The Right to Be Wrong

A vigorous defence of independent thinking in an increasingly conformist, intolerant, and fundamentalist world.

The allure of us-versus-them fundamentalism is not unique to any single political persuasion or ideological viewpoint. But what do we lose if we all lose the freedom to disagree and learn from our mistakes? The Right to Be Wrong is a vigorous defence of independent thinking in an increasingly intolerant world.

“Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies,” Nietzsche declared. Religious or secular, born-again Baptist or the recently woke — fundamentalism is not unique to any particular political persuasion nor is it exclusively political. To those in narrow-minded pursuit of ideological purity, their narrative is the only narrative, and any disagreement is tantamount to treason and punishable by censure, ostracism, or cancellation. But when did moral certainty and intellectual omniscience become compulsory? How does this increasing trend toward reactionary thinking and an intransigent, us-versus-them mentality change the way we engage with contemporary politics, public opinions, or art? What do we lose if we lose the freedom to disagree and learn from our mistakes?

Passionately argued, coolly critical, irreverently humorous, Ray Robertson’s The Right to Be Wrong is a vigorous defence of independent thinking in an increasingly polarized and ideationally intolerant society.