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About this quote

What does it mean?
The primary threat to society is not specific ideas but the lack of critical thinking and intellectual engagement.
In plain terms
The real risk is when people stop thinking critically.
What can you take from it?
Critical thinking is essential to avoid societal dangers.

Where it applies

  • public discourse
  • education
  • media consumption

Putting it to work

  • encourage debate
  • promote literacy
  • question assumptions

Questions to consider

  • How do we foster thought?
  • What happens when thought disappears?

Another view

Some specific ideas can still be harmful regardless of general thought levels.

More from Henry Steele Commager

  1. 'Censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates in the end the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion.'

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  2. 'The Bill of Rights was not written to protect governments from trouble. It was written precisely to give the people the constitutional means to cause trouble …

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  3. 'Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change. Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants a…

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