Seriously.
I should've seen this coming, admittedly.
The LBRY community is a place where people pushed out of other social media platforms feel safe in expressing their particular brand of crazy. That is simply true of all social media where one of the key selling points is "you can get away from mainstream restrictions and express yourself freely." That will always lead to an increase in the number of people who hold, putting it gently, "fringe opinions" and if you intend to be involved in freedom of speech-focused platforms, they are going to be part of your regular experience.
I didn't expect to wake up to find an argument between a radical Christian (and the less said about their particular interpretation of dogma the better) and a Flat Earther. I was not prepared for this.
The terrifying part is not that they were arguing about the specifics of their personal revelation of human experience – it was that they were aggressively, egregiously avoiding touching on the fact that they are both excluded from mainstream acceptance for much the same reason:
They're fucking crazy.
Possibly because observing and acknowledging that would require that they do something less than wholeheartedly throw themselves into a belief about reality which is not actually borne out by human experience. To acknowledge their similarities rather than their difference would require that they think about and internalize the fact that normal people look at them and inch away for perfectly good reasons.
Self-awareness is a hard stop for a lot of people.
It's kind of funny that I, someone who deliberately embraces rationalism in all of its forms and deliberately and consciously avoids buying into cultic thought, nevertheless finds himself surrounded by people who engaging cultic thought on a regular basis. Whether it be cryptocultists, Targeted Individuals, or less savory things – I'm generally in the middle of them, working hard to make sure that they actually get to speak their minds without undue repercussion.
When I was doing regular broadcasts on TalkShoe, I often noted that I was the Targeted Individuals' greatest fan and supporter. I went to bat on a regular basis, advocating for their right and ability to rub their paranoias against one another in public. I believe that as an individual, everyone has the right to speak in public space if not safely, openly.
It's not the quote I wanted here, but Peter Scheer has a rather good article on the necessity of associating with the unsavoury:
Hate speech needs constitutional protection not because bigoted rants, lies and snuff videos deserve an audience–they don’t–but because speech having no social value can’t be proscribed without also suppressing speech that does have social value. Even more than we dislike hate speech we fear a government that has the power to decide what speech will be heard and what speech will be silenced.
Constitutional safeguards for speech that really matters–political speech, informed criticism of official policies, artistic expression–are at their strongest when protection is also intact for speech that makes you want to cover your ears.
The time to really worry about personal freedom in America is when you can no longer hear the voices you hate.
If nothing else, I have access to voices that I disagree with, sometimes strongly, sometimes viscerally, on a regular basis. I think of it as part and parcel of being a member of a free society that I have the honor and opportunity to associate with them. I will do whatever is in my power to make sure that those with whom I disagree have the opportunity to speak in public – if for no other reason that it makes it easier to argue against them.
And also because it makes it easier to argue for my own freedom when someone else decides to take offense at what I say.
Enlightened self interest is a good thing.
Unfortunately, we're not seeing nearly as much of a belief in that in a wider societal sense as we should. I'm hoping that is just part of the societal pendulum swinging back the other way and not some sort of greater sociological pressure.
Hoping.
This is honestly something I really struggle with... I often see something that I think "This is too stupid to be listened to... by anyone" but then who gets to decide what is ridiculous and what is incredible detective work actively being surpressed?
Hate speech is obviously the harder area... where people hide behind the intention of suppressing others as 'their right to their opinion'. I absolutely agree that Freedom of Speech include Freedom to Face Consequences of Your Speech, it's just hard to leave hateful things around... it seems messy.
It's critical to keep in mind that the moment that you arrogate to yourself the ability to decide what somebody else thinks or believes, no matter how stupid it is, you create a situation in which you have forged a weapon which will, inevitably, be used against you.
This doesn't matter if it's a conspiracy theory or "hate speech," which is a bullshit designation in the first place because what it really means is "speech which I find objectionable but don't want to be bothered with arguing against." It's lazy both physically and intellectually.
The moment that you look at someone else's speech and judge that "it's for the intention of suppressing others – therefore that gives me permission to suppress them," you have again forced to the weapon with which you will be suppressed and oppressed. That is the nature of the beast.
Life is messy. You want life to be messy. At every stage in your life, at every moment, in every place – someone else thinks you are the mess. You would much rather not be cleaned up, but to be able to claim that right you must simultaneously offer it to others.
Just imagine that every decision you wish to make for someone else is being implemented by someone who hates you and wants everything that you don't. Operate under that assumption and you can make better, clearer decisions.
"I will do whatever is in my power to make sure that those with whom I disagree have the opportunity to speak in public – if for no other reason that it makes it easier to argue against them."
^^ Yup!! Gotta say I've never met a flat earther before. LOL. And agree with you 10000% on the radical christian.
Have you checked out the Free Speech community on Hive yet?
I haven't, really. Is it worth digging in?
So. I got here following a bit of a rabbit trail (I think I'm not gone down the rabbit hole-yet) posted by your fan @por500bolos in the weekend-engagement post for this week.
You are a better man than me. I'm darn near 70 years old and just don't have time to suffer fools anymore.
I have a really good friend that is a FE guy. When I found out I explained to him in detail (using action words) that we did not want to discuss that aspect or I'd be off like a prom dress. I don't care what anybody believes any more than I care about race, creed, color, sexual orientation or politics (I'm sure I forgot a couple, I don't give a shit about them, either). Just don't expect me to treat easily disprobable items as fact. Get 30 feet above the water on the ocean and you can easily see the curve.
Anyway, I respect what you do and love that there is a place like that. I'll try checking it out. No promises I'll be there for over one minute but I also think it's really important. Free and unabridged speech.