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Throughout history, it has been those brave enough to puncture the prevailing groupthink who have propelled society forward. But they are in shockingly short supply today. In this collection of original essays, Brendan O’Neill remakes the case for heresy – and commits a few heresies of his own along the way.
Can a woman have a penis? Is the West forever stained by racism? Are we all going to die from climate change? To the liberal establishment of London, New York or Sydney, the answer to all of these questions is ‘Yes’. And anyone who disagrees is a racist, climate-denying transphobe.
Our elites have become convinced of some very strange and extreme ideas. And yet there is precious little pushback against them. Critics are cowed by the threat of shaming, cancellation, even arrest. The new orthodoxies of our age are risible, and yet the space for dissent is shrinking.
We need more heretics. Throughout history, it has been those brave enough to puncture the prevailing groupthink who have propelled society forward. But they are in shockingly short supply today. In this collection of original essays, Brendan O’Neill remakes the case for heresy – and commits a few heresies of his own along the way.
“Brendan O’Neill brings a sharp eye and cutting wit to the follies of our times. You must read this book before it’s banned by the new inquisition.” ― Tony Abbott, former prime minister of Australia
“Brendan O’Neill is the reincarnation of Christopher Hitchens, a devil’s advocate who is willing to always state his case clearly, convincingly and courageously.” ― Nick Gillespie, editor-at-large for Reason
“A timely and powerful defence of Enlightenment values written by one of the most notable free thinkers of our time.” ― Andrew Doyle, author of The New Puritan
“The best, and funniest, writer we have on the multiple insanities gripping the Western world.” ― Rod Liddle, columnist for the Sunday Times
“One of the world’s funniest and fiercest critics of groupthink.” ― Andrew Bolt, columnist and Sky News Australia host
“One of Britain’s sharpest social commentators.” ― Daily Telegraph
“An obnoxious intellectual wind-up merchant.” ― Guardian
Brendan O’Neill is the chief political writer for spiked magazine, based in London. He was spiked’s editor from 2007 to 2021. He hosts the weekly podcast “The Brendan O’Neill Show”. His writing has appeared in The Spectator, The Sun and The Australian. His previous collections of essays include A Duty to Offend and Anti-Woke.
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