--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The freedom to entertain and express…" description: "\"“The freedom to entertain and express opinions, however offensive to others, has been regarded since Locke as the sine qua non of a free society. This”..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/roger-scruton-971_free-society_the-freedom-to-entertain-and-express-opi_690610.jpg" --- # The freedom to entertain and express opinions, however… ![“The freedom to entertain and express opinions, however offensive to others, has been regarded since Locke as the sine qua non of a free society. This” quote by Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/roger-scruton-971_free-society_the-freedom-to-entertain-and-express-opi_690610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/roger-scruton-971_free-society_the-freedom-to-entertain-and-express-opi_690610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/roger-scruton-971_free-society_the-freedom-to-entertain-and-express-opi_690610.jpg) > ““The freedom to entertain and express opinions, however offensive to others, has been regarded since Locke as the sine qua non of a free society. This”” [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom of speech is essential for a free society, even when it offends. **In simple terms:** Free speech is vital, even if offensive. Key Takeaway Protect speech despite discomfort. Themes freedom speech society rights offense Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - public debate - media commentary - academic discourse - online platforms Key Concepts liberalism political theory civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - How do we protect speech while limiting harm? - When should speech be restricted? A Different Perspective Balancing free speech with hate speech concerns is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Free society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-society/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ## Related quotes > [“It is not necessary or advantageous to give your opinion about everything to everyone. 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The decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-benefit-of-living-in-a-free-society-is-that-we-all-have-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [They who clamor loudest for freedom are often the ones least likely to be happy in a free society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/they-who-clamor-loudest-for-freedom-are-often-the-ones-least-likely/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Diversity of opinion within the framework of loyalty to our free society is not only basic to a university but to the entire nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryant-conant/diversity-of-opinion-within-the-framework-of-loyalty-to-our-free/) [James Bryant Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryant-conant/) > [We must make the building of a free society once more an intellectual adventure, a deed of courage… Unless we can make the philosophic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/we-must-make-the-building-of-a-free-society-once-more-an-intellectual/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Revolution will free society of its afflictions, while science will free the individual of his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/revolution-will-free-society-of-its-afflictions-while-science-will/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [In any free society, the conflict between social conformity and individual liberty is permanent, unresolvable, and necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/in-any-free-society-the-conflict-between-social-conformity-and/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [If our free society is to endure, those who govern must recognize human dignity and accept the enforcement of constitutional limitations on their power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-our-free-society-is-to-endure-those-who-govern-must-recognize/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [“A steady recognition that the evils which prevent the fullness of moral development are precisely the elements which are also the source of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/a-steady-recognition-that-the-evils-which-prevent-the-fullness-of/) [Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/) > [Few policies are more calculated to destroy the existing basis of a free society than the debauching of its currency. And few tasks, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/few-policies-are-more-calculated-to-destroy-the-existing-basis-of-a/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [“Talk about how various people have been “winners” in “the lottery of life” or have things that others don’t have just because they “happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/talk-about-how-various-people-have-been-winners-in-the-lottery-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Expect the rapidly expanding homeschooling movement to play a significant role in the revolutionary reforms needed to build a free society with Constitutional protections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/expect-the-rapidly-expanding-homeschooling-movement-to-play-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Satire must always accompany any free society. It is an absolute necessity. Even in the most repressive medieval kingdoms, they understood the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-randazzo/satire-must-always-accompany-any-free-society-it-is-an-absolute/) Joe Randazzo > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) ## More by Roger Scruton > [Beauty is vanishing from our world because we live as though it does not matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/beauty-is-vanishing-from-our-world-because-we-live-as-though-it-does/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“So conceived, the English police force served to emphasize a fundamental truth about the English law, which is that it exists not to control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/so-conceived-the-english-police-force-served-to-emphasize-a/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [My 2018 ended with a hate storm, in response to my appointment as chair of the government's Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/my-2018-ended-with-a-hate-storm-in-response-to-my-appointment-as/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I've never been an optimist, but that's fine because pessimists have the possibility of being agreeably surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-ve-never-been-an-optimist-but-that-s-fine-because-pessimists-have/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Unlike every other product that is now manufactured for the table, wine exists in as many varieties as there are people who produce it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/unlike-every-other-product-that-is-now-manufactured-for-the-table/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [The abstract, unreal freedom of the liberal intellect was really nothing more than childish disobedience, amplified into anarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-abstract-unreal-freedom-of-the-liberal-intellect-was-really/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I think we can all see the force of the idea that there are certain things that cannot be done to human beings –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-think-we-can-all-see-the-force-of-the-idea-that-there-are-certain/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [When art becomes merely shock value, our sense of humanity is slowly degraded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/when-art-becomes-merely-shock-value-our-sense-of-humanity-is-slowly/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Western democracies did not create the virtue of citizenship; on the contrary, they grew from it. Nothing is more evident in The Federalist than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/western-democracies-did-not-create-the-virtue-of-citizenship-on-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“If one looks back to the French Revolution, one sees just how easy it is for the doctrine of “human rights” to become an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/if-one-looks-back-to-the-french-revolution-one-sees-just-how-easy-it/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I say it was immediately apparent, but it was not apparent to the intellectual class, which has remained largely wedded to the post-war consensus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-say-it-was-immediately-apparent-but-it-was-not-apparent-to-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Conservatives hold on to things not only because they are attached to them, but also because they do not see the sense in radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/conservatives-hold-on-to-things-not-only-because-they-are-attached-to/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th century, as “the handmaiden of the sciences”:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/academic-philosophers-in-the-english-speaking-world-still-regard/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Delia Smith is, actually, my bete noire. I consider her a most pernicious influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/delia-smith-is-actually-my-bete-noire-i-consider-her-a-most/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Modern art was born from a desire to destroy kitsch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/modern-art-was-born-from-a-desire-to-destroy-kitsch/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) [Explore all 317 Roger Scruton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## More Free society quotes > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [The benefit of living in a free society is that we all have the choice to be rich, poor, or middle class. The decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-benefit-of-living-in-a-free-society-is-that-we-all-have-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Satire must always accompany any free society. It is an absolute necessity. Even in the most repressive medieval kingdoms, they understood the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-randazzo/satire-must-always-accompany-any-free-society-it-is-an-absolute/) Joe Randazzo > [Expect the rapidly expanding homeschooling movement to play a significant role in the revolutionary reforms needed to build a free society with Constitutional protections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/expect-the-rapidly-expanding-homeschooling-movement-to-play-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“Talk about how various people have been “winners” in “the lottery of life” or have things that others don’t have just because they “happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/talk-about-how-various-people-have-been-winners-in-the-lottery-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Few policies are more calculated to destroy the existing basis of a free society than the debauching of its currency. And few tasks, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/few-policies-are-more-calculated-to-destroy-the-existing-basis-of-a/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [“A steady recognition that the evils which prevent the fullness of moral development are precisely the elements which are also the source of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/a-steady-recognition-that-the-evils-which-prevent-the-fullness-of/) [Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/) > [If our free society is to endure, those who govern must recognize human dignity and accept the enforcement of constitutional limitations on their power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-our-free-society-is-to-endure-those-who-govern-must-recognize/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [In any free society, the conflict between social conformity and individual liberty is permanent, unresolvable, and necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/in-any-free-society-the-conflict-between-social-conformity-and/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [Revolution will free society of its afflictions, while science will free the individual of his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/revolution-will-free-society-of-its-afflictions-while-science-will/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [We must make the building of a free society once more an intellectual adventure, a deed of courage… Unless we can make the philosophic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/we-must-make-the-building-of-a-free-society-once-more-an-intellectual/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Diversity of opinion within the framework of loyalty to our free society is not only basic to a university but to the entire nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryant-conant/diversity-of-opinion-within-the-framework-of-loyalty-to-our-free/) [James Bryant Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryant-conant/) > [They who clamor loudest for freedom are often the ones least likely to be happy in a free society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/they-who-clamor-loudest-for-freedom-are-often-the-ones-least-likely/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“The issue is whether we want to live in a free society or whether we want to live under what amounts to a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-issue-is-whether-we-want-to-live-in-a-free-society-or-whether-we/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 387 Free society quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-society/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The freedom to entertain and express opinions, however offensive to others, has been regarded since Locke as the sine qua non of a free society. 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