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> I am skeptical of giving the government the power to censor speech and to determine what is hate speech, because this power can be abused. But... Good exampl
by jiscariot 4y ago
> I am skeptical of giving the government the power to censor speech and to determine what is hate speech, because this power can be abused. But...
Good example of what Salman Rushdie call's the Free Speech "But Brigade":
"And now, the moment somebody says, "yes I believe in free speech, BUT," I stop listening."
- HelloMcFly 4y agoI think this is bad advice, what follows the "but" can be on a spectrum. It can run from struggling with one's own beliefs, to empathizing with the real-world consequences of others, to all-out advocating for an abandonment of the beliefs that came before the "but". Life is complicated, trite quotes like this don't leave much room to explore the corners - personal and social - of nuanced topics.
- ch4s3 4y agoI think the context here is important. Rushdie was nearly killed multiple times for speech, and during his travails may people he knew who who claimed to support free speech were saying thing to him like, "I support free speech, but maybe you shouldn't have [insulted Islam]...". He was talking about people making excuses for his would be murderers.
- HelloMcFly 4y agoI think it's a great quote in context.
- ch4s3 4y agoHe's spoken about it at some length and contextualizes what he means and how when people say it they almost never have anything nuanced to say after the but.
- HelloMcFly 4y agoI suppose all I can say is that I like the quote in context, and think most people who use the quote to dismiss the perspectives of others outright deserve an exasperated eye-roll. Life is not as simple as many want to make it.