Controversial Ideas Quotes

The more unpopular an opinion is, the more necessary is it that the holder should be somewhat punctilious in his observance of conventionalities generally.

You don't do new things and try to change the system without generating debate.

My books have all generated controversy.

I don't think of 'heretic' as a pejorative term - necessarily.

Christopher Hitchens's autobiography, 'Hitch 22', is a poignant read and very interesting because I have a very poor knowledge of recent political history - or, for that matter, distant political history.

Controversial proposals, once accepted, soon become hallowed.

I wrote an article for Revolver and it was very offensive.

I allowed Rick Santorum to express views and ideas that the American people never would have had expressed.

[I wish no one ever asked me ] "Did you sign that petition implicating the Bush Administration in 9/11?" Because I never signed it, and I hate being vilified for a controversial idea I never espoused.

David Icke reminded me of Malcolm X.

As an artist you actually do have to make a choice to be an outsider. If you're an outsider you have the freedom to say what people on the inside don't dare to say.

I never have any idea how my opinions will be received, and more often than not I'm surprised when anything I say is controversial.

When 'The Bell Curve' came out, I'd have lectures with lots of people chanting and picketing with signs, but it was always within the confines of the event and I was eventually able to speak.

To suggest social action for the public good to the city London is like discussing The Origin of Species to a Bishop sixty years ago.

It is the freedom to blaspheme, to transgress, to move beyond the pale, that is at the heart of all intellectual, artistic and political endeavor. Far from censoring offensive speech, a vibrant and diverse society should encourage it. In any society that is not uniform, grey and homogeneous, there are bound to be clashes of viewpoints.

Heresy is only another word for freedom of thought.

A heretic is a man who sees with his own eyes.

I think that as I continue to write, my writing I hope will become more controversial and more provocative.

You can't have a university without having free speech, even though at times it makes us terribly uncomfortable. If students are not going to hear controversial ideas on college campuses, they're not going to hear them in America. I believe it's part of their education.

It's the same each time with progress. First they ignore you, then they say you're mad, then dangerous, then there's a pause and then you can't find anyone who disagrees with you.

Once I.D.W. folks saw that people like Ben Shapiro were generally smart, highly informed, and often princely in difficult conversations, it's more understandable that occasionally a few frogs got kissed here and there as some I.D.W. members went in search of other maligned princes.

I know my theories and findings are hard for you to accept because they are so original and extraordinary.

It is necessary for the welfare of society that genius should be privileged to utter sedition, to blaspheme, to outrage good taste, to corrupt the youthful mind, and generally to scandalize one's uncles.

Bob Barr is not crazy enough for my taste.