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Really Dangerous Ideas
The inspiration for this book of essays came from the Festival of Dangerous Ideas (FODI). The Sydney Opera House and the St James Ethics Centre have hosted FODI for four years. Although the organisers try to canvass ideas that appeal across the political spectrum, they are about as balanced as the ABC1 television's Q&A and as subtle as, 'when did you stop beating your wife?' For example, Israel is an apartheid state was a nice little starter in the 2012 Festival. Ilan Pappe an Israeli was invited to speak; he is the author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Who are the people who attend FODI and believe the nonsense they are fed?: those who forsake the world of markets and profit, who forsake religion, except for environmentalism, who forsake science, except in the service of climate change abatement policies. They are the people we call, and they also call, Progressives. The proposition in this book is that not much progress occurs when Progressives rule the policy roost. These are beaut little essays, written in an opinion style, easy to digest, indeed quite dangerous and perhaps the first of many volumes. Australia needs liquid fuel security - David Archibald 22 Arab countries one destruction of Israel - Barry Cohen. The world needs the Anglosphere - Peter Day. School choice matters to poor students - Kevin Donnelly. Science matters in a post-modern world - James Franklin. Religion matters for faith, hope and love - Ian Harper. Downsize remove federal income tax - John Humphreys. European Union as self-aggrandisement - Michael James. Abolish the Human Rights Commission - Gary Johns. Biodiversity does not revealed biodiversity matters - Eric Jones. Foreign investment matters to Australian workers - Asher Judah. Bittersweet charity - Miranda Kiraly. Family is the fundamental unit of society - Richard Lyons. We need nation states - David Martin Jones. Intellectuals do not matter - Greg Melleuish. Financial complacency in the face of three economic crises - Frank Milne. Does respect matter? - Kerryn Pholi. Privatise the ABC - Tom Switzer. Australia should become a superpower - Cassandra Wilkinson. philosophy adrift without an anchor - Tim Wilson.
164 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
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March 23, 2026
Book review of Really Dangerous Ideas: What Does and Does Not Matter (edited by Gary Johns, with foreword by Judith Sloan)
Published in 2013, Really Dangerous Ideas was a timely and bracing collection. It did something increasingly rare in public life: it invited serious thinkers to question prevailing orthodoxies without apology. Edited by Gary Johns, the book brings together writers willing to engage with ideas that are often deemed “off-limits”, unfashionable, or professionally risky...
The strength of the book lies in its breadth. The contributors come from different disciplines and perspectives, yet they share a commitment to intellectual honesty over ideological comfort. You don’t have to agree with every argument to appreciate the rigour, courage, and clarity with which they are made. In fact, disagreement is part of the point.
This is a book that honours debate as a public good. In an era of conformity, self-censorship, and moral posturing, Really Dangerous Ideas is a reminder that social progress depends on open discussion, dissent, and the willingness to test ideas in the light of evidence and reason. Democracies do not weaken when ideas are challenged; they weaken when discussion is shut down.
Here are some of the essays:
- The world needs the Anglosphere by Peter Day
- Religion matters for faith, hope and love by Ian Harper
- Abolish the Human Rights Commission by Gary Johns
- Family is the fundamental unit of society by Richard Lyons
- Bittersweet charity by Miranda Kiraly
Gary Johns and the contributors deserve credit for expanding the space for pluralism and non-conformist thinking. We need more books and debates and speakers and writers like this; less fear of controversy, more confidence in debate, and a renewed respect for free inquiry...
Published in 2013, Really Dangerous Ideas was a timely and bracing collection. It did something increasingly rare in public life: it invited serious thinkers to question prevailing orthodoxies without apology. Edited by Gary Johns, the book brings together writers willing to engage with ideas that are often deemed “off-limits”, unfashionable, or professionally risky...
The strength of the book lies in its breadth. The contributors come from different disciplines and perspectives, yet they share a commitment to intellectual honesty over ideological comfort. You don’t have to agree with every argument to appreciate the rigour, courage, and clarity with which they are made. In fact, disagreement is part of the point.
This is a book that honours debate as a public good. In an era of conformity, self-censorship, and moral posturing, Really Dangerous Ideas is a reminder that social progress depends on open discussion, dissent, and the willingness to test ideas in the light of evidence and reason. Democracies do not weaken when ideas are challenged; they weaken when discussion is shut down.
Here are some of the essays:
- The world needs the Anglosphere by Peter Day
- Religion matters for faith, hope and love by Ian Harper
- Abolish the Human Rights Commission by Gary Johns
- Family is the fundamental unit of society by Richard Lyons
- Bittersweet charity by Miranda Kiraly
Gary Johns and the contributors deserve credit for expanding the space for pluralism and non-conformist thinking. We need more books and debates and speakers and writers like this; less fear of controversy, more confidence in debate, and a renewed respect for free inquiry...
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review