speech

“Before all this happened, there was a narrative … that this is the cost of true free speech, and if we all just talked, the best ideas will fall out. Well, 8chan has been around for five years and I never saw any good idea (laughing) fall out. (laughing) sorry” - Fredrick Brennan, creator of 8chan, in an interview on the subject of the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019.

I think it’s generally agreed on that we want this stuff to be as free as possible. Most folks draw a line at calls to violence, but I find this to be disengenuous in the majority of cases. Typically the “no violence” clause of speech is weaponized by people who almost exclusively promote violent ideas (see: dhh). Fascists and similar bastards love to accuse people of inciting violence for calling them what they are.

Tolerance is overrated!!

I learned from much personal experience that there is a limit to tolerable behavior before the benefits of freedom are lost. If you must consort with bigots, use them as an example of how not to be.

It’s easier to be patient on the Internet, but you should maintain the confidence to rebuke others' terrible behavior in public. Even if you are initially mocked, people will reward you for speaking up.

Know that you can maintain your right to freedom of speech without allowing the social environment to tolerate bullshit. Know that stamping out bullshit is, in fact, necessary to maintain this right.