"Without free speech no search for truth is possible... no discovery of truth is useful... Better a thousandfold abuse of free speech than denial of free speech. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race." -- Charles Bradlaugh
I'm all for calling people out when they propound what I think are bad ideas, unethical ideas or hateful ideas. But as far as trying to eliminate these means I wouldn't attempt it. I value freedom of speech as well as the freedom to castigate someone for espousing hateful things, for example. The marketplace of ideas concept is still attractive to me, even though it means putting up with some garbage. Also, remember that when you try to squelch something entirely it only becomes increasingly attractive to certain people to rebel.
The conclusion that free speech promotes racial harmony is not obvious at first sight. Words lead to deeds, one might think, and so, obviously, harsh words will lead to harsh deeds. Nonetheless you may make some headway among sceptics if you ask them whether in their own lives they think it better to bottle up resentments or to voice them before they become explosive.
As Sigmund Freud said, civilisation began the first time a man threw an insult rather than a spear.
"Without free speech no search for truth is possible... no discovery of truth is useful... Better a thousandfold abuse of free speech than denial of free speech. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race." -- Charles Bradlaugh
ReplyDeleteAs you know, censoring valid speech only validates the truthful content of the speech.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for calling people out when they propound what I think are bad ideas, unethical ideas or hateful ideas. But as far as trying to eliminate these means I wouldn't attempt it. I value freedom of speech as well as the freedom to castigate someone for espousing hateful things, for example. The marketplace of ideas concept is still attractive to me, even though it means putting up with some garbage. Also, remember that when you try to squelch something entirely it only becomes increasingly attractive to certain people to rebel.
ReplyDeleteThe conclusion that free speech promotes racial harmony is not obvious at first sight. Words lead to deeds, one might think, and so, obviously, harsh words will lead to harsh deeds. Nonetheless you may make some headway among sceptics if you ask them whether in their own lives they think it better to bottle up resentments or to voice them before they become explosive.
ReplyDeleteAs Sigmund Freud said, civilisation began the first time a man threw an insult rather than a spear.