Even though we know freedom as an idea we’re not really as free as we think we are.

Meaning of the quote

The quote suggests that even though we understand the idea of freedom, we may not actually be as free as we believe. In other words, there are often limits or restrictions on our freedom, even if we can't always see them. The quote encourages us to think more deeply about the true nature of our freedom and the factors that might be influencing it.

About Richard O’Brien

Richard O’Brien is a multi-talented British-New Zealander who is best known for creating the iconic musical The Rocky Horror Show and its film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He has also had an extensive acting career, hosting the game show The Crystal Maze, and providing the voice of Lawrence Fletcher in the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb.

More about the author

More quotes from Richard O’Brien

Even though we know freedom as an idea we’re not really as free as we think we are.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

Well, when you do something like Rocky which is indefinable somehow, it always becomes difficult to lose that.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I’m not driven by money and I’m not driven by career.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

We were a Western civilisation, an English speaking civilisation, both NZ and Australia, and we had all these influences coming from both Great Britain and America to us; sending us their culture in the shape and form of movies and television.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I’m one of those people who never really joined the grown-ups.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

Life’s too short to be working with divas.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I am 58 and it’s difficult for people to gauge my age.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

There’s something about shadows because you make your own mind up about what’s lurking in them.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

With the film around for 25 years and the show being around even longer – still running and continuing to fill house all around the word – it’s really an exciting and wonderful thing to be part of that.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

To play a role where you get to reveal intellectual change is wonderful.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

Well, no. I was getting into trouble messing around with it for roles. So one night I went home, cut it down with a pair of scissors and then got in the bath and shaved it all off. I’ve never looked back.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

However, there’s three reasons for doing things in this particular world. One is love, one is prestige and the other’s money. If you get all three together, that’s fine.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I would have loved to have been in The Stand. I would also loved to have been in The Mask.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I have done every job in the Theatre apart from wardrobe. I was out of work more times than I was in it.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I do like to be creative and I’m very lucky that I’ve been given different areas in which I’m able to do that – whether it be film or television or theatre or whatever. I’m also still into music and recording.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

The fact that someone came forward and offered $1.25 million to make a movie was astonishing. We were also allowed to keep many of the original stage cast.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

The first movie I appeared in was Carry On Cowboy, though not as an actor. I was just riding horses.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

So all the rest is O.K., but fame is a hollow ground, isn’t it? It’s an empty kind of thing.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I paid my dues at drama school and worked backstage in every Theatre in London.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

It is difficult to go on the next night after you receive a sandbagging.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I absolutely adore working in the realms of fantasy.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I’ve been cushioned against having to work, with Rocky’s continual bounty.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

Not that I have any interest in saying goodbye to Rocky. I absolutely adore being involved and a part of something that is really a phenomenon.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

There is always an audience for different individuals, but critics sometimes stop the audience finding the show and the show finding the audience.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I never wanted to be aligned to a mature group because they go off and become politicians and stuff.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

Writers never get a very good deal in Hollywood.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I’m surrounded by it. I have so many lovely people around me who are supportive, gentle, kind and considerate. I’m so grateful for every day that I’m on the planet and that continues to be so.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

Yes, but I think the big thing for everyone is to wear what they want and what suits them.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I’ve never wanted to play bank managers and real people particularly.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter

I’ve never been driven by fame or money or anything like that. It’s never been part of my psyche.

Richard O’Brien

English actor, writer, musician, and television presenter