypenny is a very different person. I’m still frugal (and gruff and bawdy ), but I hide a lot of my interests and activities from the people around me. I don't just hide from the Botox Barbies in Stepford, either. I also hide from the people closest to me. It’s been a very lonely way to live for a very long time. Discovering ERE and finding this group has meant so much to me. Browne’s comments in this chapter explain at least some of the ‘why.’

I think that the first step in freeing yourself from social restrictions is the realization that there is no such thing as a “safe” code of conduct — one that would earn everyone’s approval. … So it’s necessary to decide whose approval is important to you. If you just assume that you must have the approval of those nearest to you, social restrictions will be a very real problem. (Kindle 3218-3223)

I’ve often heard someone say that if such people exist, he’s never seen them. But the problem is usually that he hasn’t looked in the right places, or that he’s given those people no chance to see him. If you want to find someone who is much like yourself in attitude, tastes, and interests, you have to look where such a person is likely to be found. And you can’t expect him to recognize you if you hide your identity behind a mask in order to get along with the people you’re with. (Kindle 3226-3230)

I think that many people hide their identity, tolerate restrictions, and remain in bad relationships because they’re afraid of being lonely. But I wonder what they mean by “lonely.” Aren’t they very lonely when they deal with people who don’t understand and appreciate them? I know I’d be lonely in such a situation. (Kindle 3252-3254)

Being yourself is actually a skill. It takes time to become thoroughly acquainted with yourself, to throw off a lifetime of pressures, to relax and accept what you see in yourself (no matter how it may conflict with social standards), and to learn to act in ways consistent with your nature. Advertising is a skill, too. It takes practice to learn how to advertise yourself. There are techniques to acquire and to practice until they become comfortable. (Kindle 3309-3313)

As I’ve indicated, far from cutting down your market, revealing yourself as you are increases your best market — whether you’re concerned about personal or business relationships. (Kindle 3337-3338)

Most social restrictions are self-inflicted. Your life is yours to live as you choose. If you give up what you want because of someone’s disapproval, you have only yourself to blame — because you made the choice; he didn’t. He told you what he wanted, but he has no power to enforce it. (Kindle 3365-3367)



Chapter 23: Freedom from Insecurity
I’ve always viewed freedom as being independent from others. In this chapter, Browne defines freedom in terms of security ... The three forms of security most often sought are financial security (the assurance that one will never be poor), intellectual security (the assurance that one is right in his beliefs), and emotional security (the assurance that one will always be loved). (Kindle 4413-4415) Browne also states that Security comes from your ability to deal with the world, not from a guarantee by someone else. When you know you’re capable of dealing with whatever comes, you have the only security the world has to offer. (Kindle 4419-4420) I took that too literally. I believed that if I could always pay my bills and feed and defend my family, I was “secure.” He takes it much further to include less tangible types of security. My definition of personal freedom and security was inadequate and probably unhealthy. I’m reexamining what makes me feel secure.

I understand Browne’s definition of financial security … My life is an adventure because I’m not vulnerable to someone else’s mistakes. I’m not depending upon someone to guarantee my income — someone who could fail. If I fail, it will be a simple matter to pay for my mistakes and move right on to better things. If I were to stake my future on someone else’s ability, I’d be constantly afraid that he might not do the right things — afraid that he might make a bad mistake but wouldn’t have the honesty to acknowledge and correct it. (Kindle 4471-4474)

Browne’s concept of intellectual security was interesting. It might explain why some people don’t ‘get’ ERE and are more comfortable at a lower level on the Wheaton scale … I’ve been saying that you are sovereign. You’re the absolute final judge of the worth of information you receive; you’re the one who decides every one of your actions; you’re the person who determines what is right and wrong for you. That’s the simple reality of it. But many people don’t want that responsibility — even though they can’t possibly discard it. And so they hope to be handed a ready-made philosophy of life. Such a person wants someone else to guarantee that he’s right — no matter what happens. You are responsible, because you will experience the consequences of your own acts, and those consequences are the final judge of whether you’ve been right or wrong. They provide a verdict from which there is no appeal. The insecure individual hopes somehow to bypass that verdict. He looks for a way to believe he’s right, no matter what consequences he experiences. (Kindle 4492-4500) Browne continues … Meanwhile, the individual who recognizes his own sovereignty considers the consequences of his actions to be the only standard of right and wrong. He knows that he’s capable of seeing those consequences and reacting to them as necessary. He can change any course of action that doesn’t work; he can handle change and surprises as they occur. He can deal with whatever comes. He would feel insecure only if he had to act in accordance with someone else’s judgment. He would be genuinely afraid if someone else’s decisions were determining his future. (Kindle 4524-4528)

For someone who comes across as emotionally stunted in some chapters (particularly the marriage and family ones), Browne understands emotional needs pretty well … The desire to be loved, to be understood and appreciated, is universal. Unfortunately, many people don’t feel they’re worthy of such benefits, and so they hope to have them guaranteed without having to earn them. They seek perpetual love and understanding by getting married, by joining groups, or by having children. (Kindle 4533-4535). I think where Browne goes wrong is in thinking that because many people choose to get married and have children for the wrong reasons, there aren’t good reasons to do both if that’s what one desires.

One bit of Browne’s advice that struck home is that … You have to earn anything you want in life — and emotional security is no exception. You earn it by living up to the standards that have meaning to you, finding other people who value those standards, and continuing to live up to those standards. There’s no final resting place — short of death — where you can stop having to earn what you want. If you’re loved now, you’ll continue to be loved only if you continue to satisfy the values of the person who loves you. (Kindle 4543-4547). Some of that is evident on the forum through our interactions and through personal journals. Living by your principles will help you find others like you and earn the respect of people close to you (even if they don’t necessarily agree with you). That will help with the loneliness and provide some of the emotional satisfaction we all crave. Conversely, we (ERE’s) need to respect and support the people with whom we’ve chosen to have relationships, even if their values are somewhat different. You’re free — free to choose among thousands of direct alternatives — free to choose the ones that can make you happiest. I don’t think you can really be free until you’re willing to let others be free. Only then are you relieved of that terrible responsibility for the way others act. (Kindle 6388-6391) Or we can choose to ‘pay the cost’ as discussed earlier, and terminate the relationship.



Chapter 26: Freedom from Pretense
This chapter was painful for me to read. As I said earlier, this forum is the only place I’ve opened up and allowed people to see who I really am. You’d be surprised how little people know about me IRL—even those close to me. I’m not only talking about weaknesses, either. I’m more open about my weaknesses than I am about my interests and talents. I’ve always seen it as self-protection and having a right to my privacy, but I can see after reading this chapter that in some ways it is deceptive. I did try to ‘come out’ to those closest to me after I discovered ERE but it didn’t go well. This chapter makes me think it’s worth trying again.

The real you has a lot more to offer the world than the lost-in-the-crowd façade that so many people try to assume. Who wants one more person whose identity is just like everyone else is trying to be? I’ve found that my most useful assets are many of the things I used to try to hide — my selfishness, my laziness, the ease with which I cry when I hear good music or see good drama. Those things have helped me find like-minded people who appreciate the same things. And those are the people I’ve always wanted to be with — not the ones for whom I’d have to suppress myself. … In the same way, if there is something about myself that makes me self-conscious, I examine it closely. I invariably discover that it’s either nothing to be self-conscious about or some minor trait that can be changed easily without changing what I am. (Kindle 5093-5104).

Honesty is displaying yourself to others as you really are. But, of course, you can’t be truthful about something you don’t know. And that’s why it’s so important to examine yourself, understand yourself, and accept yourself. Only when you know who you are can you honestly represent yourself to others. (Kindle 5105-5108)

The effort to prevent discovery of facts about yourself can be costly and draining. But it’s perhaps the easiest self-destructive habit one can practice. … Discovering myself and displaying that self has brought me countless benefits, valuable friends, a clean, uncluttered life, and a wide expanse of freedom that I didn’t even know existed until I tried being totally honest.

As I’ve said before, there may be more things depriving you of freedom than the particular restriction that prompted you to pick up this book. Freedom can be lost through many traps, boxes, and temptations. And what seems to be harmless dishonesty can turn out to be one of the greatest restrictions of all.

Dishonesty is a form of the Identity Trap. When you lie to someone, you’re falling for the temptation to think that you’ll be more attractive (and get more of what you want) if you appear to be something different from what you are.

Learn to trust your own nature, your own identity. Accept it, live it, reveal it. Don’t suppress it; don’t attempt to shade it with little lies and half-truths. When you do, you miss so much of life and the happiness that can be yours.

By being only what you are, you can awaken each morning to a new day that’s an opportunity to seek whatever you want — with no previous deceptions to get in your way. (Kindle 5120-5137)


Other passages I highlighted
A free person spends most of his time making positive decisions — choosing among attractive alternatives. Most people, however, spend most of their time making negative decisions — deciding which alternatives would be the least unpleasant, trying to keep things from getting worse. As time passes, such a person settles for less and less, believing that it isn’t possible to be free and profoundly happy. When you tell him there are ways to break out of the pattern, all he can see is that to do so would cause more unpleasantness. (Kindle 507-511)

There are undoubtedly many, many people with whom you have nothing in common. But there are also plenty of people who see things in much the same way you do. If you haven’t come in contact with them, it may be because you’ve unnecessarily confined yourself to those with whom you’ve been associating. And it may be that you haven’t discovered ways of finding the kinds of people who could add to your life, instead of detract from it. There’s no one in this world exactly like you. But there are undoubtedly people who want many of the same things you do, people who look at things in much the same way you do, and people who want what you have to offer. (Kindle 1760-1766)

In the meantime, recognize that the market you’re dealing with now is only a small part of the whole. Out there in the world are many different kinds of people. And among them are people you can work with, love with, associate with, make friends with. They are people to whom your ideas and ways and desires are the best possible. … Don’t be depressed by what others say about your freedom and happiness. They aren’t the whole world, and they don’t have all the answers. There is a better world to find when you’re free to look for it. (Kindle 1809-1818)

As I mentioned in Chapter 10, you’re often prevented from using an attractive alternative in one area because you’re restricted in another. When you’re no longer deep in debt or stifled for time by bad relationships, you can take advantage of the many alternatives available to get rid of high taxes and political repression. (Kindle 2521-2523)

Taking risks is an inherent part of life; it’s only dangerous when you act as though you’re not taking a risk. … There’s nothing wrong with taking a risk. The danger occurs when you don’t recognize that you’re taking one. (Kindle 2643-2648)

But what is most important, it is also you who will make the choices in the future. Whatever you did in the past, you did for the best reasons you knew at the time. But today, you have more alternatives to choose from. And tomorrow, you’ll have even more. There’s no reason why you have to repeat your choices of the past — unless they proved to be best for you. What you do from here on will be entirely up to you. (Kindle 2846-2850).

Do novel things. You may react in novel ways. Pay very serious attention to those reactions — they’re telling you who you are. Experiment in imagination — daydream. Experiment in fact — taste new experiences. Your imagination will have to be cultivated. It isn’t a machine that can be turned on like a television set. You have to develop the art of imagining what you could enjoy that isn’t in your life now. (Kindle 5184-5189)

What could be a greater example of responsibility than an individual who chooses for himself and is prepared to accept the consequences of his own choices? (Kindle 5483-5484)

When you find an attractive long-term goal, it’s easy to be induced to take on obligations that seem necessary to attain it. Unfortunately, however, years later the obligations may have turned into burdens — and the burdens can remain long after the goals have been reached or even discarded. (Kindle 5497-5498)

Freedom from the urge to control others has made my life more exciting than I could have imagined it could be nine years ago. But beyond that, there’s a further freedom that I seek, a freedom that can come only after losing the urge to control others. … I call this freedom from the urge to change yourself. I don’t feel I’ve fully earned this freedom, so there’s little more I can say about it. But I know that every step closer to it provides its own benefits. As with the other freedoms, it doesn’t have to be achieved in toto in order to be rewarding. (Kindle 6408-6421)

[Bolero222]

I'm a bit of a lurker but I noticed this thread and liked the sound of the book so I bought the Kindle version a few weeks back.
I must say, it's impressed me a lot. As someone who has struggled a bit with assertiveness in the past it cut close to the bone in many instances.
Like others have said, one of the best, if not necessarily new pointers is to focus on things you can control.
Key quote: "I've concentrated upon the things I control and used that control to remove the restrictions and complications from my life"
I suppose I had gotten into the trap of thinking if I was going to do something I'd better have a really good argument for it and be able to convince someone else it was the right thing to do. But it doesn't make sense when you think about it, other people have their own long and complicated lives, they aren't going to know what I know about the world and myself, why exactly do I have to be able to justify my actions to others? No matter how well I could argue, there are millions of reasons others won't be convinced.

The points about sunk costs are always useful to hear again. I'm only human and there are quite a few mistakes I've made in the past that can still make me red in the face, but it's totally illogical to allow them them to compromise enjoyment of the present. Especially when they've been analyzed to death and there is diminishing returns to any further analysis.

However, the absolute winner for me was the concept of the "price". I work in finance and consider myself to have a decent understanding of economics but I hadn't quite learned to think of prices when thinking about about non-monetary situations. But he's right. Key quote "However you handle an irritant, there's no reason to assume you have to endure it just because you've made a mistake." "Cultivate the art of looking for prices anytime you notice a discomfort".
This helped me a lot in realizing I need to move out (agian) and live alone without a room-mate. I don't enjoy living with other people, I've done it, I've even tried to change myself to get over it, I guess I was worried what people would think, how my friends would react. But those things are not reasons not to do something, they are just aspects to the cost. If you actually take the time to calculate all the costs (I think it's superior to typical pros/cons list), I've now have the list of costs, am I willing to pay the price? Yes. Done, let's get planning. All it really takes is contemplating these things AS costs to relieve them of their power.

Other favourite quotes for someone used to worrying about other peoples opinions
"There will be plenty of people to tell you that you must go along with things as they are, That you have no right to expect a happier, easier life. That there are people that have less than you do. But so what?"
"Realize that what they do is up to them. What you do is up to you."

I tend not to like justifying myself under questioning so this one was useful:
"Don't give up your dreams just because you can't answer every question yet. The only honest answer is that you're considering such matters now and you haven't resolved them yet. If you're not allowed to consider such things for yourself, you must be a slave."

And probably my favourite quote that will stick with me for a while
"Your success depends only upon your willingness to assert your freedom and to implement it"

I didn't agree with him regarding environmental issues, relationships or he's general libertarian "government intervention is always for the worst" and so on, but luckily they weren't' the core of the book and he freely admits his own life/opinions aren't going to apply to others.

Overall, I was very impressed with this book and the no-bullshit way he was able to word some of the identity problems we struggle with. Time will tell if the quotes continue to resonate with me but I did honestly need a big friendly slap on the back and someone just to say to me "Do it your own way mate".