IN DEFENCE OF CONTRARIANISMAli Miraj
Ali Miraj writes in defence of contrarians – those independent-minded people that eschew groupthink and speak out because they are convinced that they are right. Speaking truth to power is not for the faint-hearted, he writes, but our liberty depends on it. Ali argues that discussion and disagreement is valuable – indeed essential – for its own sake. While groupthink allows a distorted view of reality to develop unchallenged, Ali writes that contrarianism provides an antidote for opening up space for debate and the defence of freedom of speech.
Ali Miraj is a columnist, infrastructure financier and DJ. He is a political columnist for The Article and frequently appears on a range of news outlets. In 2012, he founded the Contrarian Prize to recognise the independence, courage and sacrifice of British public figures whose ideas challenge the status quo. He is a former Conservative parliamentary candidate and was first elected as a councillor at the age of 23. Ali is a trained house-music DJ and has had multiple residencies and played at leading venues around the world.
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