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#freedomofthought — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #freedomofthought, aggregated by home.social.

  1. A quotation from Henry Commager

    The concept of loyalty as conformity is a false one. It is narrow and restrictive, denies freedom of thought and of conscience, and is irremediably stained by private and selfish considerations.

    Henry Steele Commager (1902–1998) American historian, writer, activist
    Essay (1947-09), “Who Is Loyal to America?” sec. 3, Harper’s Magazine, Vol. 195, No. 1168

    More about this quote: wist.info/commager-henry-steel…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #commager #henrycommager #conformity #freethought #freedomofconscience #freedomofthought #loyalty #onetrueway #orthodoxy #selfcenteredness #selfishness

  2. A quotation from E. B. White

    When liberty’s position is challenged, artists and writers are the ones who first take up the sword. They do so without persuasion, for the battle is peculiarly their own. In the nature of things, a person engaged in the flimsy business of expressing himself on paper is dependent on the large general privilege of being heard. Any intimation that this privilege may be revoked throws a writer into a panic. His is a double allegiance to freedom — an intellectual one springing from the conviction that pure thought has a right to function unimpeded, and a selfish one springing from his need, as a breadwinner, to be allowed to speak his piece.

    E. B. White (1899-1985) American author, critic, humorist [Elwyn Brooks White]
    Essay (1939-01), “One Man’s Meat,” Harper’s Magazine, Vol. 178

    More about this quote: wist.info/white-eb/84790/

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ebwhite #artist #censorship #control #freethought #freedomofexpression #freedomofthought #liberty #tyranny #writer

  3. A quotation from Adlai Stevenson

    And the freedom of the mind, my friends, has served America well. The vigor of our political life, our capacity for change, our cultural, scientific, and industrial achievements, all derive from free inquiry, from the free mind — from the imagination, resourcefulness, and daring of men who are not afraid of new ideas. Most all of us favor free enterprise for business. Let us also favor free enterprise for the mind. For, in the last analysis, we would fight to the death to protect it.

    Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965) American diplomat, statesman
    Speech (1952-08-27), “The Nature of Patriotism,” American Legion Convention, Madison Square Garden, New York City

    More about this quote: wist.info/stevenson-adlai-ewin…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #adlaistevenson #America #freeenterprise #freethought #freedom #freedomofthought #ideas #imagination #inquiry #marketplaceofideas

  4. A quotation from William Drummond

    He, who will not reason, is a bigot; he, who cannot, is a fool; and he, who dares not, is a slave.

    William Drummond of Logie-Almond (1770-1828) Scottish classical scholar, philosopher, diplomat, politician
    Academical Questions, Preface (1805)

    More about this quote: wist.info/drummond-william/273…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #williamdrummond #freethought #freedomofthought #meme #mindcontrol #reason #reasonability #reasoning #slavery #thinking #thought #tyranny #unreasoning

  5. A quotation from Adlai Stevenson

    The anatomy of patriotism is complex. But surely intolerance and public irresponsibility cannot be cloaked in the shining armor of rectitude and righteousness. Nor can the denial of the right to hold ideas that are different — the freedom of man to think as he pleases. To strike freedom of the mind with the fist of patriotism is an old and ugly subtlety.

    Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965) American diplomat, statesman
    Speech (1952-08-27), “The Nature of Patriotism,” American Legion Convention, Madison Square Garden, New York City

    More about this quote: wist.info/stevenson-adlai-ewin…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #adlaistevenson #prejudice #liberty #freethought #freedomofthought #ideas #intolerance #irresponsibility #opinions #patriotism

  6. A quotation from Thomas Carlyle

    No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, could ever compel the soul of a man to believe or to disbelieve: it is his own indefeasible light, that judgment of his; he will reign, and believe there, by the grace of God alone!

    Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
    Lecture (1840-05-15), “The Hero as Priest,” Home House, Portman Square, London

    More about this quote: wist.info/carlyle-thomas/6667/

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #thomascarlyle #belief #compulsion #force #freethought #freedomofreligion #freedomofthought #intolerance #judgment #orthodoxy #religiousfreedom #religiousintolerance #selfdirection #soul #theocracy