What's the point of Free Speech?

Question

As people often point out "You haven't changed anybody's mind!"

I used to think rational thought will prevail, but it's evident that it does not. In fact, it is becoming increasingly evident that irrational thought prevails, the biggest assh*le thought prevails, because it's funny.

The same arguments have been had for centuries. What really changes?? I see changes throughout history, but, usually, it is, at best, surface changes, but no real change under the surface, and speech isn't swaying minds.

Or maybe it is, and maybe it has, and it's just this generation that it is becoming less effective on? I don't know. Maybe I'm blinded by my position in time and place.

More and more, people are fighting to suppress speech, because the irrational speech is prevailing, because those with the rational thought are fighting with irrational methods.

Racism is bad, but instead of arguing why it's bad, they throw tantrums, say "how dare you make the victims explain why it's bad?!" and try to shut the opposition up, as if the opposition has an obligation to care about something they haven't convinced them to care about. The opposition then argues that they are suppressing speech, they get people to side with them on that, then they get them to agree that offensive speech is funny.

But on top of that, when dealing with assh*les, rational explanation, itself, is laughed off.

Answer 1

Changing someone's mind is not the only reason to have free speech. Without free speech, we would not be allowed to publicly disagree with political leaders. Soon we would find our selves living like the North Korans. We would no longer have elected officials but instead a supreme ruler. We would not even be allowed to complain about poverty and hunger if our supreme ruler decided to stop paying us a living wage for working long hours in inhumane conditions. If you think the only reason for free speech is to try to change the minds of those around you then you are really confused about things.

Answer 2

You do over time, with even the most stubborn people, if your argument is correct. Propagandists do not care about facts and can win short term victories.

Answer 3

UInlike today's domination by well indoctrinated little Marxists with Twitter connections, Speech was once engaged in by Responsible Citizens, and Fools were held up to public scrutiny.

Answer 4

to be able to speak freely