You have the right to say whatever you want (within the bounds of the law- not inciting violence for instance)
You still have to deal with and be accountable for the consequences of what you say.
Freedom of speech is not a pass to say what you want without repercussions. If you make homophobic, and-mask comments, you have to own those and be willing to deal with how others respond to those comments (such as your employer or media outlet). Cancel culture isn't the end of free speech, it's just the bluntest way
Repercussions from whom? 1st amendment freedom of speech means that the government cannot limit your speech (presumably that would include protection from being fired for what you say outside work as an employee of the government). But institutions like universities also declare something closely allied, "academic freedom", and that's supposed to mean that the institution will not limit your scholarly inquiry and speech. So yes, even an un-tenured faculty member or student should be safe from being remov
So if you support someone being fired for saying something, then you betray a lack of support for open dialogue,
Free speech doesn't require open dialogue. It protects both speech and the right to not speak.
The First Amendment equally protects the right of free association with others (which includes the right to refuse to associate with others). (There are minor limits on this such as barring racial discrimination in commerce)
So if you say something I find offensive, I'm free to react to that by refusing to speak to you and by refusing to even be anywhere together with you, and this fits very nicely in the spirit of the First Amendment, free speech, and free association. Don't go thinking that your right to spout off guarantees you a respectful audience. It does not. It just gives you enough rope to hang yourself, as it were.
The First Amendment needs to be updated. What good is freedom of speech when you can only say what is approved by the party line? Yes, repercussions will not come from the government, they will come from the organized social media mob. Very capable of impacting your life in a very negative way.
Free speech chiefly starts with not having prior restraint. Whatever you want to say, you can probably just go ahead and say it. If it's somehow unlawful, at least you have a chance to say it first.
This is followed closely by the government generally not being allowed to punish you or silence you after the fact for what you said.
But you can still royally fuck up your reputation; say the wrong thing and people will dislike you. They're free to dislike you. They're free to refuse to listen to you, and to
Machines take me by surprise with great frequency.
- Alan Turing
Misunderstanding freedom of speech/cancel culture (Score:5, Insightful)
You have the right to say whatever you want (within the bounds of the law- not inciting violence for instance)
You still have to deal with and be accountable for the consequences of what you say.
Freedom of speech is not a pass to say what you want without repercussions. If you make homophobic, and-mask comments, you have to own those and be willing to deal with how others respond to those comments (such as your employer or media outlet). Cancel culture isn't the end of free speech, it's just the bluntest way
Re: (Score:5, Insightful)
Repercussions from whom? 1st amendment freedom of speech means that the government cannot limit your speech (presumably that would include protection from being fired for what you say outside work as an employee of the government). But institutions like universities also declare something closely allied, "academic freedom", and that's supposed to mean that the institution will not limit your scholarly inquiry and speech. So yes, even an un-tenured faculty member or student should be safe from being remov
Re:Misunderstanding freedom of speech/cancel cultu (Score:3)
So if you support someone being fired for saying something, then you betray a lack of support for open dialogue,
Free speech doesn't require open dialogue. It protects both speech and the right to not speak.
The First Amendment equally protects the right of free association with others (which includes the right to refuse to associate with others). (There are minor limits on this such as barring racial discrimination in commerce)
So if you say something I find offensive, I'm free to react to that by refusing to speak to you and by refusing to even be anywhere together with you, and this fits very nicely in the spirit of the First Amendment, free speech, and free association. Don't go thinking that your right to spout off guarantees you a respectful audience. It does not. It just gives you enough rope to hang yourself, as it were.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Free speech chiefly starts with not having prior restraint. Whatever you want to say, you can probably just go ahead and say it. If it's somehow unlawful, at least you have a chance to say it first.
This is followed closely by the government generally not being allowed to punish you or silence you after the fact for what you said.
But you can still royally fuck up your reputation; say the wrong thing and people will dislike you. They're free to dislike you. They're free to refuse to listen to you, and to