You Don’t Own Me: Individualism and the Culture of Liberty

by Timothy Sandefur

The idea of individual liberty has had enormous influence in politics, economics, and religion, but its influence on the arts has also been immense. From pop music to films—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 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, literature, 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.”

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2025