Freedom of expression to me is vital to living the best life possible. We as humans have the right to say and do what we truly want. The first amendment establishes all of our basic freedoms that, as United States citizens, deserve. The Eight Values of Free Expression are speech theories that could possibly explain why aspects of speech, press, and religion are the way they are in today’s society.
Marketplace of Ideas
One theory that I believe is one of the most important theories is the Marketplace of Ideas (Discovery of Truth). First suggested by John Milton, a marketplace of ideas explains that having both truth and fallacy in speech and press isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A news story that is published and is 100% false may sound like a very bad thing to a lot of people, but this theory suggests that it’s necessary. Milton explains that when there is truth and falsehood coinciding, the truth will win out. The effort and authentication of the truth will not only prove its worth but also make it stronger, as backing up the truth and explaining why something is true will only back that truth stronger for the future.
Individual Self-Fulfillment
Another theory that I believe is very important is Individual Self-Fulfillment (Self-Actualization). Introduced by C Edwin Baker, this theory claims that free speech allows us to express ourselves to the fullest extent, thus creating our own identity. My definition of self-actualization is understanding and realizing your own worth, your own potentialities, and your own personality. Self-actualization may help people understand why they may say or do things a certain way, or why they react to certain things in certain ways. Personally, as I mature, I’m starting to understand my qualities, my passions, and my potential. This theory explains that freedom of speech, through the creation of identity, becomes a part of human dignity, human agency, and autonomy.
Protect Dissent
This theory might be the most relevant theory out of all in the present day. Steve Shiffrin says that a mob rule society is not how a society should be run, but unfortunately, that is the way things seem to be. He also explains that the first amendment protects minority views, no matter how unpopular. When I first read this, I immediately thought about the entire controversy around the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccinated and unvaccinated have been in vigorous arguments for months now, and society as a whole is slowly dividing, (which is truly what the media wants to happen in my opinion). In this case, being unvaccinated is considered the minority view, and it definitely shows. Just last week, I went to a party with a couple of friends, when the topic of the Covid-19 vaccine was brought up. I mentioned that I was unvaccinated, and I was then approached by two people who I don’t know. They pressed me for not being vaccinated, endlessly asking question after question, calling me name after name, all for not being vaccinated. This “mob rule mentality” is very real and very present. Not just me, but plenty of unvaccinated people experience things similar to this. Situations like this make you want to just shut up and not even talk about it, say about how you feel, or even express your emotions. To feel like this is very wrong, and no one should feel that way. According to this theory, you have a strongly protected right to disagree with everyone. A theory should not have to explain that one is allowed to disagree and have differing opinions from others. What’s even worse is that since this mob rule is so present in today's society, almost every minority view on a topic is mobbed and somewhat attacked. Back in the 2016 and 2020 elections, I never mentioned who I would vote for, because I already had glimpses of this mob mentality, and I knew that I would have been viewed as a different person from there on out. I was low-key scared, for the first time, expressing my opinion. This theory reevaluates all those out there who are hesitant to express their views and opinions and lets everyone know that it’s ok to be different and think differently.
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