Despite the risk of serious damage, we badly need single-minded religious zealots, political fanatics, and scientific cranks who can sustain direction even with repeated setbacks and depressing disarray and turmoil. But of course, all the mavericks and eccentrics need to be balanced with humanists, skeptics, and agnostics who can provide an environment of pluralism, tolerance, and flexibility that enables the natural spread of successful ideas through imitation without losing independent judgment. It is the messy, yin-yang environment that proves to be most fruitful and sustainable over the
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