“If you liked the book, you can purchase it using the links in the description below. By buying through these links, you contribute to the blog without paying any extra, as we receive a small commission. This helps us bring more quality content to you!”
BOOK LINK:
Here is a summary of the key points about copyright from the passage:
-
The author has asserted their moral right as the work’s creator.
-
No part of the publication can be reproduced or distributed without permission from the publisher, Constable.
-
The publisher is not responsible for content on websites they do not own.
-
Constable, part of the Little, Brown Book Group and Hachette UK, holds the copyright for this book.
-
The book is dedicated to Jacques Berthoud (1935-2011).
-
It contains quotes from John Milton advocating for freedom of expression and arguing against censorship.
In summary, it outlines the publisher and authorship details, asserts the author’s moral rights, and prohibits unauthorized reproduction or distribution of the content without permission from the copyright holder, Constable. It dedicates the work to Jacques Berthoud and includes relevant quotes about free speech.
-
Free speech is a fundamental human right and core principle of Western democracy, enshrined in documents like the US First Amendment. Historically it emerged from Greek traditions of open debate and questioning authority.
-
Totalitarian regimes like Nazi Germany always seek to restrict free speech and media scrutiny as it threatens their control. Dystopian fiction portrays this with things like “Newspeak”.
-
While states traditionally censored, now large tech platforms have outsized influence over discourse as the new “public square”. As private companies they claim freedom to regulate content however they like.
-
But major platforms contradictorily claim to enable free speech while heavily censoring. Their growing paternalism and left-leaning bias risk partisan censorship, empowering faceless corporations over democratic debate. Censorship by platforms raises issues similar to if done by identity or belief.
-
Strict regulation also benefits the powerful. While accountability is needed, free speech must be consistently defended to curb corruption and enable challenging new ideas, as the Founding Fathers intended with the First Amendment.
The article discusses common misconceptions about defending free speech. One misconception is that free speech advocates claim “you cannot say anything anymore” when most advocate for free expression without fear of censorship.
Another misconception is confusing criticism of speech for censorship. Criticism and choosing not to engage are rights that accompany free speech.
Some assume free speech advocates do not care about minorities or want to return to times of casual racism/sexism. However, most free speech defenders oppose prejudice and want to protect vulnerable groups’ rights. Banning speech often suppresses minority views.
While reprehensible people occasionally cite free speech, defending it means protecting even despised speech. Unpopular ideas need the most protection. Defending speech is not approval of its content.
The article uses the 1977 Skokie neo-Nazi case, where the ACLU defended Nazis’ right to march, to illustrate how upholding principles can protect society from censorship overreach, even when defending opposing views. There is no contradiction in condemning views while defending the right to express them.
The passage discusses the “cancel culture” phenomenon and arguments around free speech. It argues that while social norms regulate politeness, legal restrictions on speech infringe on freedom of expression.
It acknowledges legitimate restrictions, like laws against fraud or falsely shouting fire in a theater. However, the passage argues that the crowded theater analogy is misused to justify censorship. Voluntarily entering a space implies consenting to behave civilly.
While offended parties can criticize speech they dislike, censorship occurs when attempts are made to ban or economically punish particular views legally. The passage asserts that “cancel culture” engages in disproportionate retaliation and “gaslighting” to characterize targets as bullies to justify bullying them.
It gives JK Rowling as an example, facing unrelenting criticism for concerns about impacts of gender self-ID on women’s spaces, despite support for trans rights. While a minority harass her, social media amplifies extreme voices unrepresentative of most. In summary, the passage debates the line between social norms and legal censorship around controversial speech.
-
Cancel culture has emerged alongside rising skepticism of free expression, particularly among younger generations who are more willing to restrict speech that conflicts with minority rights or social inclusion.
-
However, limiting speech does not improve tolerance or reduce conflicts but instead fuels them by denying a platform for open debate and Hindering efforts to address injustice. Actual progress requires acknowledging dissenting opinions through free speech.
-
While discrimination is a genuine problem, claims that oppressive ideologies like fascism or white supremacy have become normalized are often exaggerated and contradicted by statistics. Emphasis on lived experience over facts can mislead and discount dissenting perspectives.
-
Diversity of opinion is as important as other forms of diversity to achieve social justice. However, activists still need to defend free speech, which is essential for progress on civil rights issues like those fought for by historic figures through open debate rather than censorship. Cancel culture undermines this liberal ideal.
-
Benjamin Cardozo described freedom of expression as “the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every other form of freedom.” A free exchange of ideas is essential for societal progress, especially for minority groups seeking equality and emancipation.
-
When debating issues of free speech, it is problematic to dismiss arguments based solely on the identity or perceived “privileges” of the speaker. The merits of an idea should be evaluated independently of the person expressing it.
-
Offence is an inevitable part of human discourse and interaction. While we can avoid interactions that personally offend us, a fulfilling life requires engaging with strangers in open dialogue. Generosity of interpretation is wise when initially assessing what was intended by potentially offensive speech.
-
Being offended arises from a disconnect between reality and one’s expectations. While offence does not preclude action against injustice, taking umbrage on behalf of others or seeking to ban or censor speech solely due to personal offence engages in a solipsism that threatens open exchange of ideas. Freedom of expression must be balanced with equality and preventing harm, not chemical shielding from alternative views.
A visiting speaker at a university was scheduled to give a talk opposing same-sex marriage on religious grounds. Student activists threatened to protest in a way that would drive up security costs, leading the university to disinvite the speaker.
While understanding the activists’ strong feelings, there are concerns with this course of action. First, it assumes the debate around same-sex marriage is settled, when polling shows many remain unpersuaded. Banning opposing views can strengthen those views by making their proponents seem oppressed.
Forcing a disinvitation also deprives students of the chance to hear different views and change minds through open debate, not censorship. It infantilizes students by denying them the agency to choose whether to attend. Protesters could have organized their counter-event instead of shutting the other down.
Banning speakers weakens progressive causes by generating resentment and making censorship seem the only way to avoid uncomfortable ideas. Sunlight is the best disinfectant - opposing views are countered through open debate and persuasion, not prohibition.
-
The article discusses the rising use and misuse of terms like “racist”, “fascist” etc. to slander people. Due to overuse, these terms have become diluted and lost their intended meanings.
-
It argues that this strategy of baseless name-calling is only effective because we live in a society that rejects racism. Even accusations alone can ruin someone’s career, showing our commitment against racism.
-
However, these tactics undermine the claim that our society is inherently racist. They prove we work to expel racism, not embrace it as the accusers claim.
-
Terms like these have become catch-alls to dismiss those with disagreeable views, without actually rebutting their arguments. This hinders meaningful identification and discussion of problematic views.
-
The piece then discusses comedy and satire. It argues that comedy requires offense, as satirists push boundaries. They have faced attacks for offending certain groups, like the terrorist attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine in France.
-
However, censorship demands infringe on artistic freedom. Charlie Hebdo was an anti-racist publication that punched up at authority, not down at ordinary people. Mistaken perceptions of them show the risks of hate speech laws based on misinterpretation.
-
For atheist satirists, religion is just another ideology open to derision. Their portrayals of Mohammed were not meant to target Muslims, but critique powerful institutions like all satire does.
-
The passage discusses how self-censorship among artists and the general public has increased due to ideological pressures and fear of backlash on social media.
-
It uses the historical example of Girolamo Savonarola, a monk who led Florence in a “bonfire of the vanities,” destroying art deemed sinful or decadent. Some believe Botticelli destroyed his art in compliance.
-
Today, artists feel pressure to conform their work to prevailing views and avoid “controversial” topics for fear of damaged careers. Critics also judge art based on how closely the views match their ideology.
-
Preference falsification - hiding one’s actual views - is also widespread among the public and politicians due to shifting social norms and fear of unpopularity. This undermines political discourse and forces people into an artificial reality.
-
John Stuart Mill argued against outsourcing one’s moral agency to the crowd. While freedom of speech faces government threats, the “tyranny of public opinion” can be equally damaging.
-
In academia, self-censorship has increased as viewpoints have become less diverse and conservative scholars feel at risk to their careers for expressing dissenting views. Students also put pressure on specific topics.
-
Recent incidents at Yale and Evergreen State College show students demanding protection from offensive ideas and intellectual confrontation, which has intimidated professors who deviate from conventional views.
-
This demanding “intellectual safety” atmosphere encourages self-censorship among academics fearful of expressing unconventional opinions. This threatens innovation and the intellectual well-being of society.
-
While political correctness originally aimed to cultivate politeness, “cancel culture” today has morphed into soft authoritarianism that seeks to police both languages and thinks. It exacerbates division and intolerance.
-
Proponents of cancel culture conflate it with past political correctness to caricature debates, but the real issue concerns defending democracy and individual liberties against overreach of authority, as Mill described.
-
Self-censorship, while an understandable response to potential personal consequences, ultimately undermines conscience, dignity and leads to an “enervated and infantile culture.” Open debate of ideas, using persuasive rhetoric, is essential to counter manipulation and the spread of harmful beliefs.
-
Hate speech laws have historically failed to curb the spread of evil ideas and sometimes amplified them. They set a dangerous precedent by trusting authorities to define unacceptable speech in a subjective manner prone to mission creep.
-
Some on the left refuse to debate those with far-right or fascist ideologies, reasoning that it legitimizes and props up defeated ideas. However, refusing debate also risks those ideas gaining mainstream traction.
-
If fascism has genuinely been defeated, it can safely be ignored. However, if it is gaining popularity, the debate becomes an obligation to confront it. Unclear definitions allow for consensus on threats and free speech limits.
-
Violence often stems from feeling unheard, so stifling speech risks disastrous consequences—however, some conflate words with violence to emotionally blackmail and justify censorship as self-defense.
-
Branding concerns like those of “TERFs” as fascists shut down meaningful conversations. While emotional distress is possible in the debate, challenges are not necessarily oppressive or malignant.
-
Identity politics and postmodernism see language and power as interconnected so that speech can normalize hate. However, liberalism offers a social contract where verbal attacks replace physical ones. Reimagining speech as violence disrupts this contract.
-
Identity politics’ postmodern skepticism of objectivity and emphasis on language’s power role in social constructionism drive reluctance over unfettered speech and found concepts like words normalizing hate and stifling debate risks unintended consequences.
The natural world’s evident cruelty and lack of design shook Christian identity. This realization that aspects of one’s worldview are flawed is known as an “identity quake”. For growth to occur, life requires periods of introspection and open-minded examination when core values are disrupted. However, taking offense is a choice, and words alone do not constitute harm or permit censorship unless they directly incite violence. While propaganda can intensify existing prejudices, incitement only works if the audience already holds similar beliefs. The responsibility ultimately lies more with those who commit violent acts than those who influence them, as free will is not easily overridden. Setting limits on permissible thought raises more societal risks than isolated cases of incitement that do not directly command unlawful behavior. Overall judgments on these issues require nuanced consideration of context over simplistic or binary thinking.
The article discusses issues around hate speech and calls for censorship. It makes the following key points:
-
Hatred is a complex human emotion that can sometimes be a reasonable response to egregious acts. Defining hate speech precisely is difficult.
-
European hate speech laws give governments broad powers to determine what constitutes hate speech, but there is no objective way to set these parameters. Who decides?
-
In the UK, hate crimes and incidents are defined based on the perception of the victim, not objective standards. Police can still record non-criminal incidents.
-
There is little evidence that media consumption directly causes real-world violence. Claims of a link are ideologically driven and not based on research. Censorship can backfire by drawing more attention.
-
Art should not be judged based on how effectively it teaches morality. Attempts to ban or censor art are often motivated by a flawed view of humanity as passive recipients of ideas.
In summary, the article is skeptical of calls for censorship and restricting speech. It argues hate speech cannot be objectively defined and that claims of media effects on violence are not well-supported. The autonomy of artists and flexible standards of the debate is preferable to censorship.
The passage discusses concerns around recent trends that threaten free speech and due process. It argues that terms like “hate speech” are too vague and subjective, and can bypass due process by presupposing guilt. When intentions are rarely straightforward, relying on intuition for criminal prosecution is unwise.
While some may exaggerate the “free speech crisis”, police now investigate emotions and private speech, reflecting a politicization of the justice system and distrust in free speech. When police act politically rather than neutrally, it risks authoritarianism. Laws compelling specific speech can control thought, like calls to use prescribed pronouns.
Defining hate speech requires navigating abstract concepts subjectively, so authority gets outsourced. However, future governments may abuse precedents. The price of a free society is tolerating bad speech to avoid future tyranny. Civilization relies on free expression; recent media, education, and law moves are cracking their foundations. Upholding free speech, even for intolerable views, exposes ideas and avoids censoring becoming normalized. Debate, not fetish, refines views and challenges certainties.
The passage discusses threats to freedom of speech and press freedom in modern democracies. It argues that ambiguous concepts like “hate speech” justify censoring unpopular opinions. At the same time, states can reasonably restrict threats and harassment, and laws against “hate” risk criminalizing legitimate criticism.
Growing forces like censorship, cancel culture, and declining trust in democratic norms have created conditions for illiberalism to take root. Authoritarian alternatives become appealing to those inclined toward submission over independent thought. The capacity for open debate through free expression is essential for democratic progress and avoiding indoctrination.
Historically, freedoms have only been won through struggle and are easily lost if not vigorously defended. While some changes reflect genuine progress, regressive movements embody ideals like moral superiority. Trends that once seemed inconceivable, like routine policing private thoughts, are now realities. Autonomous thought and dissent could be seriously threatened within decades if these illiberal tendencies are left unaddressed. Vigilance is needed to stem this momentum and uphold liberty of conscience.
Here is a summary of key points from the given text:
-
Journalists and media organizations were concerned about legislation making them liable to pay all legal costs even if they won lawsuits. This could financially cripple investigative journalism and be exploited to silence criticism.
-
Free speech protections are outlined in international agreements like the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, some argue that the ideals of free expression no longer apply on platforms like Twitter.
-
There is perceived bias in content moderation and hiring at major tech companies, aimed at weeding out “the wrong ideological inclinations.”
-
Claims of free speech absolutes are debated. The social contract theory suggests that speech is subject to limitations for social cohesion. Some dismiss the “yelling fire in a crowded theater” example as an outdated limitation.
-
“Cancel culture” involves public shaming on social media. High-profile cases like J.K. Rowling generated abuse for voicing debates around gender identity. While rebuttal is expected, critics argue that some face professional harm for unpopular stances.
In summary, it discusses debates around the responsibilities of media, perceived biases in content moderation, limitations of free speech, and professional impacts of online public shaming in cancel culture controversies.
-
In June 2020, Nick Buckley was ousted as the founder of a UK charity that helps ethnic minorities find work. He was criticized for opposing some aspects of the BLM movement, though his opposition to racism was not in doubt. The decision was later reversed after backlash.
-
In August 2020, Sasha White was fired from her job at a literary agency after trans activists took offense to her private Twitter statements expressing skepticism about gender-neutral pronouns.
-
Recent polls show growing support among younger generations for restricting speech offensive to minorities. However, support declines with age. Studies also show that UK university students need to be more consistently supportive of free speech.
-
Attacks motivated by far-right extremism are rising according to US government data. However, statistics on racism are sometimes misrepresented to portray the opposite of what the data shows.
-
The piece argues that freedom of speech is an indispensable condition for the pursuit of truth and progress, and cites thinkers like Mill who have discussed the importance of open debate and challenging orthodoxies.
Here is a summary of the article “The freedom of the press” by Davison (pp. 888–897):
The article discusses the importance of freedom of the press as a crucial check on government power and essential to a functioning democracy. A free press allows citizens to be informed about matters of public interest and hold those in power accountable. It enables public debate and discussion of political issues. However, throughout history governments have sought to curb critical reporting and limit freedom of expression.
The article traces the evolution of press freedom in Britain. It discusses milestone court rulings establishing essential principles, such as that prior restraint of publication is not allowed and truth is a valid defense against libel claims. Technological advances like the printing press introduced new challenges as they made distribution of information more accessible. Over time, norms and laws were established to protect journalists from retaliation for what they publish.
The quote is: “The liberty of the press is essential to the nature of a free state” (p. 897). The article concludes that while press freedom must be balanced with other rights and laws, it is essential for maintaining democratic values and oversight of powerful institutions. An uncontrolled press also threatens social cohesion, so regulation is necessary, but prior restraint should always be avoided in favor of subsequent accountability.
Here is a summary of the key points from the provided sources in Olars’s claim to self-censor:
-
A recent survey found that over half of US, academics feel views beyond a certain consensus are dangerous to their careers (McWhorter, 2020).
-
Students often are not exposed to intolerant or offensive ideas in academic settings (Naughton, 2017).
-
A video of a confrontation at Yale over Halloween costumes went viral, showing how disagreements can escalate (Fox, 2016).
-
Colleagues were too afraid to publicly defend academics whose views were controversial (Christakis, 2016).
-
Innovation depends on those who do not conform, and eccentricity is often linked to breakthroughs (Miller, 2017).
-
Academic freedom allows for critique of knowledge and new ideas (Williams, 2016).
-
It represents the struggle between liberty and authority (Mill).
-
Prosecutions for offensive speech in the past, like against anti-Semites, were ineffective and helped spread views (Borovoy).
-
Offense or emotion should not determine what can be discussed or studied in academia.
-
As Milton put it, evil manners can be learned through many means besides books, which cannot all be stopped or controlled. Reading this in context, Milton argues that censoring books will not prevent the spread of evil ideas, as they can spread through other uncontrolled means of communication.
-
The passage cites Milton on page 592, indicating it is quoting or paraphrasing John Milton’s work. However, specific work needs to be identified.
-
The quote supports the overarching argument that censoring or banning books and media will not stop the spread of undesirable ideas, as there are many other ways such ideas can circulate besides books. Attempts to control ideas through censorship may need to be more effective or counterproductive.
Here are summaries of the three articles:
- ‘Police told teacher accused of “misgendering” child that she committed a hate crime’, the Telegraph (23 February 2018)
- Police investigated a teacher for maliciously misgendering (referring to a pupil by the wrong gender pronoun) a transgender pupil. She was told her actions could constitute a hate crime. However, she maintains she referred to the pupil by their birth name and sex.
- ‘Devout Catholic “who used wrong pronoun to describe transgender girl” to be interviewed by police’, the Telegraph (20 March 2019)
- A woman accused of describing a transgender girl on Twitter with the wrong pronoun will be interviewed by police over a potential hate crime. She maintains she was exercising her right to freedom of speech and that children are too young to decide to transition gender.
- ‘I stand with Kate Scottow,’ The Spectator (14 February 2020)
- An article defending Kate Scottow, a woman who received a visit from police after tweets that allegedly misgendered a transgender woman. The author argues that Scottow did not commit a hate crime for misgendering and that freedom of speech is being undermined by overzealous policing of pronoun usage.
In summary, the articles discuss cases where police investigated women in the UK for allegedly misgendering transgender individuals through pronoun usage and raise issues around balancing transgender rights and freedom of speech. They argue that misgendering alone should not constitute a hate crime.
-
The passage discusses free speech and censorship issues around “hate speech” and offensive expression. It references debates around protecting minority groups while allowing open debate.
-
It mentions laws against hate speech in some countries and debates around their use. Examples given include Holocaust denial and incitement of violence.
-
Self-censorship and preference falsification are discussed, where people remain silent due to social pressures. Safetyism and safe spaces on university campuses are also referenced.
-
The challenges of defining hate speech and offensive expression are outlined. Examples used include works by authors like Rushdie, Rowling, and Hall that were considered offensive by some groups.
-
Historical examples of censorship and repression of free speech are provided for context, such as in Nazi Germany, Rwanda, and during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror.
-
The perspectives of philosophers, authors, and scholars on both sides of the issue are summarized, such as Mill, Orwell, Haidt, and Lukianoff regarding the importance of open debate, and others calling for restrictions on speech that targets or incites harm against minorities.
-
The passage analyzes debates around balancing free expression, limiting hate speech, and protecting minority groups from discrimination or incitement of violence through speech. Both sides of the complex issue are discussed.
“If you liked the book, you can purchase it using the links in the description below. By buying through these links, you contribute to the blog without paying any extra, as we receive a small commission. This helps us bring more quality content to you!”
BOOK LINK:
![Author Photo](/_astro/matheus_KhTu9.png)
About Matheus Puppe