You Don't Own Me by Timothy Sandefur

You Don't Own Me

Individualism and the Culture of Liberty

Timothy Sandefur

Libertarianism.org · Print & ebook · November 11, 2025

The essays in You Don't Own Me: Individualism and the Culture of Liberty explore how the idea of individual freedom has shaped not only politics and economics but also the arts—from pop music to poetry, from “Star Trek” to the blues, and from Western novels to architecture The idea of individual liberty has had enormous influence in politics, economics, and religion, but its influence on the arts has also been immense.

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Who it’s for
Timothy Sandefur examines how personal freedom has shaped the arts in America and Europe.
Genres
Libertarianism, Civil Liberties, Political Writing
Published
Libertarianism.org, November 11, 2025

About this book

The essays in You Don't Own Me: Individualism and the Culture of Liberty explore how the idea of individual freedom has shaped not only politics and economics but also the arts—from pop music to poetry, from “Star Trek” to the blues, and from Western novels to architecture The idea of individual liberty has had enormous influence in politics, economics, and religion, but its influence on the arts has also been immense.

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From pop music to film—from the poetry of John Milton to Star Trek and the novels of Zora Neale Hurston—individualism has had a cultural impact both pervasive and profound. In You Don’t Own Me: Individualism and the Culture of Liberty, Timothy Sandefur examines how people in America and Europe have addressed the unique experience of personal freedom in movies, songs, and even architecture. “Individual self-sovereignty,” writes Sandefur, “has not only unleashed unprecedented economic and political progress. It has also given rise to a new kind of culture, one that celebrates autonomy and the freedom to make one’s own choices.”

Liberty in the Arts

Timothy Sandefur examines how personal freedom has shaped the arts in America and Europe.

Come here for

  • Individual freedom across pop music, poetry, film, and architecture
  • Examples ranging from John Milton and Star Trek to Zora Neale Hurston

Expect

  • Essays connecting individualism with politics, economics, religion, and culture
  • Discussion of songs, movies, novels, and architecture

Where it sits

Libertarianism58%
Political Writing29%
Civil Liberties24%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • 20th-Century America
  • Philosophy Writing
  • Libertarianism
Authors
Timothy Sandefur
Publisher
Libertarianism.org
Published
November 11, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
20th-Century America