Free Speech Deemed Contentious.

[Theland]

Our tradition of free speech is threatened by a growing trend find within it reasons to be offended where no offence was ever intended.
Such offence is manufactured, and validated by a subjective redefinition of meaning.
Surely this trend has its roots in post modernism and relativism, where any word or phrase can be deemed to be offensive when no offence was ever intended.
Will this idea ever be challenged successfully to reinstate the value and protection of free speech as it has always be understood?

[naomi24]

//We are responsible for policing our own thoughts.//

// By whose criteria? Our own - or someone else’s?//

[sevenOP]

//We are responsible for policing our own thoughts.//

// By whose criteria? Our own - or someone else’s?//

I repeat, the sane individual is responsible.i.e. each individual is responsible for policing their own thoughts, IF they are sane.

[naomi24]

So does that mean that if you disagree with me you're insane - or vice versa? That answer doesn't really cut it, does it.

[sevenOP]

Wow.

Each one of us is responsible for policing our own thoughts, unless if we are insane.

[naomi24]

So you said.

[10ClarionSt]

There is no such thing as free speech any more and that's mainly down to social media. That's where people are offended by any comments that they don't agree with. It's not enough for some people to say they disagree with something because what follows is that some people will say they are being trolled (still don't get that), abused, insulted etc by an alternative viewpoint. Good examples of this can be seen in lots of places where there are signs saying that abuse of staff will not be tolerated, when in fact the staff can only see their own point of view, and any that you have are classed as abuse etc. It's the society we live in, where lots of people think they have the right to feel abused. Anothere example are some users and moderators on this website.

[sevenOP]

Glad you realized I *had* answered your questions Naomi, I just wonder NOW why you said I had not ?

[10ClarionSt]

^^ Other examples are ^^

[Zacs-Master]

10ClarionSt ‘There is no such thing as free speech any more and that's mainly down to social media’

Isn’t the exact opposite of that true?

[10ClarionSt]

No. It's become paradoxical.

[sevenOP]

Judgement and balance are interesting topics 10ClarionSt as the American 'first amendment auditors' exemplify (cf), some good point evolving into largely clickbait, rabble-rousers.

Things were so 'orthodox' in the past free speech was handicapped.

[naomi24]

But you haven't answered my question, sevenOP, you've simply repeated what you said before which means nothing. You want a precise definition of gender blindness. Who is to provide that to the satisfaction of all? It’s a simple enough question.

[Zacs-Master]

You’ll have to explain that one to me.
Can you clarify how social media, where anyone can write anything, has stopped free speech, because from where I’m sitting it seems to have done the opposite.

[10ClarionSt]

I'm sorry Zacs, if you haven't grasped it. It's quite simple really; say what you think on social media and there will always be someone who finds your comments offensive, abusive, insulting etc. This website and others are full of such people who will ask for your views to be removed. Or just remove them anyway. It happens.

[naomi24]

Anyone can say anything but they are likely to face consequences for saying anything deemed unacceptable - as the two cases discussed here demonstrate. Free speech does not exist.

[sevenOP]

But you haven't answered my question, sevenOP, you've simply repeated what you said before which means nothing. You want a precise definition of gender blindness. Who is to provide that to the satisfaction of all? It’s a simple enough question.

Even more Wow, changing questions and an apparent inability to read the reply !

Naomi --- "You want a precise definition of gender blindness."

I never said that.
I said we could be guided by CONSENSUS.

[Zacs-Master]

‘ say what you think on social media and there will always be someone who finds your comments offensive, abusive, insulting etc’

But that’s not stopping free speech is it?

[naomi24]

SevenOp, okay. Consensus. How do we gauge that?

[sevenOP]

It appeared to infringe on the 'free speech' of Harry Miller and the Austrian woman mentioned earlier Zacs, eh ?

[10ClarionSt]

It is when your answer is removed without explaination, Zacs.