"Man is free; yet we must not suppose that he is at liberty to do everything he pleases, for he becomes a slave the moment he allows his actions to be ruled by passion"
- Giacomo Casanova
About this Quote
In this quote, Giacomo Casanova is highlighting the idea of flexibility and its limitations. He states that male is inherently free, but this liberty does not provide him the right to do whatever he desires. Casanova argues that when an individual permits their actions to be managed by their passions, they end up being a slave to those enthusiasms. This suggests that true freedom originates from having the ability to manage one's impulses and not being ruled by them. Casanova's words function as a suggestion that while we may have the flexibility to choose, we must also be responsible for the repercussions of those options.