The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.
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It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!
It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!
Every new opinion, at its starting, is precisely in a minority of one.
Every new opinion, at its starting, is precisely in a minority of one.
The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions.
The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions.
Make sure you have a different opinion and people will talk about you
Make sure you have a different opinion and people will talk about you
The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed, read more
The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed, in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a wide-spread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible
Men are only as loyal as their options.
Men are only as loyal as their options.
It requires ages to destroy a popular opinion
It requires ages to destroy a popular opinion
Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth or the only truth.
Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth or the only truth.
I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.
I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.
