1. Freedom of Speech
The Reith Lectures
Freedom of Speech Matters
The power of words is evident in their ability to inspire and console, but also offend and hurt. Despite the temptation to advocate censorship for false or hurtful ideas, the speaker resists, citing both principle and practicality. They fear that advocating censorship might backfire in the future, and emphasize that the suppression of speech is more about the senser than the speech itself. The speaker acknowledges their fantasy of banning certain books but recognizes the slippery slope of censorship, as what one person finds offensive, another may not. They argue that censorship often fails to achieve its objective and instead advocates for addressing banned ideas rather than suppressing them. In the age of disinformation, the solution lies in exposing falsehoods rather than hiding them.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
