Lately on HN I have made a number of comments about censorship: today it sounds great cause it shuts out those you hate. Tomorrow its used against your very voice. Do not disarm yourself entirely and give the government total power. Laws that are too strong in an attempt to stop criminals wind up punishing law abiding citizens.
These comments have been in regards to Twitter, Discord, Google, Facebook and so on all trying to define fake news or ban people with certain political affiliations. The saddest thing is that mainstream media pushes unverified sources on the race to being first. Nobody punishes them for being incompetent. If theres eyeballs for ads who cares?
There is a reason in America we have a constitution and a bill of rights. It could very well be argued our bill of rights was written in blood. The blood of those who fought against totalitarian type of governments who forbade: freedom of speech and religious beliefs, freedom to protect oneself and their families against bad people and rogue governments. Those two foundational things shouldnt be compromised under the guise of a safer country. It will not end well. History says so.
Sadly there are some in America who are quickly forgetting these things and are foolishly ready to give the kings to the kingdom away.
Without free speech we will perish and follow in the steps of bad forms of government. Without the right to defend ourselves legally, we give the government all power over us. Just ask Russia and Venezuela how those democratic elections are going for them.
I’ve had incomplete ideas about this bouncing around my head for a while now.
My current analogy is:
Censorship is the opium of the government.
Pain feels bad, but is good because it tells you when something bad has happened. Investigative journalism revealing wrongdoing is a type of pain. Censorship makes the pain go away without solving the real problems.
If you’re doing the political equivalent of surgery, you need the painkiller, but it is highly addictive — if you don’t stop using it as soon as possible, you’ll find you can’t stop, and you’ll use it to your own detriment. If your political situation needs a lot of ”surgery” you should ask yourself serious questions about that happened.
It is so, so tempting to use today's power to silence people who say things you don't like. It is much more prudent to imagine the powers you ask for today in the hands of those who wish you ill.
Imagine what would have happened to the gay rights movement if it was trying to get off the ground in today's world? If people's locations were tracked, speech was censored, privacy denied?
LGBT rights are a poor example, as that movement is most heavily associated with the stonewall riots which were sparked by a police raid following decades of oppression, and separately that LGBT rights are improving even in the face of ongoing anti-LGBT censorship of various kinds.
Comments
Lately on HN I have made a number of comments about censorship: today it sounds great cause it shuts out those you hate. Tomorrow its used against your very voice. Do not disarm yourself entirely and give the government total power. Laws that are too strong in an attempt to stop criminals wind up punishing law abiding citizens.
These comments have been in regards to Twitter, Discord, Google, Facebook and so on all trying to define fake news or ban people with certain political affiliations. The saddest thing is that mainstream media pushes unverified sources on the race to being first. Nobody punishes them for being incompetent. If theres eyeballs for ads who cares?
There is a reason in America we have a constitution and a bill of rights. It could very well be argued our bill of rights was written in blood. The blood of those who fought against totalitarian type of governments who forbade: freedom of speech and religious beliefs, freedom to protect oneself and their families against bad people and rogue governments. Those two foundational things shouldnt be compromised under the guise of a safer country. It will not end well. History says so.
Sadly there are some in America who are quickly forgetting these things and are foolishly ready to give the kings to the kingdom away.
Without free speech we will perish and follow in the steps of bad forms of government. Without the right to defend ourselves legally, we give the government all power over us. Just ask Russia and Venezuela how those democratic elections are going for them.
I’ve had incomplete ideas about this bouncing around my head for a while now.
My current analogy is:
Censorship is the opium of the government.
Pain feels bad, but is good because it tells you when something bad has happened. Investigative journalism revealing wrongdoing is a type of pain. Censorship makes the pain go away without solving the real problems.
If you’re doing the political equivalent of surgery, you need the painkiller, but it is highly addictive — if you don’t stop using it as soon as possible, you’ll find you can’t stop, and you’ll use it to your own detriment. If your political situation needs a lot of ”surgery” you should ask yourself serious questions about that happened.
Well put. “Censorship is the opium of the government,” made me snort my coffee and is highly quotable.
What’s the term for when a small amount of something that hurts is actually good for you? Hormesis?
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?
It is so, so tempting to use today's power to silence people who say things you don't like. It is much more prudent to imagine the powers you ask for today in the hands of those who wish you ill.
Imagine what would have happened to the gay rights movement if it was trying to get off the ground in today's world? If people's locations were tracked, speech was censored, privacy denied?
LGBT rights are a poor example, as that movement is most heavily associated with the stonewall riots which were sparked by a police raid following decades of oppression, and separately that LGBT rights are improving even in the face of ongoing anti-LGBT censorship of various kinds.
Note that those riots were in '69, and the T was only added in the late 90s.
The rioters included many who were trans.