I’m all in favour of free expression provided it’s kept rigidly under control.

Meaning of the quote

The quote suggests that while the person believes in freedom of speech, they think it should be carefully monitored and restricted. In other words, they support the idea of people being able to express themselves freely, but only up to a certain point where it becomes too much or goes too far. The person seems to want to balance the right to free expression with the need to keep it under control and not let it get out of hand.

About Alan Bennett

Alan Bennett is an acclaimed English playwright, author, actor, and screenwriter. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two Tony Awards. Bennett is known for his diverse works, from stage plays like ‘The Madness of George III’ to dramatic monologues like ‘Talking Heads’ on BBC1.

More about the author

More quotes from Alan Bennett

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I’m all in favour of free expression provided it’s kept rigidly under control.

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Children always assume the sexual lives of their parents come to a grinding halt at their conception.

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Those who have known the famous are publicly debriefed of their memories, knowing as their own dusk falls that they will only be remembered for remembering someone else.

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Your whole life is on the other side of the glass. And there is nobody watching.

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We started off trying to set up a small anarchist community, but people wouldn’t obey the rules.

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I’ve never seen the point of the sea, except where it meets the land. The shore has a point. The sea has none.

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Were we closer to the ground as children, or is the grass emptier now?

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I write plays about things that I can’t resolve in my mind. I try to root things out.

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Life is generally something that happens elsewhere.

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