“The taboos that I have mentioned are extraordinarily harsh and numerous. They stand around nearly every subject that is genuinely important to man: they hedge in free opinion and experimentation on all sides. Consider, for example, the matter of religion. It is debated freely and furiously in almost every country in the world save the United States, but here the critic is silenced. The result is that all religions are equally safeguarded against criticism, and that all of them lose vitality. We protect the status quo, and so make steady war upon revision and improvement.” MenWorldImportantWarCountryMatterStatesSidesLosesUnitedResultsOpinionUnited StatesAtheismSubjectsExampleProtectCriticismCriticsPositive AtheismImprovementSteadyHarshStatus QuoVitalityTabooExperimentationRevisionFree Opinion Author:H. L. Mencken
“Public opinion actually applauds the young woman venturing into the business world, but it still obstinately (and quite illogically) protects the young man in his sacred right to know nothing of housework.” KnowsMenWorldStillsYoungBusinessOpinionProtectSacredYoung ManYoung WomenPublic OpinionHouseworkBusiness World Book:Crystal Eastman on women and revolution Source: Crystal Eastman on women and revolution
“I call that mind free which protects itself against the usurpations of society, and which does not cower to human opinion: Which refuses to be the slave or tool of the many or of the few, and guards its empire over itself as nobler than the empire of the world.” WorldMindHumansDoeOpinionProtectToolsSlaveRefuseEmpiresOver ItUsurpationMind FreeTruth Seekers Author:William Ellery Channing