• betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world
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        6 days ago

        That’s fine, the origin is even noted in the image. I don’t anticipate a need to spell out how, if Voltaire had met someone like Kirk, it might have changed his views (and, consequently, Hall’s writing about those views).

          • AA5B@lemmy.world
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            5 days ago

            Maybe the problem is the internet. It used to be easy to say that speech should be free, no matter what. But the internet has given a bigger stage while distancing people from real life consequences, allowing them to do real harm to society.

            Kirk is a great example. He could have preached his hatred alone on a corner in a small village, but he got a pulpit, he faced no real life consequences, and he caused harm increasing our divisiveness, pitting neighbor against neighbor, encouraging hatred, and that is before the effect on government services.