8 Values of Free Expression

 Free Expression is the hallmark of American Society. How can a nation claim to be free if they are not free to put their opinions out for the public to hear? One should not be thrown to the proverbial wolves just because they are not onboard with the public idea, nor if another person simply disagrees with an aspect of the publishing party or their stance. Additionally, in a capitalist society, the freedoms of any person to move the needle of progress forward for the good of all is paramount. 

 The marketplace of ideas is a theory that is very important to myself as well as many entrepreneurs. This idea originated from John Milton on the basis that there should not be a licensing requirement to be able to print or publish. This would allow a greater ease of access to the Marketplace of Ideas for individuals who would be unable to pay for the licensing to print or publish their ideas. Without this ideology, there would be no middle nor lower class representation in any form of public information. 

Protection of Dissent and Promotion of Tolerance are two theories that I feel are critical to the functioning of a civilized society that are also very closely linked. We must be tolerant of the different ideologies within a society. No two people are exactly alike in terms of their personalities and belief systems. A mature person must be able to tolerate the reality that a different person is not going to agree with them and that person is just as entitled to their beliefs as you are to your beliefs. Tolerance goes further than just the tolerance of people with different opinions, it also covers different people in regards to their various minority statuses whether that be racial, religious, sexual, or otherwise. If a minority group is not given the proper respect and access to the ability to speak freely, they lose their rights within a society and more importantly they lose their qualities that make them individuals. 

Protection of Dissent is another hallmark of a "free society". This idea protects an individual who would disagree with the government as well as any other citizen. America was founded on this principle. The Founding Fathers were tired of being suppressed by the Kings' governments in Europe and they revolted in order to live a more free life. You will not always agree with dissenters. That is what makes them dissenters is that they are a minority opinion. 

I find George Orwell's 1984 to be a fantastic and genuinely terrifying account of the downfalls of a society and how the people allow their freedoms to be taken away. Click here for a review and analysis on the novel.