that's an entirely fair criticism, but peer-led opinion suppression is via taboo and taboos are transient and organically go through cultural waves -- have been

that's an entirely fair criticism, but peer-led opinion suppression is via taboo and taboos are transient and organically go through cultural waves -- have been for centuries. When a state starts doing it it usually requires catastrophic change that, maybe if you're lucky, won't hurt too many people -- but it's almost always painful, and sudden.