[TOMDM]

The cutting edge of progress is going to be found in controversy, but the "boring" established fact is often correct.

Non controversial people are worth listening to as well.

[threatofrain]

There's also a question of who is best poised to extract value from professional or expert controversy. IMO generally not amateurs.

[kragen]

clearly. ideally, in a field you don't know well, you would listen to only the uncontroversial opinions of people who also have controversial opinions, which you should ignore since you're not equipped to evaluate them