“To spread healthy ideas among even the lowest classes of people, to remove men from the influence of prejudice and passion, to make reason the arbiter and supreme guide of public opinion; that is the essential goal of the sciences; that is how science will contribute to the advancement of civilization, and that is what deserves protection of governments who want to insure the stability of their power.” PeopleMenWantIdeasReasonGovernmentPassionGoalOpinionClassInfluenceCivilizationHealthyEssentialsDeservePrejudiceSpreadProtectionGuidesSupremeRemoveStabilityLowestPublic OpinionAdvancementArbiter Author:Georges Cuvier
“What a lot of people dont realize about gangs, in my opinion, is that a gang is not there to attack you. Eighty percent of the people in a gang are there to stop anyone from attacking them. You join a gang for protection, not to go out and hit someone.” PeopleRealizingOpinionPercentProtectionGangEightyAttacking Author:Michael Caine
“All ideas having even the slightest redeeming social importance - unorthodox ideas, controversial ideas, even ideas hateful to the prevailing climate of opinion, have the full protection of the guarantees [of the First Amendment].” FirstsIdeasReligionIndividualSocialJusticeOpinionImportanceConstitutionClimateProtectionGuaranteesAmendmentsFirst AmendmentHatefulControversialPrevailingIndividual RightsRedeemingUnorthodox Author:William J. Brennan
“A well-functioning democracy has a culture of free speech, not simply legal protection of free speech. It encourages independence of mind. It imparts a willingness to challenge prevailing opinion through both words and deeds. Equally important, it encourages a certain set of attitudes in listeners, one that gives a respectful hearing to those who do not embrace the conventional wisdom. In a culture of free speech, the attitude of listeners is no less important than that of speakers.” GivingMindWellsImportantCertainCultureChallengesAttitudeOpinionDemocracySpeechIndependenceEmbraceDeedsHearingProtectionWillingnessSpeakersFree SpeechConventionalListenersRespectfulImpartPrevailingDemocracies HaveConventional Wisdom Author:Cass Sunstein