The Right to Be Wrong

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.

“Sharp, accessible, and laced with keen humour, even as it tackles serious ground, The Right to Be Wrong makes a clear case for intellectual humility and independent thought. All while arguing that the freedom to be mistaken is essential if we hope to learn, grow, and live with one another in a divided world.”

“Robertson’s slim volume ... takes as its subject the cleavages — political, religious, ideological — that divide us into reactionary groups incapable of countenancing debate or dissent. … The ability, not to say the responsibility, to disagree is one of the key factors missing from our discourse and Robertson argues persuasively for its restoration.”

Ray Robertson is the author of nine novels, seven collections of non-fiction, and a book of poetry. He has been a finalist for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction and the Trillium Book Award, and long-listed for the Charles Taylor Prize. His work has been translated into several languages. Born and raised in Chatham, Ontario, he lives in Toronto.