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Impact of Free Speech: Negative or Positive
A speech is characterized by words aimed at passing information from one person to the other. Freedom of speech has been sometimes interfered with in some dictatorial countries, while others express speech freely. The orator usually possesses extraordinary skills that capture the attention of the audience. The emotions, feelings, and spirits of the people are felt through the narrator as he/she gives the speech. Consequently, the speech’s effects are far felt whose diverse magnitude has either been positive or negative impacted the society. Due to the diversity of the speeches, the paper examines the effect of punishing various free speech forms and their impacts.
Punishing free speech in a society indicates how people’s fundamental freedom of speech and expression is denied. This could negatively affect the people and could lead to protests and opposition to the ruling regime. Furthermore, tension heightens, and its escalation can lead to retrogressive and abuse of human existence. Free speech can be lead to hate speech depending on the level of incitement as determined by the legal advisory (Sorial, 2015). The impacts of incitement, if not handled, can cause mayhem. This could widen the gap between the majority and the minority with the long-term effects of civil war.
Positive impacts of punishing free speech have been instrumental in maintaining the social norms and culture dilution from the external atmosphere. Through various social platforms, restrictions imposed on them limit the spread of bad habits that could ruin the information’s consumers. Additionally, protection of excessive use of free speech aligns and stabilizes the habitual stay of the people. This enhances patriotism among the citizens as they value their freedom of speech.
Free speech can primarily spread false information regarding a certain event, subject, or activity. This aims at instilling people with either hope or despair, and the results can be tremendous. Ineffective use of free speech undermines the progressiveness of society. The culture can remain stagnated without proper plans in tackling the impending problems.
Speech has the power to move the masses. It can make the impossible possible. This has been depicted through various forums for change. The core values of speech create unity and equality while addressing the pressing issues facing the people. Free speech cannot account for the speech’s trauma. Only the hateful remarks of speech should be regulated (Goldberg 2016). Critical remarks in a speech open up a gap of thinkers that initiates analysis of the said phenomena.
References
Goldberg, E. (2016). FREE SPEECH CONSEQUENTIALISM. Columbia Law Review, 116(3), 687-756. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43783393.
SORIAL, S. (2015). HATE SPEECH AND DISTORTED COMMUNICATION: RETHINKING THE LIMITS OF INCITEMENT. Law and Philosophy, 34(3), 299-324. Retrieved November 20, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24572458