Blog #3

 Eight Values of Free Expression

    The eight values of free expression are the theories that describe to us why our freedom of expression is so important to us as Americans. The eight values are laid out as being; Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment, Check on Government Power, Promote Tolerance, Promote Innovation, and Protect Dissent. 

    In my opinion I believe the most important one is "Check on Government Power" and I believe this for several reasons. One reason is that this makes it so one branch of government cannot abuse their power. Freedom of press gives citizens the right to learn about all the abuses of power. Besides that reason I believe the most important reason that this is the most important value of free expression is because this makes it so that we can never be ran by a dictator or a radical leader. Checks and Balances are a huge reason that we have been the strongest country for decades on end. It gives the people power to never have a leader or a party abuse their powers and keeps everything in check. 

    

The one I see the most nowadays almost everyday is "Marketplace of Ideas." This one I believe I see a little too much on all social media platforms especially Instagram and Twitter. There has been censorship on almost every Covid-19 post I see that talks about how you should not have to get a vaccine or that the death tolls are not as bad as flu and so on. This value I enjoyed learning about especially because it states "The marketplace of ideas refers to the belief that the test of the truth or acceptance of ideas depends on their competition with one another and not on the opinion of a censor, whether one provided by the government or by some other authority."This to me speaks large volume because of how everything with fake news and the media lately and how much in the last year I have hated almost every news and social media platform. 

    "Promoting Tolerance" is the one that is most personal to me for a few reasons and I think it should be for most people as well. People in the last few years on social media have taken "cancel culture" way too far in my opinion and in my own words I would say the world has became too soft because of how "close" everyone thinks they are with each other because of social media. Nowadays you cannot have opposite opinions without being attacked online or in person. We have the God given right to have our own opinions and share them however we want if it is not violent. You would think the world was ending if you saw certain celebrities Instagram posts and the comments because they have a different view than half the population.