In Mary Wollstonecraft's Own Words
“I do not wish them to have power over men; but over themselves.”
— Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Wollstonecraft wrote this while arguing that women did not need dominion over others to be respected, only genuine self-possession and reason of their own. She was pushing back against a culture that measured a woman's worth by her influence over men rather than her own judgment. The line applies neatly to anyone outvoted at their own dinner table: real standing comes from within, not from winning the room.
Who Was Mary Wollstonecraft?
Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer, philosopher, and advocate for women's education and rational self-respect. Her 1792 work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman argued that women deserved reason and independence, not mere charm or deference. She supported herself as a governess, translator, and writer at a time when few women did so, and remains foundational to later feminist thought.
Try This Today
At your next family gathering, state your opinion exactly once, in a clear sentence, and then physically pass the dish to someone else. Do not restate it, qualify it, or laugh it off. Notice how it feels to let your words stand without chasing applause or agreement.
Your Turn
Whose approval are you really trying to win at that table, and what would change if you stopped seeking it?
Letters are composites written by the Lifted Words editors. Replies are written in the spirit of each thinker; the quote in the blue box is their own.