Original artwork, not a still
Political Essays · 1819
We are all of us more or less the slaves of opinion.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The speaker describes everyone as subject to opinion to some degree. Calling people slaves gives that influence a forceful, uncomfortable shape, while more or less allows differences in its strength. The remark questions independence of judgment by presenting dependence on others' views as widely shared.
Context reviewed
