The Callahan Conjecture
Sheepishly So!
Sophia: Harry, courage often begins with a single question: do we act, or do we surrender to convenience?
Harry: That question defines every choice. To feel lucky is to take responsibility for risk, to step into uncertainty rather than retreat behind rules or habit.
Sophia: And Bill, you argue that society suffers when too many retreat into conformity. What then separates the thinkers from the herd?
Now, you've got to ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky?"
— Inspector Harry Callahan
Bill: Speaking out, refusing the easy path of acquiescence. Too many people follow instinctively, never challenging assumptions. The danger isn’t rebels; it’s the silent majority willing to be herded.
Sophia: So the essence of courage is twofold: the willingness to act despite risk, and the refusal to be led blindly.
Harry: Exactly. Luck has little to do with it. It’s about decisiveness, clarity, and accepting the consequences of standing apart.
We need more people speaking out. This country is not overrun with rebels and free thinkers. It's overrun with sheep and conformists.
— Bill Maher (1956-present)
Bill: And about cultivating the habit of questioning, of refusing the sheepish instinct to blend in. A society of free thinkers doesn’t appear by accident—it must be nurtured.
Sophia: Then the lesson is clear: act boldly, speak clearly, and never mistake silence for safety. Sheepishly so may be comfortable, but it leaves both self and society impoverished.
Harry: And sometimes, that bold step is all it takes to change the course of events.
Bill: While silence only reinforces the pasture.
Sophia: Courage and critical thought—these are the antidotes to conformity, and the only way we truly feel alive in the world.
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Heraclitus
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