3 ms·

I'd argue that there is no absolute measure of freedom, or at least, it doesn't matter relative to expectations and feelings of freedom. Expectations and feelin

I'd argue that there is no absolute measure of freedom, or at least, it doesn't matter relative to expectations and feelings of freedom. Expectations and feelings of freedom are widely different today than they used to be -- and we know this precisely because it's a popular thing to say. Everyone complains about cancel culture and mask mandates and vaccination passports and so-on. McCarthyism in the past didn't have any impact whatsoever on the average suburban family. Now, though, with social media and with everyone living as the main character of their life, "cancel culture" does. There's a deeply libertarian undertone to rural America and it has never gone away. The loss of freedom for socialists in the 1950s didn't matter. "Shouting fire in a crowded theater" and the subsequent overturn of that case didn't matter. Draft dodging didn't matter. What's going on today does.

ashtonkem 6y ago
> Everyone complains about cancel culture and mask mandates and vaccination passports and so-on. There are also complaints about “kids these days” stretching all the way back to Plato. People can, and do, complain about things in a way that does not conform with any form of objective reality. We need a more rigorous way of discussing these things that goes beyond common complaints and memes. > McCarthyism in the past didn't have any impact whatsoever on the average suburban family. Now, though, with social media and with everyone living as the main character of their life, "cancel culture" does. I think you need to read more about the red scare before making such proclamations. 15,000 people lost their federal jobs during the red scare, and hundreds were jailed over their political beliefs. If you don’t think that would have a chilling effect, I’m not sure what to tell you.

3 ms·

I'd argue that there is no absolute measure of freedom, or at least, it doesn't matter relative to expectations and feelings of freedom. Expectations and feelin

by nickysielicki 6y ago

ashtonkem 6y ago
> Everyone complains about cancel culture and mask mandates and vaccination passports and so-on. There are also complaints about “kids these days” stretching all the way back to Plato. People can, and do, complain about things in a way that does not conform with any form of objective reality. We need a more rigorous way of discussing these things that goes beyond common complaints and memes. > McCarthyism in the past didn't have any impact whatsoever on the average suburban family. Now, though, with social media and with everyone living as the main character of their life, "cancel culture" does. I think you need to read more about the red scare before making such proclamations. 15,000 people lost their federal jobs during the red scare, and hundreds were jailed over their political beliefs. If you don’t think that would have a chilling effect, I’m not sure what to tell you.