A friend of mine had a discussion with me during the week about free speech. He tried to get me to understand that sometimes suppressing free speech was a good thing. Some people might get offended at the words someone uses. Best to make sure no one sees use those words.
I find it very difficult to understand those people who want to silence others. I don’t understand how they can justify it. To be honest, I don’t even WANT to understand it.
He tried to take me through a logical approach to help me understand why banning free speech is a good thing. I politely told him to fuck off and ended the conversation around that topic.
To my way of thinking, trying to talk me through why censorship is a good thing is like trying to talk me through why racism or discrimination is a good thing. I don’t care how much you might believe it’s logical or acceptable. I’m not even going to entertain discussion of it.
Why would I let someone try to logically convince me that being racist is good? Why would I let someone try to convince me that discriminating against certain groups is good? Why would I let anyone try to convince me that suppressing speech is good?
I wouldn’t. And I didn’t. I shut that discussion down quickly. He probably got offended.
So fucking what?
I know… I suppressed his freedom of speech. I got offended at his words and shut him down. However, I’m not telling people they can’t talk about their opinion. I’m not trying to get laws passed so that people can’t say things that might upset me.
I can walk away. I have that option, just like everyone does.
If you don’t like what someone is saying, walk away. Change the topic. Turn the channel. Read a different book. As soon as you try to change the world to suit your subjective beliefs, you turn into a fascist tyrant and I will fight you.
Enabling censorship enables oppression. The silencing of ideas that just might bring down governments, or oppressive ideologies. Better to just oppress them into silence.
He talked about how suppressing free speech was being increasingly supported in our society. And if 90% of the population think something is a good thing, then maybe it is good.
I can’t tolerate this kind of dangerous stupidity. Most people are stupid. Sheep. Easily led. Just because most stupid people think something stupid is good, it doesn’t make it good.
Most Germans during WWII thought it was a good thing to exterminate Jews. Does that mean it really is a good thing, because most people thought that?
It comes down to this. If you think the expression of other people’s opinions or ideas are dangerous, then you have the right to talk about why. You can educate others on why those thoughts or ideas are dangerous, as I do. You can campaign on behalf of your stance about anything, just like they can. You can get involved in discussions and provide your counter opinions.
Or you can be a cunt about it, get offended and try to silence people saying words you don’t like. You don’t like what I’m saying? You don’t have to be here. You don’t have to talk to me.
Walk away. I’m not going to change. In fact, I’ll probably get worse. Your sensitive soul probably won’t be able to accept it. You’ll probably cry a lot.
Just walk away.
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