these are really great observations being made here! I respect the wisdom behind each of them!

regarding the choice to stay out of potentially explosive discussions: I think that is a very common-sense approach that is just about always in the best interest of the person making that decision. But (in my opinion) it does come with a cost in the larger sense.

Change happens incrementally. Rarely does a society go from liberty to oppression overnight. Lots of little changes happen that lead from point A to point B

note the minute but significant difference between the following series of similar statements:

"I prefer not to talk about controversial topics"

"I never talk about controversial topics"

"We don't talk about that around here"

"That topic is prohibited"

"By decree, citizens of _____ are forbidden to speak of___"

In N.Korea, getting caught talking about certain topics is punishable by death. You might say that N. Korea exists at the bottom of the slippery slope.

The Scandinavian countries are a prime example of a society where any topic is open for discussion, and behavior is governed by common sense rather than by social or governmental mandate.