The theories of speech and The Eight Values of Free Expression

In class, we have talked a lot about the First Amendment and how important it is to have freedom of speech and expression in our democracy. We have discussed what founders such as Jefferson and Madison believed in and how those opinions have evolved over time. One of the things that stood out the most to me when talking about this was the value of Self-Governance and the value of free expression. This idea really resonated with me because it shows how the people, as citizens, have a really big role in creating our community and our government.

The value of Self-Governance means that in order for a democracy to function properly, people have to be capable of talking freely about the government and also be willing to talk about their personal opinions. This is very crucial because it offers everyone an opportunity to have a say. this resonated with me personally because I want to be able to be heard, especially when it comes to problems that are important to me, such as social justice or climate change. We have witnessed this in real life such as in movements like Black Lives Matter protests. People have utilized their voices to speak out against inhumane actions and aim to push for change. When they protest or talk about their beliefs online, they are participating in our democracy. It’s really encouraging to witness how when we express ourselves, we can make a difference in our communities.

Social media platforms such as twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are crucial parts in how we express ourselves these days. They are the main source for us to share our ideas and thoughts and to connect with other people. This could relate to the theory of the Marketplace of Ideas, where different peoples' opinions compete against each other to be heard. This helps the best ideas be heard. However social media isn’t 100% helpful at all times. It also has its downsides, such as people spreading misinformation and offensive content. An example of this would be that, during the pandemic in 2020, people went to social media to talk about important health information, but there was a large amount of false information that confused a lot of people.

One of the biggest issues these days is how social media companies control the things that people post. They need to get a better balance of letting free speech but also at the same time, ensuring that harmful content isn't spread. For example during presidential elections such as the one going on right now, there are countless posts that can be misleading to voters and it can cause many issues. It really shows how important it is to have free expression but it also shows how we need to protect people from false or hurtful information. When social media companies choose to get rid of posts or ban accounts, their goal is to protect free speech while also getting rid of hateful words and untrue facts. This makes me reflect on how we, as users, should all be responsible with what we choose to say online.

Thinking about the Eight Values of Free Expression,Its crucial to remember that our voices are important. Self-Governance shows us that we have a voice in our democracy. It’s our choice to use our voices in a smart and responsible way. We also should focus on staying informed and l about what we put out there and how we engage with others. Overall, the values of free expression are really important theories that affect our everyday lives. Self-Governance is extremely important because it makes us remember that we can influence our government and society.