*

“If you’re sure about something,” he said as they slowly returned to their seats, “force yourself to think about it another way, even if you know it’s wrong or silly. When you read, don’t consider only what the author thinks, but take time to consider what you think.
“You must strive to find your own voices, boys, and the longer you want to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, ‘Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.’ Why be resigned to that? Risk walking new ground.”

—Dead Poets Society.
Nancy Kleinbaum.