The Twilight of Freedom of Speech
"Should my freedom of expression stop where another person’s freedom of expression begins? What can I or can’t say? Can I say anything? Do I have to hear everything?"
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lienIn the Facebook and Twitter era, we have access to more spaces for self-expression than ever before in history. Yet we have never been so muzzled: this is the paradoxical observation of Vitaly Malkin. Our democratic societies availed us guaranteed freedom of speech and the technological means to use this freedom but only as long as we keep our opinions in total conformity with popular opinions.
Free speech can never be taken for definitively granted. There is no instance in human history of an unconditional and universal form of freedom of speech. From the caves of the Stone Age to the most sophisticated salons of the Enlightenment, we have always been limited in our freedom. Natural desire of humans in any society, freedom of speech was valiantly wrested from the hands of self-appointed custodians of religion and morality during the Enlightenment.
Nowadays, obscurantism has made its comeback. Censorship is everywhere and common sense is not common anymore. The guerillas of wokeness on social media are ready to pounce on anyone who dares to have a mind of their own. Charlie Hebdo saga and J.K Rowling's cancellation are just a few instances of the limitation on freedom of speech. We are at risk of seeing the flame of Liberty die out when it is more vital than ever to pass on its torch untouched.
Western freedom of speech (the one fought for) must remain the envy of all. The is the ambition of this book.
"Nothing is more confusing to me (a Russian) than the chilliness with which the right to freedom of expression is recklessly infringed today."