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Permissiveness cannot sustain true liberty for long…

“Permissiveness cannot sustain true liberty for long. . . . In Sodom they probably had absolute free speech, but nothing worth saying! On the other hand, an otherwise permissive society, which tolerates almost everything, usually will not tolerate speech that challenges its iniquity. Evil is always…” quote by Neal A. Maxwell
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““Permissiveness cannot sustain true liberty for long. . . . In Sodom they probably had absolute free speech, but nothing worth saying! On the other hand, an otherwise permissive society, which tolerates almost everything, usually will not tolerate speech that challenges its iniquity. Evil is always intolerantly preoccupied with its own perpetuation.””

Neal A. Maxwell

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Unlimited permissiveness erodes true liberty; societies must limit harmful speech to protect genuine freedom.

In simple terms: Too much freedom can destroy freedom.

Key Takeaway

Balance liberty with responsibility.

Themes

freedom speech responsibility societal health

Mood

critical reflective

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

  • public discourse
  • media regulation
  • education
  • community standards

Key Concepts

political theory ethics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What speech should be limited to protect liberty?
  • How do we define “worth saying”?
A Different Perspective

Absolute tolerance can enable harmful ideas to dominate.

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