LogFAQs > #879105457

To answer the topic title question:

No, in the west, it is not really dying. It is in fact at about the strongest it has ever been, to the point where it is actually hurting ITSELF.

Let me explain that rather odd statement.

The internet has allowed for the existence of far more freedom in speech than has occurred previously. You can talk to people you wouldn't have been able to before, and you can do so while either completely anonymous, or wearing a digital "mask" in the form of a username. i.e. you know me as Sephiroth C Ryu, but it is unlikely any of you know who I am, where I live, etc, and so I can say any number of things I wouldn't really want to say if I were talking to some people who are physically in my presence.

While I personally try to avoid acting too differently online than in face-to-face situations, the ability to say whatever you want at any time results in an extremely strong freedom of speech. So strong, that people will say many things they would never say if they were face to face with other people.

This has led to a fair deal of abuse of the freedom of speech, due to people actually using it in ways that were unthinkable before. You could in the past go out to some crowded area and get up on a soapbox and shout out stuff to your town, but if you were saying nasty enough stuff it is reasonable to say that at least someone would be able to figure who you are and thus your reputation as some hurtful shouter of things would get to be known by people you live near (also, you might get arrested for disturbing the peace).


For the most part, the things that are "under siege" are just instances (sometimes taken a little too far) where someone did something that is actually bad and hurtful, and are just attempting to hide before the "Freedom of Speech" as if it were a shield. Anyone who does this DESERVES whatever punishment they get. Just because it is a right does not mean it is a shield to use to let you say anything you want. Arguing otherwise is similar to arguing that the freedom to bear arms means the freedom to shoot people. Which is not the case, because outside of very specific circumstances, shooting people actually is one or more crimes.


There is one area though where it is under siege... from itself. This is known as... Political Correctness. It is what happens when freedom of speech becomes used as a weapon, and the counter-reaction to this goes too far due to people again using the freedom of speech to voice their opinions that freedom of speech should be restricted to protect people from the dangers of... freedom of speech?

No. Freedom of speech is not dying. Masks and/or anonymity given to us through the internet have merely gotten it strong enough that we are starting to have to consider using other laws to protect people from those who want to use freedom of speech as a weapon to hurt others, accidentally or not.
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