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One wonders when we might see the same thing happen in regards to the emerging climate emergency.

jessaustin 7y ago
[EDIT: removed some mild irony.] Is free speech really what's holding back significant action to combat global warming? Isn't it possible that speech restrictions could have a negative effect on public support for such significant action?
- Koremat6666 7y ago
  I am not sure if this sort of language and comments are encouraged on HN. Are we advocating arrest of individuals we disagree with ? Is this the new silicon valley mob with hi-tech pitchforks ?
  - dylan604 7y ago
    Slippery slopes. There are certain "theories" that irk me so that I'd be okay with them being arrested (almost). Flat earth believers are the top of the list.
    - mcguire 7y ago
      That seems excessive. Flat earthers are a tiny minority and almost completely harmless as far as I know.
mberning 7y ago
Hopefully never in the west. Using the power of the state to silence people is decidedly illiberal.
- goalieca 7y ago
  Doubtful that is illiberal. Many liberal democracies have different views on free speech than the USA.
  - mberning 7y ago
    You should consult a dictionary
  - deogeo 7y ago
    They have different laws. They don't represent the views of everyone in those countries - sometimes not even a majority. Although public opinion on legal matters is generally confused at best.
chr1 7y ago
Sadly the answer to this does not seem to depend on freedom or science. We will see similar things happening in regards to climate, simply if absolute majority of people get convinced that it is an emergency. With vaccines we have many times repeated experiment that not using the vaccine causes death, so majority of people support them. With climate change we do not have nearly the same level of confidence about the exact details of what is going to happen, and how exactly our actions are going to affect it, so only a minority supports it so far.

[EDIT: removed some mild irony.] Is free speech really what's holding back significant action to combat global warming? Isn't it possible that speech restrictions could have a negative effect on public support for such significant action?

Koremat6666 7y ago
I am not sure if this sort of language and comments are encouraged on HN. Are we advocating arrest of individuals we disagree with ? Is this the new silicon valley mob with hi-tech pitchforks ?
- dylan604 7y ago
  Slippery slopes. There are certain "theories" that irk me so that I'd be okay with them being arrested (almost). Flat earth believers are the top of the list.
  - mcguire 7y ago
    That seems excessive. Flat earthers are a tiny minority and almost completely harmless as far as I know.

mberning 7y ago

Hopefully never in the west. Using the power of the state to silence people is decidedly illiberal.

goalieca 7y ago
Doubtful that is illiberal. Many liberal democracies have different views on free speech than the USA.
- mberning 7y ago
  You should consult a dictionary
- deogeo 7y ago
  They have different laws. They don't represent the views of everyone in those countries - sometimes not even a majority. Although public opinion on legal matters is generally confused at best.

chr1 7y ago

Sadly the answer to this does not seem to depend on freedom or science. We will see similar things happening in regards to climate, simply if absolute majority of people get convinced that it is an emergency. With vaccines we have many times repeated experiment that not using the vaccine causes death, so majority of people support them. With climate change we do not have nearly the same level of confidence about the exact details of what is going to happen, and how exactly our actions are going to affect it, so only a minority supports it so far.