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Musk confuses freedom of speech with freedom from consequences. In the USA the right to free speech prevents the government censoring or restraining what citize
by gregjor 2y ago
Musk confuses freedom of speech with freedom from consequences. In the USA the right to free speech prevents the government censoring or restraining what citizens say. It does not immunize against responsibility for what you say or write. And it does not compel anyone to listen, repeat, or publish what you say.
Other countries have different rules, free speech doesn’t apply absolutely, everywhere. This is middle school civics stuff.
- bad_username 2y ago"freedom from consequences" is a phrase that has no meaning. Everything is a "consequence" of something else. Causal relationship does not imply goodness. A husband hitting his wife for what she said to him is a "consequence" of her speaking, but you would not apply the "consequence" trope to this situation. Our job is to let good consequences happen, and prevent bad consequences from happening. This sounds almost tautological, because the whole premise of "there is no freedom of consequences" is almost tautological.
- gregjor 2y agoI think you understand what I meant, but thanks for the lesson in rhetoric. I'll correct my statement to Musk confuses freedom of speech with freedom from penalties for his speech. Of course he narcissistically craves the attention and encouragement, even if from a tiny minority, so in that sense he understands consequences, but only wants those that feed his ego. I don't know for sure if Musk truly doesn't understand freedom of speech as protected in the Constitution, or if he does but cynically deploys his "rights" to serve his own purposes. I no longer give him the benefit of the doubt.