Addressing The Myth Of Free Speech Absolutism

It’s rare to find a person who is a free speech absolutist. If they have children, I’m positive they aren’t. If your 8-year-old learns the word “fuck,” do you let them blurt it out everywhere? Even if you allow it in the home (please don’t), how about in public? No? Ask yourself why not. I bet a lot of it would have not only to do with your reputation in the community but also because it just isn’t done. It’s culturally unacceptable. To allow it would create a kind of chaos you can’t put into words but instinctively know exists.

Recently I’ve been struggling with the concept of free speech within a political system. My focus is narrow but, of course, the midwits will undoubtedly point out that “if you restrict even one facet of free speech it becomes a slippery slope.” Obviously. If you think I haven’t considered this you either believe I’m an idiot, or you’re making an effort to show how “bright” you are. The slippery slope is undefeated but what happens if we apply it to every aspect of our lives? We end up putting restrictions on nothing.

Here are two questions/issues that are bothering me (these are by no means the only questions I have, not by a long shot - just ones bothering me at this moment):

Should a “free press” be" allowed to lie and collude with not only each other, but special interests? Should they be allowed to propagandize you to support war efforts based on said lies? If they’re all on the same page and competition is suppressed, what do we do?

If you have a system based on protecting the most rights possible for an individual to thrive absent coercion, what do you do when teachings contrary to that (collectivism, communism) are introduced into said system and championed by influential voices?

I will state that the answer is not, “Just abolish the system.” That’s not going to happen and that answer is a cop-out for people who are either too lazy to think, or so ideologically possessed that their ideology has come to be their identity and believe to deviate from their very narrow, fantasyland view will anger their miniscule in-group.

Another possible retort is to build parallel systems which I encourage. BUT the parallel system is not going to make the current, more dominant one disappear in the next few generations if ever. Do not mistakenly believe that collapse is imminent. This very detailed article addresses the misconception that whatever collapse people foresee in the future will somehow reset society. Please keep it in the context of what we’ve dealt with in the past, are dealing with in the present and will deal with in the future in reference to our polity.

Questioning dogmas should always be welcomed but the more constructive the questions are the better. We’ve been conditioned to believe a “free press” is essential to liberty, but a press that is free to tell lies commands a tyranny over the minds and souls of the people. I would hope through decades of endless war propaganda and especially the “health tyranny” of the last two years people would at least be asking questions. And when it comes to the infiltration of communist social thought throughout not only society, but the institutions of education, is it wrong to ask if it should at least be unacceptable socially? Why is dispassionately discussing communism on my podcast met with interest, while covering fascism results in people unsubscribing? (Not complaining, I’m a big boy)

I contend that the idea of “free speech” is not only a myth, but a weapon used against us. We know it doesn’t exist within a political system. Those of a differing, and in the moment, more powerful worldview will do everything they can to suppress your speech while championing theirs. This is a truth of politics and it’s not going away. When your enemy is in charge, and dominates all discourse while actively suppressing yours, do you rationalize that they’re the victors in “the marketplace of ideas,” or, do you like Jesus, flip the tables in said “marketplace” and take back what was taken from you? Order can be seen through the chaos. You just have to know what you’re looking for.