Just how important is Free Speech?

[kellersphuket]

As a kid growing up in Nashville I was taught that free speech was a vital part of being a human being.

That all humans are created equal and have the right to say what is on our minds.

 

Now it seems from almost every direction that our right to free speech is being eroded away by people in power.

This whole 'fake news' thing is an instrument to curb free speech,

It seems also in Thailand one is not allowed to speak ones mind unless it is something positive.

 

Just how important is the right to speak your mind openly to you?

To me personally it is very important. Being able to speak your mind freely and openly is an essential ingredient to becoming an advanced society, is it not?

 

Discuss. 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by kellersphuket

[CharlieH]

If its so important to you, why do you choose to live and participate in a country where you have restrictions, cant vote, and have no say whatsoever ?

[ratcatcher]

I guess free speech depends upon the people to whom you are speaking. Here, as a foreigner, it is best to bite one's tongue when confronting senior government officials, unless you speak Thai really well and then you may just get some respect.

[kellersphuket]

4 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

If its so important to you, why do you choose to live in a country where you have restrictions, cant vote, and have no say whatsoever ?

Charlie, I ask myself that question every day.

The only answer I can come up with is that I can't be bothered going anywhere else at the moment.

 

Thailand is sold to us as the land of smiles, right? What if it was sold as the way you just described it? Would it still appeal to you?

Edited August 29, 2019 by kellersphuket

[CharlieH]

Just now, kellersphuket said:

Charlie, I ask myself that question every day.

The only answer I can come up with is that I can't be bothered going anywhere else at the moment.

 

Thailand is sold to us as the lad of smiles, right? What if it was sold as the way you just described it? Would it still appeal to you?

Doesnt bother me in the slightest, doesnt effect the way I choose to live my life.

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

Charlie, I ask myself that question every day.

The only answer I can come up with is that I can't be bothered going anywhere else at the moment.

 

Thailand is sold to us as the land of smiles, right? What if it was sold as the way you just described it? Would it still appeal to you?

Same here does not bother me does not rate high on my day to day base.

 

If i were like you id be gone and moan in an other country. There is no perfection anywhere.

Edited August 29, 2019 by robblok

[simon43]

If you're into politics or religion, then maybe Thailand (or many other countries in Asia) are not the right places to live.  Try speaking up against the ruling political party and see what happens.  Try converting the local Buddhists to Christianity and see what happens.

 

Me, I don't care a fig about politics or religion. I've learnt to be totally selfish and consider myself first.  If I have any charity left over, then I'll get involved in that on my terms and to hell with what others say or think about me ????

[kellersphuket]

4 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Doesnt bother me in the slightest, doesnt effect the way I choose to live my life.

Funnily enough I don't feel for you.

My heart goes out to the young kids of tomorrow growing up in a society where speaking your mind has restrictions and is generally frowned upon.

how can thailand advance without free speech?

just look at China.

[CharlieH]

Just now, kellersphuket said:

Funnily enough I don't feel for you.

My heart goes out to the young kids of tomorrow growing up in a society where speaking your mind has restrictions and is generally frowned upon.

how can thailand advance without free speech?

just look at China.

When you know no difference, it makes no difference. Thats how they choose to live, to use their own phrase "up to them" its not our concern, none of our business and if you try including yourself in it, you will regret it.

[NCC1701A]

28 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

As a kid growing up in Nashville I was taught that free speech was a vital part of being a human being.

it must be REALLY hard coming from Tennessee.

I am from California and it is a cesspool of Marxist Communists that hate America.

My father killed Nazis by the truck load in WWII so that I could be free.

 

 

[simon43]

3 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

how can thailand advance without free speech?

just look at China.

China seems to be doing pretty well in terms of world domination....

 

Don't get involved in politics, crime or religion - you'll go far.

[luckyluke]

 

 

Hate speech is not considered as free speech in my country ( Belgium ) and thus forbidden.

 

I believe the U.S.A. has another opinion about the matter.

 

In Thailand things are also quite different.

 

Thai Visa apply his own rules too.

 

So it is a very grey matter. 

[Yinn]

Free speech is important.

but polite speech also important.

 

Some TV member criticize Thai about “lose face”.

We don’t like to do someone “lose face”. It not polite.

Sometime it better to lie. No reason to make them feel bad.

 

But if they terrible, bad thing, hurt other people, we should use free speech for that.

[CharlieH]

"Don't get involved in politics, crime or religion - you'll go far"

 

Has to be the quote of the day !!..... add to that you'll be much happier too !!

[mania]

2 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Sometime it better to lie. No reason to make them feel bad.

 

Sorry but long term this type of thinking has robbed the youth of Thailand

[Yinn]

Just now, mania said:

 

Sorry but long term this type of thinking has robbed the youth of Thailand

Sometime the youth lie to Mum and Dad.

Keep everyone happy/peaceful.

[OneMoreFarang]

I think the problem with free speech is that lots of what people say is BS.

And if that BS is supported enough then it becomes normal thinking in a small or big group.

And it seems these days too many people believe too much BS.

Should people not be allowed to publish BS?

Or should BS be censored?

Or should people learn to separate truth from BS?

I don't know the answer. But I think people should be responsible for what they say. If some nutter says the earth is flat and other nutters believe that that is bad enough but I guess we have to live with that.

But if i.e. so called authorities (presidents, PMs, etc.) deliberately lie then they should be held responsible for their action.

[Berkshire]

11 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

 

Hate speech is not considered as free speech in my country ( Belgium ) and thus forbidden.

 

I believe the U.S.A. has another opinion about the matter.

 

Free speech in the USA has had a long and tortured history.  In the modern day, it seems everyone supports free speech....but only if they agree with the speech.  Our current President is a good example.  As for hate speech, it sure seems like if you encourage others to violence, you're protected.  But if you yourself threatened to commit violence, not legal.  I'll just say that although free speech is vital to a healthy democracy--especially a free press--it can be so easily abused.  And that's what's going on in the USA right now. 

[timendres]

I talk too much to have to pay for it.

 

Kidding aside, free speech is very important in democratic societies, as it is essential to having informed voters. Since votes don't count in autocratic societies, it is less important. Unless you want to change the autocracy. Having been raised in the US, I cherish free speech, despite how it is often abused there. @Yinn's point about being "polite" is quite valid. She talks about "Face", and many people here feel this is a problem in Thailand, but I would argue that you can get someone to more seriously consider your point of view if you are not insulting them in the process of expressing that point of view - something US citizens could learn from.

Edited August 29, 2019 by timendres

[ratcatcher]

8 minutes ago, timendres said:

@Yinn's point about being "polite" is quite valid. He talks about "Face",

I think Yinn is a pooying. 

[faraday]

I wouldn't say it's "better to lie" just be less direct.

 

But again, I see people thinking that 'free speech' & ' freedom' are carte blance to say & do what they want.

 

There is responsibility to be considered; a duty of care.

[kellersphuket]

32 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

If some nutter says the earth is flat and other nutters believe that that is bad enough

For this I would look to the person that believes such nonsense rather than the creator.

Any person who believes that the earth is flat in 2019 is a lost cause and should look at themselves very, very hard.

[henry2109]

55 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Me, I don't care a fig about politics or religion. I've learnt to be totally selfish and consider myself first.  If I have any charity left over, then I'll get involved in that on my terms and to hell with what others say or think about me ????

 

Donald, is this you?

[kellersphuket]

13 minutes ago, faraday said:

 

But again, I see people thinking that 'free speech' & ' freedom' are carte blance to say & do what they want.

That is exactly what free speech means.

If it offends people then that's too bad.

[dick dasterdly]

It's a very interesting question - precisely where does one draw the line?

 

It's obvious that anyone advocating violence against other people is 'hate speech' (ignoring govts., who do this from time to time and start wars....), but beyond that free speech is important.

[faraday]

1 minute ago, kellersphuket said:

That is exactly what free speech means.

If it offends people then that's too bad.

Hmm, maybe, but that doesn't mean we should say what we like.

Or do you think it does?

[OneMoreFarang]

2 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

For this I would look to the person that believes such nonsense rather than the creator.

Any person who believes that the earth is flat in 2019 is a lost cause and should look at themselves very, very hard.

But how about politicians who complexly ignore scientific evidence?

When i.e. some people want that kids learn in school that some old guy with a white beard created earth and everything on earth about 6,000 years ago.

It's crazy, and all evidence is against it, but so called authorities are still allowed to publish such BS ideas.

And lots of people still believe that if the authorities say something then it must be true...

[dick dasterdly]

And I'm beginning to think about using 'hate speech' against TV - which has, yet again, slowed to a crawl ????!

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, kellersphuket said:

Just how important is the right to speak your mind openly to you?

Not at all important. I am stupid enough to say what's on my mind anyway.

[Thomas J]

57 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

I am from California and it is a cesspool of Marxist Communists that hate America.

My father killed Nazis by the truck load in WWII so that I could be free.

I am not sure which is worse.  The people in the USA particularly in California that are intent on destroying the country that those in WWII fought to protect by allowing it to be consumed by every third world migrant who wishes to come in, Great Britain whose boys died on the beaches of Normandy and Dunkirk to save it from the Germans but voluntarily gives the country away to those who desire Sharia Law or for that matter Germany who fought for the fatherland but now an astounding 25% of its population is foreign born.  I commend the Thai's for their laws to protect their culture.