[intopieces]

This article seems to praise people for not being "conventional minded," as if being unorthodox in itself is something to be cherished and rewarded. That is too low of a bar to clear. There are lots of opinions and viewpoints that are unorthodox for good reason -- because they are just bad ideas, or are factually untrue no matter how many times you argue it. It's as if PG is saying to us "Think Different," and just stopping there. What he should be saying is "Think Different, but be prepared to prove it," as well as "Be a little tolerant of people who are doing their best to prove it."

The problem is that, unless you're speaking to someone with whom you have a great deal of trust, that second part -- the earnestness of their unorthodoxy -- is difficult to prove.

[carlmr]

>reason -- because they are just bad ideas, or are factually untrue no matter how many times you argue it.

I think that's why he specifically said, uttering things that are unorthodox and true.

[intopieces]

To the earnest speaker, many abhorrent things are both unorthodox and true. So, I can’t see that as a uncontroversial qualifier itself.

[zrail]

"good/bad" is a different dimension than "true/untrue".

[djaque]

Absolutely agree with you. Sometimes your unorthodox opinion just sucks.

Also, was anybody else bracing themselves for what "unorthodox" was code for while reading? I think I'm so used to seeing this argument used in an attempt to justify stuff like blatant racism, antisemitism, etc. that I'm sort of conditioned to look for that.

By the way, not saying that's what's going on here, but it was just an interesting reaction I noticed in myself. Ironically, similar to what another commenter posted, the whole article is one of those things which is obviously true, but may completely miss the point depending on context.

[wauter]

I think that’s exactly the kind of subtle thing he is trying to capture in this essay: we read ‘unorthodox’ and we get ready, almost as a subconscious reflex, to dismiss whatever comes next as, like you put it, ‘blatant Xism’, or as Paul puts it, false.

Check your privilege ;)