a third gift wrap option is “preventing offense,” which is the modality that GenZ’ers embrace—even when it comes to something like burning the flag, the majority of GenZ is against free speech.
makes me wonder what the heck is being taught in American History classes.
My favorite analysis of the death of the First Amendment comes from Alexis de Tocqueville in 1835:
"I know no country in which there is so little true independence of mind and freedom of discussion as in America...
...In America the majority raises very formidable barriers to the liberty of opinion: within these barriers an author may write whatever he pleases, but he will repent it if he ever steps beyond them. Not that he is exposed to the terrors of an auto-da-fe [1], but he is tormented by the slights and persecutions of daily obloquy. His political career is closed forever, since he has offended the only authority which is able to promote his success. Every sort of compensation, even that of celebrity, is refused to him. Before he published his opinions he imagined that he held them in common with many others; but no sooner has he declared them openly than he is loudly censured by his overbearing opponents, whilst those who think without having the courage to speak, like him, abandon him in silence. He yields at length, oppressed by the daily efforts he has been making, and he subsides into silence, as if he was tormented by remorse for having spoken the truth.
...Under the absolute sway of an individual despot the body was attacked in order to subdue the soul, and the soul escaped the blows which were directed against it and rose superior to the attempt; but such is not the course adopted by tyranny in democratic republics; there the body is left free, and the soul is enslaved."
[1] note: "auto-da-fe" is de Tocqueville's contemporary but now-anachronistic term for being burned at the stake for the crime of heresy. The modern term, of course, is “cancel culture”, but the concept dates back at least as far as Athenian ostracism law and prosecutions of dangerous deviants such as Socrates.
Only the three I've owned or otherwise read in my life. :) Which is why I can't express it as a universal. In fairness, most editions are abridged, plus there have been several translations (I understand Reeve's was the very first). I suspect that modern editors simply can't fit any such propositions into their worldview so are more likely simply to bin them: though we don't need a conspiracy to note the powerful irony! Caution: de Tocqueville didn't always agree with his translators, but as I don't speak French I can't evaluate the original for myself.
Failing such a universal, it is submitted those passages still serve as evidence that "cancel culture" is very old in Western polities, even the modern ones.
That was always the problem with the pandemic era disinformation campaigns under Biden, which included the short lived proposed disinformation agency under the Hillary hack Nina Jankowitz: who decides whjat is disinformation? The same goes for the Biden era attacks on pro-Palestinians and searches of those opposing the US role in Ukrine (see the withdrawal of passport from Scott Ritter and Judge Napolitano). This was so obvious that it speaks to the entire Biden administration's dementia that they could not fathom that they were settting a precedent, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. All those Obama executive decrees, they all set up precedent for Trump's expansion of their use.
It's a bipartisan joint for sure. What troubled (troubles) me is the way rank and file Democratic voters bought in. It always looked dangerous to me, like a NatSed op to make the NatSec state cheered again.
when i spoke out about my vx injury (TIA/mini-stroke) there was a coordinated attack by former friends (DSA/Bernie/AOC ppl), comedians (for gods sake), former office holders, and political operatives. it was insane and really eye-opening.
The Constitution has long been a dead letter. To give but one example, just say the magic words "Muh National Security abracadabra!" and The Bill Of Rights disappears.
and has been true since we thought we could "protect" children.
a third gift wrap option is “preventing offense,” which is the modality that GenZ’ers embrace—even when it comes to something like burning the flag, the majority of GenZ is against free speech.
makes me wonder what the heck is being taught in American History classes.
> the majority of GenZ is against free speech
Brook. would you expand on that? Not sure I've seen it before.
We have a first amendment, but it is religiously ignored.
Free speech -- ask a college student!
Right of assembly -- see Free speech.
Establishment of religion -- antisemitism is the faith of our government.
Let's face it, the new constitution will be cruel, but less hypocritical.
My favorite analysis of the death of the First Amendment comes from Alexis de Tocqueville in 1835:
"I know no country in which there is so little true independence of mind and freedom of discussion as in America...
...In America the majority raises very formidable barriers to the liberty of opinion: within these barriers an author may write whatever he pleases, but he will repent it if he ever steps beyond them. Not that he is exposed to the terrors of an auto-da-fe [1], but he is tormented by the slights and persecutions of daily obloquy. His political career is closed forever, since he has offended the only authority which is able to promote his success. Every sort of compensation, even that of celebrity, is refused to him. Before he published his opinions he imagined that he held them in common with many others; but no sooner has he declared them openly than he is loudly censured by his overbearing opponents, whilst those who think without having the courage to speak, like him, abandon him in silence. He yields at length, oppressed by the daily efforts he has been making, and he subsides into silence, as if he was tormented by remorse for having spoken the truth.
...Under the absolute sway of an individual despot the body was attacked in order to subdue the soul, and the soul escaped the blows which were directed against it and rose superior to the attempt; but such is not the course adopted by tyranny in democratic republics; there the body is left free, and the soul is enslaved."
- Alexis De Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835, pp292-3 original Henry Reeve translation, PSU, http://seas3.elte.hu/coursematerial/LojkoMiklos/Alexis-de-Tocqueville-Democracy-in-America.pdf. With exquisite irony, all or most of this material has been edited out of every print edition I’ve ever seen... Note I found this on a *Hungarian* web site! :)
[1] note: "auto-da-fe" is de Tocqueville's contemporary but now-anachronistic term for being burned at the stake for the crime of heresy. The modern term, of course, is “cancel culture”, but the concept dates back at least as far as Athenian ostracism law and prosecutions of dangerous deviants such as Socrates.
Source for the whole De Toqueville chapter. Should be complete:
https://dhspriory.org/kenny/PhilTexts/Tocqueville/America/1_ch15.htm
Thomas
Thank you.
Wow. *Great* find.
As to this:
> all or most of this material has been edited out of every print edition I’ve ever seen
Amazing. Are you sure it's true?
Only the three I've owned or otherwise read in my life. :) Which is why I can't express it as a universal. In fairness, most editions are abridged, plus there have been several translations (I understand Reeve's was the very first). I suspect that modern editors simply can't fit any such propositions into their worldview so are more likely simply to bin them: though we don't need a conspiracy to note the powerful irony! Caution: de Tocqueville didn't always agree with his translators, but as I don't speak French I can't evaluate the original for myself.
Failing such a universal, it is submitted those passages still serve as evidence that "cancel culture" is very old in Western polities, even the modern ones.
That was always the problem with the pandemic era disinformation campaigns under Biden, which included the short lived proposed disinformation agency under the Hillary hack Nina Jankowitz: who decides whjat is disinformation? The same goes for the Biden era attacks on pro-Palestinians and searches of those opposing the US role in Ukrine (see the withdrawal of passport from Scott Ritter and Judge Napolitano). This was so obvious that it speaks to the entire Biden administration's dementia that they could not fathom that they were settting a precedent, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. All those Obama executive decrees, they all set up precedent for Trump's expansion of their use.
It's a bipartisan joint for sure. What troubled (troubles) me is the way rank and file Democratic voters bought in. It always looked dangerous to me, like a NatSed op to make the NatSec state cheered again.
when i spoke out about my vx injury (TIA/mini-stroke) there was a coordinated attack by former friends (DSA/Bernie/AOC ppl), comedians (for gods sake), former office holders, and political operatives. it was insane and really eye-opening.
The Constitution has long been a dead letter. To give but one example, just say the magic words "Muh National Security abracadabra!" and The Bill Of Rights disappears.
> The Constitution has long been a dead letter
Love the pun!