Comment by root_axis

11 days ago

So are you saying free speech doesn't exist? What's your point by casting this in absolute terms?

No my point is that free speech isn't a spectrum, we either can say whatever we want or we can't. As far as whether we have it, no in the US we don't have it today as certain speech is still made illegal.

I don't cast free speech in absolute terms, I take issue with those that do since it isn't a spectrum.

  • Free speech isn't a spectrum in the same way altruism isn't a spectrum. We probably all agree there is no true speech, so we change "free" (as in true freedom) to "free" (as in "liberty") and establish a spectrum anyway.

    No one wants "true" free speech anyway. an age of social media + deepfakes means true free speech is legalizing slander/libel. And we know the lies will persist much longer than it deserves.

    As well as inciting violence. We don't even need to reach "hate speech" on the spectrum in order to talk about intolerable speech everyone agrees should be punished on.

    • I'm impressed that you can speak for everyone collectively here.

      I take issue with any law that limits speech, including libel, regardless of who says it. Such laws remove agency, and therefore a level of responsibility, from those who hear the speech and choose to act on it.

      In the same way that I strongly disagree with laying any blame on a woman for dressing a certain way before being attacked, I don't blame a person for saying something before another person takes an action we've deemed illegal.

  • > As far as whether we have it, no in the US we don't have it today as certain speech is still made illegal

    Right, like everywhere on the planet, hence why I ask if you're saying it doesn't exist. It sounds like your answer is yes.