Blog #5: Eight Values of Free Expression

The Eight Values of Free Expression

    When talking about the First Amendment, there are eight values that talk about free speech and why it is important. To me, the most important of these in our country are: marketplace of ideas, stable change, and promote tolerance. Starting with the marketplace of ideas, something like this is important to our country since it not only allows all ideas to be exposed to the public and be heard, but according to John Milton, when truth and falsehood are allowed to freely grapple, truth will win out. This allows us to hear every idea yet still be able to find the truth. The next value, stable change, is especially important. This value, thought of by Benedict Spinoza, states that in a society where angry and alienated citizens are allowed to vent or speak their mind they are less likely to resort to violence. If we are to suppress these citizens and their ideas, it will only make them more angry, therefore forcing them to go to violence as a last resort. The last value, promote tolerance, is important since it talks about how the First Amendment even allows hate speech since it allows society to judge what is right or wrong and to allow to learn lessons as to why it is hateful. 

English poet John Milton

    In terms of which of these values are most personal to me however, those would have to be: individual self-fulfillment and protect dissent. Starting with individual self-fulfillment, an idea by C. Edwin Baker in his book Human Liberty and Freedom of Speech, this value talks about how free speech allows people to freely express themselves and create their own identity in society. It also allows people to find likeminded people in society, and expresses how freedom of speech itself is human dignity. This is personal to me since I feel like if not for this idea, it would be hard for people to be able to express themselves and their interests to society, including myself. I am also someone who has made many friends through being able to share interests and allowed me to create my own identity. The next value, protect dissent, an idea by Steve Shiffrin, talks about how it not only is good that we disagree with our government when needed, but it is our patriotic duty to do so. At times I may feel that what our government is doing is wrong or foolish, and something like this allows me to be able to express that dissent along with others. 

C. Edwin Baker's book Human Liberty and Freedom of Speech

The Eight Values of Free Expression Today

    

    In today's current events, there are a lot of things going on that apply directly to the eight values of free expression. For example take the highly talked about organizations Antifa and the KKK. While many people may believe it is important to restrict these organizations from expressing their ideas since they both have hateful ideologies, according to the values promote tolerance and stable change, doing so would only outrage them further. Because we are able to hear them express ideas and interpret them, not only do we prevent them from getting more violent, we as a society are able to hear it and learn that what these organizations are preaching are not good for our country. With these values we learn to not agree with what they are saying while keeping them in check. 

Antifa members confronting far-right activists