You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man's age-old dream -- the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order --or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path.

Summary

This quote, famously spoken by Ronald Reagan, emphasizes that the choice between left-wing and right-wing ideologies is superseded by a more fundamental distinction: the direction towards personal freedom or towards totalitarianism. It suggests that society should strive for maximum individual freedom within the context of maintaining order. Those who prioritize security and are willing to trade liberty for it are, according to Reagan, inadvertently heading down the dangerous path towards a society controlled by oppressive regimes, regardless of their genuine intentions or claims to promote human welfare.