--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is the function of speech to free men…" description: "\"It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.\" — Louis D. Brandeis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/louis-d-brandeis-5049_assembly_it-is-the-function-of-speech-to-free-men_1980625.png" --- # It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage… ![“It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.” quote by Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/louis-d-brandeis-5049_assembly_it-is-the-function-of-speech-to-free-men_1980625.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/louis-d-brandeis-5049_assembly_it-is-the-function-of-speech-to-free-men_1980625.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/louis-d-brandeis-5049_assembly_it-is-the-function-of-speech-to-free-men_1980625.png) > “It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.” [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Speech should liberate people by challenging irrational fears that limit rational thought and action. **In simple terms:** Speech frees people from irrational fears. Key Takeaway Use speech to confront and dispel unfounded anxieties. Themes freedom reason communication Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political debates - public health campaigns - education reform Key Concepts rhetoric psychology social change Questions to Reflect On - What fears do we accept without questioning? - How can rhetoric responsibly challenge fear? A Different Perspective Overcoming deeply ingrained fears can be resistant to rational argument. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bondage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bondage/) [Censorship in books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship-in-books/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [First amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-amendment/) [Free man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-man/) [Free men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-men/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Freedom of assembly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-assembly/) [Freedom of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-speech/) [Freedom of thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-thought/) [Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury/) [Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational/) [Irrational fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational-fear/) [Limiting freedom of expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limiting-freedom-of-expression/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [Without free speech no search for Truth is possible; without free speech no discovery of Truth is useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/without-free-speech-no-search-for-truth-is-possible-without-free/) [Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/) > [Slavery tolerates no freedom of the press, no freedom of speech, no freedom of opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hinton-rowan-helper/slavery-tolerates-no-freedom-of-the-press-no-freedom-of-speech-no/) [Hinton Rowan Helper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hinton-rowan-helper/) > [We will not be led like sheep to the slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abba-kovner/we-will-not-be-led-like-sheep-to-the-slaughter/) Abba Kovner > [We have freedom of speech, but you got to watch what you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-freedom-of-speech-but-you-got-to-watch-what-you-say/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't have any irrational fears. 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It is quite another to succumb to resurrected irrational fears, especially of 'the other.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/it-is-one-thing-to-obey-a-government-order-it-is-quite-another-to/) [Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/) > [Any irrational fears?no, i'm quite a rationalist. i'm not superstitious, i think life is too full of natural wonders and logical complexities to worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/any-irrational-fears-no-i-m-quite-a-rationalist-i-m-not-superstitious/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [“I’m scared of losing you,” she said in the faintest of voices. I pushed her away so I could see her face and kissed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-m-scared-of-losing-you-she-said-in-the-faintest-of-voices-i-pushed/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [There is a time and a place for creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-redington-hewlett/there-is-a-time-and-a-place-for-creativity/) [William Redington Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-redington-hewlett/) ## More by Louis D. Brandeis > [Men feared witches and burned women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/men-feared-witches-and-burned-women/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [The goose that lays golden eggs has been considered a most valuable possession. But even more profitable is the privilege of taking the golden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/the-goose-that-lays-golden-eggs-has-been-considered-a-most-valuable/) [Louis D. 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Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [What I have desired to do is to make the people of Boston realize that the most important office, and the one which all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/what-i-have-desired-to-do-is-to-make-the-people-of-boston-realize/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/if-we-desire-respect-for-the-law-we-must-first-make-the-law/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [Fear of serious injury alone cannot justify oppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/fear-of-serious-injury-alone-cannot-justify-oppression-of-free-speech/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [I abhor averages. I like the individual case. A man may have six meals one day and none the next, making an average of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/i-abhor-averages-i-like-the-individual-case-a-man-may-have-six-meals/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [Organisation can never be a substitute for initiative and for judgement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/organisation-can-never-be-a-substitute-for-initiative-and-for/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [Let no American imagine that Zionism is inconsistent with patriotism. Multiple loyalties are objectionable only if they are inconsistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/let-no-american-imagine-that-zionism-is-inconsistent-with-patriotism/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [“The protection guaranteed by the Amendments is much broader in scope. The makers of our Constitution undertook to secure conditions favorable to the pursuit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/the-protection-guaranteed-by-the-amendments-is-much-broader-in-scope/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) [Explore all 104 Louis D. Brandeis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) ## More Assembly quotes > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [ Mac \[Barnett\] and I prank each other during our presentation. 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