Hacker News Reader

Comment by fasterik | Hacker News Reader

I agree that some forms of cancellation are illiberal and anti-free speech. But a lot of the time, what gets called "canceling" or "shutting down" are themselves forms of free speech and freedom of association. Freedom of speech doesn't mean that everyone is entitled to being taken seriously, or having their opinions broadcast in private venues and publications, or being immune from criticism, mockery, protest, or social ostracization. A lot of people who call themselves free speech absolutists think that none of this should be allowed and that all ideas deserve an equal hearing.

View on HN

I would prefer that people phrase it like you did now, instead of the, at best, distracting way you did before.

It's tiring to see people make the case that because the government was not involved, that it's by definition completely unrelated to free speech. Like, you clearly know that's not the case, from this follow up.

Of course the right to free speech does not extend to compelled speech, as you say.

ACLU defended the Nazis because they support free speech. But "free speech" of course doesn't compel them to. But clearly if they had chosen not to, they'd show they care less about free speech than they say.

Like the ACLU of today, who have said that they'll only defend speech they agree with, or something to than effect. Well, morally, do you actually have that value anymore?

You're right, I probably could have been clearer and more nuanced in my wording. In the context of the comment I was responding to, I was pushing back against a claim of "free speech absolutism" which I don't really see as free speech absolutism at all. I see GGP's attitude more as a form of anti-criticism or what I would call "neutrality fundamentalism". I was probably a bit reactive because I consider myself a free speech absolutist, but in the sense of being against all government censorship, not necessarily private entities exercising their right to criticize or associate with whoever they want.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com