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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I remember back in high school that the Phylosophy teacher told the class that On Liberty was such a summery book and that we all should read it. always wanted to do it and understand what he meant, so 6 summers late but I I have accomplished it
it's hard to say something about a philosopher's book without knowing more about their work. but in general from the book I take that individuality resulting from liberty is necessary for diversity, which is the foundation of progress
what I liked the most about this edition were the biographic introduction of Mill and the four final essays which present the limitations of On Liberty and build contemporary thoughts from them
it's hard to say something about a philosopher's book without knowing more about their work. but in general from the book I take that individuality resulting from liberty is necessary for diversity, which is the foundation of progress
what I liked the most about this edition were the biographic introduction of Mill and the four final essays which present the limitations of On Liberty and build contemporary thoughts from them
À mettre entre toutes les mains! Ce traité fait partie des textes fondamentaux sur lesquels sont fondés nos sociétés démocratiques et malgré sa petite taille contient tous les ingrédients nécessaires à la compréhension d'un système politique juste ainsi que pour distinguer les systèmes viables des systèmes chancelants - on y voit clairement qu'on n'a pas d'initiative privée et libre sans un État fort, et pas de libértés, sans résponsabilités. Quel bonheur de retrouver une fondation saine, même dans un livre, à notre époque des dérives libértaires associées des dérives autoritaires qui reduisent le public - censé de fournir cette initiative démocratique, à une masse d'enfants-barbares, à consoler par des bibelots et à contraindre par une surveillance omniprésente et constante et une conformité sociale renforcée.
Where to begin with this review?
First and foremost, On Liberty is not a lightweight read. It demands your full attention and every ounce of comprehension you can muster. Mill pushes deeper into the philosophy of personal liberty—and the tension between the free, autonomous individual and their place within society—than anything I’ve previously encountered.
This essay challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. It prompted me to consider perspectives I’d never taken the time to engage with, and, more than once, I found myself feeling ashamed. Mill holds up a mirror to the reader, and I saw reflected in it the micro-tyrannies that quietly reside in my own thinking. It was uncomfortable, but necessary.
I’d like to think this work would have had a profound effect on me had I been exposed to it at a younger age—maybe in grade school. But if I’m being honest, it’s a dense and heady piece of philosophy, and my adolescent mind might not have been fertile ground for its ideas. Still, I can’t help but wish that some portion of Mill’s thinking could be distilled into a digestible form and shared with young people today.
In an age where the slow creep of authoritarianism—yes, even tyrannicide—seems to be gathering speed, it would be good for the next generation to understand the value of personal liberty. Not just in theory, but as a principle worth standing for. Worth defending. Not just for ourselves, but for others, even those we may disagree with.
Mill’s On Liberty dovetails beautifully with the ideals found in the founding documents and letters of the American Revolution and Constitution. It is my hope that his work finds new life in our time and inspires a fresh, fiery fervor for liberty—an idea that seems increasingly treated as a novelty while so many of my countrymen inch toward authoritarian adoration and boot-licking complacency.
I was raised with the belief that liberty is a treasure. That in a free society, we must protect it—especially when it's challenged. Liberty, even (and especially) for our foes.
These ideas—presented with such clarity, elegance, and force by John Stuart Mill—are not just philosophical musings. They are foundational. They are essential. And they are paramount to the survival of any democratic constitutional republic. On Liberty should not be left on dusty shelves or reduced to a passing reference in academic circles. It should be elevated, embraced, and taught with the urgency it deserves.
Because liberty, once lost, is not easily reclaimed.
First and foremost, On Liberty is not a lightweight read. It demands your full attention and every ounce of comprehension you can muster. Mill pushes deeper into the philosophy of personal liberty—and the tension between the free, autonomous individual and their place within society—than anything I’ve previously encountered.
This essay challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. It prompted me to consider perspectives I’d never taken the time to engage with, and, more than once, I found myself feeling ashamed. Mill holds up a mirror to the reader, and I saw reflected in it the micro-tyrannies that quietly reside in my own thinking. It was uncomfortable, but necessary.
I’d like to think this work would have had a profound effect on me had I been exposed to it at a younger age—maybe in grade school. But if I’m being honest, it’s a dense and heady piece of philosophy, and my adolescent mind might not have been fertile ground for its ideas. Still, I can’t help but wish that some portion of Mill’s thinking could be distilled into a digestible form and shared with young people today.
In an age where the slow creep of authoritarianism—yes, even tyrannicide—seems to be gathering speed, it would be good for the next generation to understand the value of personal liberty. Not just in theory, but as a principle worth standing for. Worth defending. Not just for ourselves, but for others, even those we may disagree with.
Mill’s On Liberty dovetails beautifully with the ideals found in the founding documents and letters of the American Revolution and Constitution. It is my hope that his work finds new life in our time and inspires a fresh, fiery fervor for liberty—an idea that seems increasingly treated as a novelty while so many of my countrymen inch toward authoritarian adoration and boot-licking complacency.
I was raised with the belief that liberty is a treasure. That in a free society, we must protect it—especially when it's challenged. Liberty, even (and especially) for our foes.
These ideas—presented with such clarity, elegance, and force by John Stuart Mill—are not just philosophical musings. They are foundational. They are essential. And they are paramount to the survival of any democratic constitutional republic. On Liberty should not be left on dusty shelves or reduced to a passing reference in academic circles. It should be elevated, embraced, and taught with the urgency it deserves.
Because liberty, once lost, is not easily reclaimed.
informative
slow-paced
A seminal work on thought and practice for a liberal, enlightened democracy. There is much in ‘ on liberty’ I admire and there is a lot of naivety on the goodness of masses that, in the age of far right movements and social media shonen jump style echo chambers that mills could never have foreseen. This is still an amazing, thought provoking work that matters as much today as it did when it was written.
If Mill could be resurrected to play spokesmen, I think the libertarian party would have more followers than their current set of tinfoil-domed "birther" spokespeople have managed to draw.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Will need to read a physical copy to annotate and think more heavily about at some point.
challenging
informative
reflective
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced