Eight Values of Free Expression

 

Free Expression is a right that we as an American Society hold in high value. The acting rule in our Government is created by the First Amendment which reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abiding the freedom of speech, of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." This amendment is essential to our working society, but it is often unlawfully threatened by members of the Government. As Americans, it is not only our responsibility, but it is our duty to hold the Government responsible for the violations they commit to our laws and to check the power that they obtain to ensure they are not taking advantage of its authority. 

To maintain a working understanding of Free Expression and its importance to our society, Americans are responsible for understanding eight essential values. These eight values all hold their own unique importance that maintain the working ideals of Free Expression in our Modern America. These eight values are the creation of a marketplace of ideas, participation in self-government, stable change, individual self-fulfillment, check on Government power, promote tolerance, promote innovation, and protect dissent. Though each value is an integral part of free-expression's importance, arguably the most important is the eighth ideal that free-expression promotes dissent. This idea essentially states that free-expression allows for individuals to both disagree with each other, and the Government. With the first amendment, we are reserved the right to disagree with the Government and publicly declare so. Some might argue that promoting tolerance is the most important component of these values, but I believe it is clear that the importance of these values lie with dissent. It is the easiest thing to agree with others, especially when the view that is being promoted is being promoted by an individual with a sense of authority (The Government). Steve Shiffrin explains the importance of Protecting Dissent in a novel titled "Dissent, Injustice, and the Meanings of America". In this novel, Shiffrin states that we as Americans should not only be tolerating dissent, but in fact they should be encouraging it. Ultimately, freedom of speech and expression was not created for the majority, but for the minority opinion (dissent), which is why this is such an essential value. The dissent to any opinion, whether that be media, individual, or Government, is the opinion that is often met with the most hostility and aggression, but is the most important opinion ultimately. Dissent is not only what promotes the most change and growth, but the most opportunity for meaningful discussions for better understanding. In our current climate, this value is under the most threat regardless of the fact that it is protected under the first amendment. An example of this threat is clearly shown in the heat of mainstream media and social apps such as tik tok, twitter, Instagram etc.. If content is shared that the app’s teams find to be unacceptable (in their terms), it is removed, or the creator is banned. Though in some cases this could seem to be a beneficial agreement, it begins on a slippery slope regarding dissenting opinions because the Government now has an open role in suppressing ideas and voices. In fact, some content that is filtered and suppressed is often political. Many creators that oppose Government and Mainstream media ideas are often silenced, banned, or "Shadow Banned", which is a term used to describe creators whose content is allowed to be posted but is taken off of other individual’s pages so it cannot be seen as easily. In total, the effect of the dissent is unimaginable, but the effect of banning dissent is one step closer to a dictatorship controlled by suppression and limitations on rights.