Why is freedom to express yourself important?

Freedom to express yourself has been one of the main pillars of Western civilization for centuries. It is a term that is used constantly in political dialogue all around the globe. Seeing that it is such a common term, and such an important value, I decided to write this post so you know exactly why freedom to express yourself is important.

Freedom to express yourself is important in ensuring your rights as an individual are protected from any intervention by the state. It means you have freedom of speech, freedom to protest, freedom of expression and are free from any state imposed oppression. This allows the individual and society as a whole to flourish.

Freedom of Speech

Freedom to express yourself naturally includes freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is the freedom that decrees the individual is inherently free to articulate their ideas and speak without any fear of censorship or intervention from the state. This is a crucial aspect of freedom of expression and the main reason for why freedom to express yourself is so important.

Freedom of speech is more than just another freedom. It is the fundamental mechanism humans have to organise their thoughts, articulate themselves and have their pre-existing ideas and notions challenged. It is right at the heart of expressing yourself, as without free speech, freedom of expression is non-existent. Freedom of speech is the fundamental right that has allowed humanity to progress as far as it has. It is the value that has been at the centre of Western civilization, and the main building block that has allowed the West to be so prosperous, throughout the last couple of centuries.

Freedom of speech is how new ideas come into fruition. It is how harmful ideas eventually become extinct. Freedom of speech ensures all ideas are challenged, and ensures that overtime only the most beneficial ideas become dominant. Freedom of speech is the only tool oppressed people have to spark change and challenge their oppressors. It is how society has progressed both socially and economically. It is the reason discrimination is becoming less common and why people are becoming more socially tolerant. It paves the way for diversity in all forms: Thought, ideas and people. It is for these reasons why freedom to express yourself is so important. If one does not have the freedom to express oneself, then they will never grow. They will continue to be oppressed and will have no viable option to make their lives better. Freedom of speech makes the lives of every citizen better off, which in turn makes society as a whole continually expand and become more prosperous.

Individualism in Regards to Freedom of Expression

At the heart of freedom of expression is individualism. An Individualistic society is one that focuses on the priorities of the individual rather than the wider collective. A society that focuses more on individualism is almost always going to give the individual more freedoms and rights. This is important, as freedom of expression and individualism go hand in hand.

Individualism inherently upholds the right of the individual to freedom and self realisation. This is crucial, as humans are biologically predisposed to be free and explore their own identities. Individualism ensures the importance of the individual is put before anything else. This is why freedom to express yourself is so important, without this freedom the individual is worthless. Without freedom of expression you are merely just a puppet of the state, which is not only detrimental to the individual’s well being, but the well being of society as a whole. When the individual feels heard, respected and is free to live life on their own terms, then that will manifest itself in society as a whole. A population of individuals who are free to express themselves as they wish is a population that is valued, happy, healthy and prosperous.

There are direct correlations with the amount of freedom the society gives the individual and the overall success of that society. Societies that value freedom of expression and individualism always are better off economically, better educated, healthier, happier and more prosperous. If you want to learn more about the value of freedom, click here.

Freedom of Expression in Regards to Diversity

Diversity has been a common buzzword thrown around in society and today’s political landscape. The best and most effective way to achieve true diversity is through the freedom to express yourself. This is because when we as individuals are free to express ourselves, we inherently also become free to explore ourselves and the wider world. This in turn creates an environment where each individual is unique in a plethora of ways. To link this back to individualism, what this means is not only is everyone unique, they are also all valued as individuals with no one being put on pedestal or anyone being held down. This is true diversity. Only freedom to express oneself can achieve this.

Freedom of expression also increases societies social tolerance over time. It is how African Americans have been able to break out of slavery, then secure their fundamental rights as citizens of the USA through the Black Civil Rights Movement. It is how society has become more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community over time, and allowed these people to truly express themselves to the world with no fear of discrimination. It is how women have secured the right to vote, torn down outdated societal norms and established themselves as just as deserving of every opportunity as a man. Without freedom of expression, none of this would have been possible. It is the only way true and long lasting diversity is achieved. True diversity is essential to maintaining a prosperous and progressive society that is always improving and striving to do greater things.

Summary

The main factor of freedom of expression is freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is the most crucial aspect of allowing an individual to express themselves fully without any fear of the state intervening. Freedom of speech is what has allowed society to progress as far as it has over the last couple of centuries. It is the only tool the oppressed have to challenge the status quo and create real change.

Freedom of expression is inherently tied to individualism. This is important as in an individualistic society the individual is always deemed more important than the wider collective. This in turn gives the individual the freedom and power to express themselves as they wish. This is of the utmost importance as it means the individuals can become the protagonist of their own lives which in turn makes society more prosperous in the long run.

Freedom of expression is the only way to achieve true and long lasting diversity. When individuals are free to express themselves and are all equal before the law, that is true diversity. Diversity is a crucial aspect that allows society to use the thoughts, ideas and expertise of everyone to make society more prosperous and progressive.

What is freedom and why is it important?

Scrolling through twitter throughout the past day, I can’t help but notice the amount of political tweets out there regarding freedom. It got me thinking: What is freedom? And why is it important? I know I’m not the only one who wants to know this. Below I will share my findings in an easy and readable format.

Freedom is the idea that citizens of a democracy are free from any oppression or coercion from the state. Freedom is important as it gives more power and opportunities to the individual, whilst disallowing the state to interfere with their lives. If implemented correctly, freedom always leads to a happier and more prosperous society in the long run.

Why is freedom so popular?

Freedom is an extremely popular political idea, and has been for centuries. The main reason it is so popular is because it gives you the individual more rights and opportunities. It gives you choices and gives you the power to shape your own destiny. It gives you independence, and does not make you dependent on the state.

Freedom is so popular because it is deeply rooted in human biology and evolution. When it comes to living one’s life, not one size fits all. Everyone has their own thoughts, opinions, values, beliefs and ways of being which all shape who they are as people. Freedom allows for people to explore these sides of themselves and become the best versions of themselves that they can be. This in turn makes society itself better, as each individual is harmoniously improving in their own ways. This would not be possible if freedom as a political idea didn’t exist, which would go against one of the most fundamental traits of being human.

It is for these reasons why freedom is such a popular and adopted political idea. The alternatives to freedom are less popular as it suppresses the desires of the individual. The individual almost always has a better idea of how to run their own lives than the state.

The Three pillars of freedom

There are 3 main pillars which are fundamental to bringing the political idea of freedom into tuition. These are freedom of speech, freedom of opportunity and freedom of choice. Each will be broken down below.

Freedom of speech

Freedom of speech is arguably the most fundamental element of a free and democratic society. It is a term that has been used increasingly frequently in political discourse throughout history. Essentially freedom of speech decrees that the individual allows the individual to articulate ideas and speak without fear of any censorship by the state. Apart from incitement to violence, it means individuals can say whatever they want with no consequences imposed by the government. This is an important element of freedom as it sparks discourse and debate which in turn leads to better ideas, people and a more prosperous society. As soon as speech starts being censored, individuals are no longer free to speak what they believe in, which leads to the gradual decline of freedom within a society.

Freedom of opportunity

Freedom of opportunity means that all individuals have the same opportunities, regardless of their gender, race, age, sexuality, religion and more. This is an important one as a truly free society allows for all citizens opportunities to better themselves. If the state prevents a certain group from fully participating in society, or gives special privileges to other groups, then it is not truly a free society. All individuals should have the same rights and opportunities regardless of their differences. They should be free to express themselves without fear of the state punishing them. Every citizen should have the same opportunity to succeed despite class and social status. A free society is one where equality of opportunity is practised.

Freedom of choice

Freedom of choice relates directly to freedom of opportunity. It essentially means that when faced with two options, the individual has the freedom to choose either one without any constraint from the state.

Freedom of choice is important as it gives the individual control over their own lives. They aren’t tied down to one way of doing things. They can choose what is best for them without being forced to do anything by the state. The individual always knows what is best for them, so this is a crucial pillar of maintaining a free society.

Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash

The top 5 benefits of freedom

The top 5 benefits of freedom are:

More diversity
More prosperity
More emphasis on the individual
Less centralisation
Less corruption

Essentially, freedom gives more power to you, the individual. It means there is less centralisation, which helps prevent any corruption. In the long term, this leads to a more prosperous society with more diversity.

There is a direct correlation with the success of a given society in regards to the amount of freedom its citizens have. The more free a society is, the more productive its economy is. This in turn leads to higher standards of living, higher amounts of happiness, less mental illness, better healthcare, better life expectancy and better education just to name a few. This shows how freedom benefits a society and why it is so important.

Summary

Freedom is the political theory that citizens are free from any oppression and coercion from the state. It puts more emphasis on you, the individual, rather than a powerful centralised entity. It is a popular idea because not only does it offer huge benefits to society such as individualism, diversity, economic prosperity and happiness. It is also deeply rooted in human nature, so it comes naturally to us.

The three pillars of freedom are freedom of speech, freedom of opportunity and freedom of choice. All 3 pillars give more power to the individual. If any one of these pillars are non-existent within a society, it is very likely that society is not a free one.

The top 5 benefits of freedom are more diversity, more prosperity, more emphasis on the individual, less centralisation and Less corruption. All 5 benefits lead to a more happy, healthy and prosperous society.

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Why Extreme Polarisation is Crippling Society, and What We Can Do About It

If in recent times you have followed the news, listened to podcasts or observed any form of pop culture, you may be feeling extremely worried or confused about the current state of society. I share the same sentiments. It definitely feels as if the world is in turmoil. Day by day we are being sucked into a deeper and deeper hole. Full of hate, division, confusion, tyranny, greed, hopelessness and angst. When you are met with a problem in life, it is in your best interest to solve it before it becomes all-consuming. This is the current situation society faces today in the wake of an increasingly divided political climate and a global pandemic. The question is: How does society navigate through these treacherous waters?

Let us first address the chaotic political climate. In my opinion the problem of increasing division started with the sudden rise of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, in 2016. Donald Trump was the ultimate simplifier. Simplicity was his main appeal, as many average working class citizens could understand and relate to him. Where things got problematic was when Trump’s simplistic approach was utilised to popularise the ‘us vs them’ rhetoric. This is an extremely dangerous approach to take in politics. The proof is in the pudding. Go back to any time in history where this rhetoric was used and you see the absolute devastation it can cause. The Nazis, Maoist and the Soviot Union all have used this deadly (quite literally) rhetoric. Trump’s rhetoric slowly poisoned not only The United States, but countries all over the world throughout his 4 year reign.

It is human nature to combat hate with hate, no matter how many times we are told (and know) that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. So inevitably, once republicans started using this simplistic ‘Us versus Them’ rhetoric to spread hate towards the other side of the aisle, the democrats were quick to stoop down to the level of their counterparts and combat it with their own ‘Us vs Them’ rhetoric. This pattern unfortunately infiltrated every western democracy, including New Zealand. This tribalistic mentality goes against everything democracy is about. If I could make one sure bet about politics, it would be that not one person shares the EXACT same thoughts, opinions and beliefs. Politics is too diverse and complex to be viewed as a black and white thing. Nobody in a civilised democracy should be put in a box, and absolutely no one should be judged by the actions of a few outliers. The consequence of all this has been we are now seeing unnecessary hate and division, with no real logic or reasoning behind it. It is truly crippling society to the core.

Then comes the pandemic. In my opinion Covid has added fuel to fire, sparking a global societal crisis that I would argue is worse than the pandemic itself. In theory, the pandemic should have unified everyone, brought us closer together and unified populations across the globe. Unfortunately, the complete opposite has happened, and is getting worse by the day. Politicians on all sides of the political spectrum, all over the world are responsible for creating arguably one of the worst and most toxic political climates ever seen. From the Right demonising those who actually follow health and safety protocols, and popularising countless conspiracy theories; to the tyrants on the Left invoking vaccine mandates, which are arguably the biggest infringement of personal liberty in the history of western democracy. All are to blame for the shipwreck we have at this moment in time. Covid should have never been politicised, it has funnily enough probably resulted in the pandemic raging longer, while the pillars of western democracy have been crushed in the process. The scars on civilization from this turbulent period will last much longer, and have more consequences than the pandemic itself. There is one common denominator throughout all of these points however, one entity that has enlarged this hate and division like no other, The media.

The media is the main perpetrator of the issues currently facing society. Over the past 6 years the media has relentlessly been divisive, misled and hateful. Gone are the days where journalism was about reporting the truth, and only the truth. The golden era of media where issues were discussed and debated civilly using a wide range of viewpoints is sadly non-existent. Media has unfortunately turned into an avenue for political loyalists (Left and Right) to further their agenda, spread misinformation and demonise their ‘foes’. The best examples are the two biggest mainstream news sources in the US: Fox News and CNN. Both of these entities are guilty of furthering the political divide, especially throughout the covid pandemic. Fox News for example has been extremely dismissive of covid vaccines, despite the science showing their effectiveness. Instead turning the issue into a political problem, The vaccine was only for those ‘communists’ on the left. CNN on the other hand, has repeatedly demonised people on the right who are rightfully against vaccine mandates, labeling them ‘anti-vaxxers’, ‘conspriracy theorist’ and even ‘Nazis’. As you can see, both media outlets are fueling extreme polarisation, which is deeply harming society. The media purposely spreads negativity to get more viewers, as according to what psychologists call the negativity bias, things of a more negative nature have more impact on one’s psychological state. This is all well and good for maximising profit, but it is wreaking havoc across the political landscape and in turn society itself. So what must society do in order to get itself out of this mess?

The world is currently in a very dire situation. If we all collectively fail to play our part then chaos and doom will be inevitable. We must hope that we can carefully manage to manoeuvre ourselves out of our current debacle. It is in our best interest to slowly navigate through this pandemic (which is in decline) without giving up our freedoms that our society has been built on. We must listen to the science and follow accordingly, without discriminating anyone for their personal choices along the way. We must hold the media accountable for their actions. We must only support the sources of news which tell the truth and share a wide range of viewpoints without bias, not ones that further an agenda. We must all do our part as individuals, be kind to one another, show compassion, never discriminate against someone for any reason, constantly challenge your beliefs and sympathise with those who think oppositely to you. We must slowly take small steps to make society and the world a better place. We must unify now more than ever, before it’s too late.