Mastodawn

If we establish a standard of safe thinking, we will end up with no thinking at all. That is the only “safe” way, and that is, needless to say, the most precarious, dangerous, of all ways.

Henry Steele Commager (1902-1998) American historian, writer, activist
Essay (1949-11-05), “What Ideas Are Safe?” Saturday Review

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

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #commager #henrycommager #conformity #groupthink #idea #playitsafe #safety #thinking #thought #thoughtcontrol #unthinking

Commager, Henry Steele - Essay (1949-11-05), "What Ideas Are Safe?" Saturday Review | WIST Quotations

If we establish a standard of safe thinking, we will end up with no thinking at all. That is the only "safe" way, and that is, needless to say, the most precarious, dangerous, of all ways. Collected in Freedom and Order (1966).

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations Mar 9

A quotation from Henry Commager

We cannot have a society half slave and half free; nor can we have thought half slave and half free. If we create an atmosphere in which men fear to think independently, inquire fearlessly, express themselves freely, we will in the end create the kind of society in which men no longer care to think independently or to inquire fearlessly.

Henry Steele Commager (1902-1998) American historian, writer, activist
Essay (1949-11-05), “What Ideas Are Safe?” Saturday Review

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

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #henrycommager #fear #freeexpression #freedomofspeech #freedomofthought #freethinking #independence #inquiry #intellectualfreedom #oppression #questioning #thoughtcontrol

Steve Dustcircle 🌹Feb 3

Unfalsifiable Claims and Unaccountable Power: Why #Theocracy Requires #ThoughtControl

49 Pages Posted: 27 Jan 2026
Russell Bell

This paper examines the relationship between unfalsifiable #religious claims and #political authority, arguing that #theocratic #governance inherently requires thought #control.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6109467

Unfalsifiable Claims and Unaccountable Power: Why Theocracy Requires Thought Control

This paper examines the relationship between unfalsifiable religious claims and political authority, arguing that theocratic governance inherently requires thou

WIST Quotations Jan 6

A quotation from Eleanor Roosevelt

In the democracies of the world, the passion for freedom of speech and of thought is always accentuated when there is an effort anywhere to keep ideas away from people and to prevent them from making their own decisions. One of the best ways of enslaving a people is to keep them from education and thus make it impossible for them to understand what is going on in the world as a whole. […] The second way of enslaving a people is to suppress the sources of information, not only by burning books, but by controlling all the other ways in which ideas are transmitted.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) First Lady of the US (1933-45), politician, diplomat, activist
Column (1943-05-11), “My Day”

More about this quote: wist.info/roosevelt-eleanor/81…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #eleanorroosevelt #bookburning #education #freepress #freespeech #freedomofexpression #freedomofspeech #freedomofthepress #freedomofthought #information #media #oppression #thoughtcontrol #tyranny #understanding

Roosevelt, Eleanor - Column (1943-05-11), "My Day" | WIST Quotations

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Steve Dustcircle 🌹Jan 5

The Structural Necessity of #ThoughtControl: Why #Theocracy and #IntellectualFreedom Are #Logically Incompatible

This paper argues that #theocratic #governance and #intellectual #freedom are not merely in tension but logically incompatible.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5975597

The Structural Necessity of Thought Control: Why Theocracy and Intellectual Freedom Are Logically Incompatible

This paper argues that theocratic governance and intellectual freedom are not merely in tension but logically incompatible. The argument proceeds in three stage

Jimi Lend Oct 17

We dont't need En-Shittification
We don't need no #ThoughtControl

N-gated Hacker News Oct 2

Oh, look! 🎉 Yet another genius idea from the land of freedom, where the government now wants to dictate college ideology in exchange for cash. 🤔 Because nothing screams academic integrity like a little mandatory state-sponsored thought control! 🏫💸
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-sets-hiring-foreign-enrolment-terms-colleges-get-funding-advantage-2025-10-02/ #freedomofspeech #academicintegrity #thoughtcontrol #collegeideology #governmentoverreach #HackerNews #ngated

kctipton Sep 27

Texas Tech gender discussion edict spur fear, confusion | The Texas Tribune https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/26/texas-tech-university-system-transgender-identity-restrictions/ #texas #texastech #fascism #highered #transgender #education #thoughtcontrol

Texas Tech chancellor limits academic mentions of transgender and nonbinary identities at five universities

Advocacy groups say the new state law, presidential executive order and gubernatorial letter Tedd Mitchell cited do not prohibit classroom discussions of particular LGBTQ+ identities.

The Texas Tribune

WIST Quotations Has Moved!Aug 22, 2025

A quotation from George Orwell

There are people who are convinced of the wickedness both of armies and of police forces, but who are nevertheless much more intolerant and inquisitorial in outlook than the normal person who believes that it is necessary to use violence in certain circumstances. They will not say to somebody else, “Do this, that and the other or you will go to prison”, but they will, if they can, get inside his brain and dictate his thoughts for him in the minutest particulars.

George Orwell (1903-1950) English writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1947-03), “Lear, Tolstoy and the Fool,” Polemic Magazine, No. 7

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/orwell-george/78563/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #orwell #georgeorwell #selfrighteousness #armedforces #coercion #conformity #establishment #inquisition #intolerance #lawenforcement #mindcontrol #orthodoxy #police #thoughtcontrol #onetrueway

WIST Quotations Has Moved!Jun 20, 2025

A quotation from Robert Ingersoll

There can be nothing more utterly subversive of all that is really valuable than the suppression of honest thought. No man, worthy of the form he bears, will at the command of church or state solemnly repeat a creed his reason scorns.

Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899) American lawyer, agnostic, orator
Lecture (1873-12) “Individuality,” Chicago Free Religious Society

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/ingersoll-robert-gre…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #robertingersoll #honesty #honor #resistance #belief #compulsion #creed #freedomofconscience #freedomofreligion #freedomofthought #profession #religiousfreedom #subversion #suppression #thoughtcontrol #value #worthiness