8 ms·

I really don't understand this: the left believe that they would never be censored? Censorship is about power, and the scale of power can tilt towards either si

I really don't understand this: the left believe that they would never be censored? Censorship is about power, and the scale of power can tilt towards either side pretty soon. What if later the country moves towards the right, and the left gets censored for legitimate discussions on election fairness, on health care, on tax reform, on education, or on corruption of politicians? Would you left feel happy if your questions were labeled disinformation? The left did read history about how an entire nation got silenced, right? What a world.

anigbrowl 6y ago
A different way to look at this is to consider that 'the left' has already been through this, repeatedly, and is exploring ways to directly counter right-wing propaganda rather than passively sit back and assume the 'marketplace of ideas' will just take care of it as centrists tend to do.
- SauciestGNU 6y ago
  It's unfortunate you're being downvoted for this, as it's true. It's literally illegal to teach anti-capitalist political philosophy in the UK, but there's endless whining about private corporations acting as they see fit with their own property. Speaking as a leftist, I assume that corporations view me and my ideology as an enemy and would silence me and others like me if we became too influential. I don't think compelled speech is the answer, and I don't believe I have any intrinsic right to use social media to amplify my messages.
  - anigbrowl 6y ago
    It's literally illegal to teach anti-capitalist political philosophy in the UK Do tell? I haven't been there in a long time and don't have time to keep up with education policy.
    - SauciestGNU 6y ago
      From the article I am providing a link to[0]: >Department for Education (DfE) guidance issued on Thursday for school leaders and teachers involved in setting the relationship, sex and health curriculum categorised anti-capitalism as an “extreme political stance” and equated it with opposition to freedom of speech, antisemitism and endorsement of illegal activity [0] https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/27/uk-schools-told-not-to-use-anti-capitalist-material-in-teaching https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/27/uk-schools...
licebmi__at__ 6y ago
I would argue that the left is already censored, so right wing censorship is just leveling up the field, but I guess it depends on how you define the left. When you have half the country assenting that a candidate who doesn't even believe in single payer Healthcare is "radical left",the all hope for discourse is gone.

anigbrowl 6y ago

A different way to look at this is to consider that 'the left' has already been through this, repeatedly, and is exploring ways to directly counter right-wing propaganda rather than passively sit back and assume the 'marketplace of ideas' will just take care of it as centrists tend to do.

SauciestGNU 6y ago
It's unfortunate you're being downvoted for this, as it's true. It's literally illegal to teach anti-capitalist political philosophy in the UK, but there's endless whining about private corporations acting as they see fit with their own property. Speaking as a leftist, I assume that corporations view me and my ideology as an enemy and would silence me and others like me if we became too influential. I don't think compelled speech is the answer, and I don't believe I have any intrinsic right to use social media to amplify my messages.
- anigbrowl 6y ago
  It's literally illegal to teach anti-capitalist political philosophy in the UK Do tell? I haven't been there in a long time and don't have time to keep up with education policy.
  - SauciestGNU 6y ago
    From the article I am providing a link to[0]: >Department for Education (DfE) guidance issued on Thursday for school leaders and teachers involved in setting the relationship, sex and health curriculum categorised anti-capitalism as an “extreme political stance” and equated it with opposition to freedom of speech, antisemitism and endorsement of illegal activity [0] https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/27/uk-schools-told-not-to-use-anti-capitalist-material-in-teaching https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/27/uk-schools...

licebmi__at__ 6y ago

I would argue that the left is already censored, so right wing censorship is just leveling up the field, but I guess it depends on how you define the left. When you have half the country assenting that a candidate who doesn't even believe in single payer Healthcare is "radical left",the all hope for discourse is gone.