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.
Comments
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?