Very interesting article. No Offense: The New Threats to Free Speech - WSJ
I’m not sure I agree with all of his assertions, but he makes some excellent points. What do other think?
I’ve often used this example: I don’t like Howard Stern. I think he’s rude and obnoxious which, for me, makes his style of comedy unpleasant. I feel more embarrassment than I do humor. I feel he has the right to say any fool thing he wants and if someone handed me a petition that was trying to make his show illegal, not only would I not sign it, I’d probably join the other side despite the fact that I didn’t like the guy.
Free speech is important and if you don’t like something that you’re hearing or reading or seeing, then stop doing that. If you feel really strongly against it then use YOUR freedom of speech to protest it. Otherwise you’re letting the government decide what’s appropriate and not appropriate and that is a slippery slope to Chinese style censorship.
Speaking out against religion is one of the few taboo subjects left. People think that a person’s beliefs are sacred but that’s not really true. Brian Cox once said: “The problem with today’s world is that everyone believes they have the right to express their opinion AND have others listen to it. The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!”
We often describe extreme ideas that hurt us or someone we care about as “hate speech”. In a way, labels like hate speach and anti(insert minority), or something phobia are shutting down meaningful discussion on topics we prefer to say little about lest we get labeled as bigoted in some way.
I don’t like hearing inflamitory opinions, especially the ones that get applied to me, but ultimately, a thick skin will serve me better than dismissing someone with an equally inflammatory label I guess. Instead of retaliating I should just let them and their discourse define their character. Choosing to be offended is my responsibility in the end.
It will be eventually.
Sensitivity has always beat objectivity, it’s just a matter of time.