4 ms·

I'm in complete agreement with the need to protect free speech and the right of those even with "ugly positions" to share their point of view. However, what ha

by mizzao 3y ago

I'm in complete agreement with the need to protect free speech and the right of those even with "ugly positions" to share their point of view. However, what happens when those "ugly positions" are algorithmically amplified and spread far and wide through social media to people who are not prepared to question them critically, and instead appeal to their basest desires and inner fears? Is that still free speech or is it now brain power-washing... or even a brain water-cannon?

Whoppertime 3y ago
A lot of ugly positions are pushed as necessary. If you want to talk about things that are algorithmically amplified and spread far and wide, we could talk about the first and second world war. We get the phrase "Shouting fire in a crowded theater" from Schenck v. United States which held that the defendant's speech in opposition to the draft during World War I was not protected free speech under the First Amendment. The yelling fire in a crowded theater was telling Americans not to die for a European war and to burn their draft cards. The same thing happened during the Vietnam War. It happened during the Iraq war, and anyone who had doubts about Saddam having WMDs was shouted down. It happened with Covid too
southernplaces7 3y ago
>However, what happens when those "ugly positions" are algorithmically amplified and spread far and wide through social media to people who are not prepared to question them critically, and instead appeal to their basest desires and inner fears? Is that still free speech or is it now brain power-washing... or even a brain water-cannon? Are you going to set up a committee of "specialists" who decide what speech is okay for wider distribution and what speech is perfectly in its rights to be freely said, so long as its passed by non-digital means? Considering how much garbage came wrapped as firm truth even from mainstream sources of information during the pandemic, I'd like to laugh at the idea of anyone being able to concretely say they can judge "correct" speech from "ugly" speech well. Your entire text above tacitly implies that a large majority are nearly brainless sheep who need to somehow be protected from supposed harmful ideas by their betters, by some sort of betters. Perhaps such as yourself?

by mizzao 3y ago

Whoppertime 3y ago

A lot of ugly positions are pushed as necessary. If you want to talk about things that are algorithmically amplified and spread far and wide, we could talk about the first and second world war. We get the phrase "Shouting fire in a crowded theater" from Schenck v. United States which held that the defendant's speech in opposition to the draft during World War I was not protected free speech under the First Amendment. The yelling fire in a crowded theater was telling Americans not to die for a European war and to burn their draft cards. The same thing happened during the Vietnam War. It happened during the Iraq war, and anyone who had doubts about Saddam having WMDs was shouted down. It happened with Covid too

southernplaces7 3y ago

>However, what happens when those "ugly positions" are algorithmically amplified and spread far and wide through social media to people who are not prepared to question them critically, and instead appeal to their basest desires and inner fears? Is that still free speech or is it now brain power-washing... or even a brain water-cannon? Are you going to set up a committee of "specialists" who decide what speech is okay for wider distribution and what speech is perfectly in its rights to be freely said, so long as its passed by non-digital means? Considering how much garbage came wrapped as firm truth even from mainstream sources of information during the pandemic, I'd like to laugh at the idea of anyone being able to concretely say they can judge "correct" speech from "ugly" speech well. Your entire text above tacitly implies that a large majority are nearly brainless sheep who need to somehow be protected from supposed harmful ideas by their betters, by some sort of betters. Perhaps such as yourself?