Eight Values of Free Expression

Free expression is imperative to have in order to have a free society. In simple terms, it means the government cannot forbid us from saying or writing what we choose. Below, I am going to discuss the eight values of free expression and which one I think is the most important. Throughout I am going to relate these ideas to current ideas happening in society for readers to better understand. 

1. Marketplace of Ideas - This concept is described as the truth and lies coexisting in society, however, the truth will always win. This theory condemns censorship and encourages the free flow of ideas. Social Media can be a prime example of this idea. People post heavily edited and fake images every day to create an ideal lifestyle, but somehow the truth always comes out. An upcoming app that has been contributing to this is FaceTune. Influencers like James Charles, Kim Kardashian, and Kylie Jenner have been caught using this app to edit their pictures to make them look more pleasing to their followers. 

2. Participation in Self-Government - Citizens will struggle with making a well-informed decision during elections if the candidates cannot clearly state their positions. This can be seen in the 2020 presidential debate between Trump and Biden. Throughout the broadcast, the two candidates continually spoke over each other, argued, and interrupted the mediator. It was extremely unbeneficial and heavily caused confusion for voters. Voters were not able to get a clear idea of the positions of either candidate. 

3. Stable Change - Without question, members of society should be able to freely speak their minds. This will allow the government to monitor and prevent the rise of violent groups. With the age of activism that we are currently living in, music has been a wonderful way for this generation to speak their minds about certain issues. Preach by John Legend is a marvelous example. This song is in response to the massacre in Parkland, Florida, and how more needs to be done about gun violence. 

4. Individual Self-Fulfillment - Having the ability to fully express yourself in society allows for the creation of one's distinctive identity. Many Americans take for granted the freedom they have to wear, eat, and travel to express themselves. Yemen women cannot complete these simple tasks without permission from a man. All of these factors contribute to creating a unique identity and are so important to protect and have in society. 

5. Check on Governmental Power - It is the media's job to inform society of abuses of power in the government, so the society can implement checks and balances. A valuable resource that I feel everyone should be aware of is the media bias chart. This is important to know where you are getting your information from and if it is neutral or not. The media has taken to creating TikTok accounts in order to spread information to the younger generation. This is a great way of evolving with the times and keeping society up to date on pressing issues. 

6. Promote Tolerance - Looking at speech that an individual can find hateful is important to promote tolerance. Society is able to learn valuable lessons from speech that is bothersome. Recently, cancel culture has been rising and affecting many individuals' mental health. Our society is becoming less tolerant of differing viewpoints. Instead of listening and becoming more open-minded we "cancel" those who do not think like us. 

7. Promote Innovation - Free speech needs to be protected and cherished in order for society to have an energized, active, and diverse way of living. Technology is a prime example because it filters out what you want to hear and what you don't. Technology also protects free speech while allowing you to continually post anything you want. Through technology, you are able to form relationships across the globe and even hear opposing viewpoints. This creates an innovative community and enables society to function actively. 

8. Protect Dissent - You have the right to criticize and disagree with the government, no matter how unpopular or strange your views may be. An example of this can be found in Lois Lowrey's book, The Giver. The government forces society to see the world in black and white and never form opinions against them. Jonas, the protagonist, is able to see the world in color and decides he has opinions that go against the government. This book is a wonderful example of how important each individual's awareness is. 

Choosing which value resonates with me the most proved to be very difficult. Each value has a special place in society and allows us to function freely. If I had to choose which was most important it would be individual self-fulfillment. I strongly believe that being able to express yourself and figure out your own unique identity without the fear of being frowned upon is imperative. We are America because we accept contrasting viewpoints and ways of living. Gen-Z hands down can be looked at for being the most open-minded about differences. From not only accepting all genders, races, and religions personally but fighting for them to be accepted by all. In closing, each value is crucial for society and the idea of free expression.