Walter Lippmann on Freedom of Speech and Public Opinion

„For in the absence of debate unrestricted utterance leads to the degradation of opinion. By a kind of Greshams law the more rational is overcome by the less rational, and the opinions that will prevail will be those which are held most ardently by those with the most passionate will. For that reason the freedom to speak can never be maintained merely by objecting to interference with the liberty of the press, of printing, of broadcasting, of the screen. It can be maintained only by promoting debate.“

Walter LippmannWalter Lippmann on freedom of speech, public opinion, and the importance of open debate for rational social judgment.
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Walter Lippmann was an American journalist and political commentator, known for his work on public opinion and political communication.

Walter Lippmann emphasizes the importance of open debate for the quality of public opinion and the protection of freedom of speech.


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Walter Lippmann quote about freedom of speech, debate, and public opinion

Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) was a prominent American journalist, media critic, and political commentator. He coined significant concepts in media and communication studies, particularly regarding the role of mass media in democracy. His book "Public Opinion" (1922) remains a classic in media criticism and political philosophy.

Quote by Prof. Rainer Mausfeld about the impact of corporate media on public debate and democracyCopyright © yoice.net – Quote Artwork
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"The public debating chamber is at the heart of democracy. However, it can only fulfill its function if it is intact in the sense you mentioned. Since the media constitute the public debate space in the first place, they must be designed in such a way that they do not distort it in favor of powerful interest groups. By their very nature, corporate media cannot perform such a task, as their integration into economic power structures almost inevitably makes them an instrument with which powerful economic lobby groups can covertly introduce themselves into the public debate." Prof. Rainer Mausfeld
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Quotation by Vladimir Lenin about freedom of speech and press emphasizing ideas over weaponsCopyright © yoice.net – Quote Artwork
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"Why should freedom of speech and freedom of press be allowed? Why should a government which is doing what it believes to be right allow itself to be criticized? It would not allow opposition by lethal weapons. Ideas are much more fatal things than guns. Why should any man be allowed to buy a printing press and disseminate pernicious opinions calculated to embarrass the government?" Vladimir Lenin
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Quote by Noam Chomsky about controlling opinion and obedienceCopyright © yoice.net – Quote Artwork
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"The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow a very lively debate within that spectrum – even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people a sense that there’s free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of debate." Noam Chomsky
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Quotation by William E. Borah on the importance of a free press and liberty of speech in democracyCopyright © yoice.net – Quote Artwork
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"Without an unfettered press, without liberty of speech, all of the outward forms and structures of free institutions are a sham, a pretense — the sheerest mockery. If the press is not free; if speech is not independent and untrammeled; if the mind is shackled or made impotent through fear, it makes no difference under what form of government you live, you are a subject and not a citizen" William E. Borah
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