THE moment a child starts uttering words is truly precious. The happiness of parents knows no bounds at this moment. Encouraging a child to speak their mind is important. This shapes the path of human freedom of speech. Humans have a biological programming that allows them to think and speak, which helps them express their emotions. Without the liberty to communicate, humans cannot thrive and progress. It lays the groundwork for freedom of speech as a crucial aspect of human societies.
The element of difference in opinion gives birth to freedom of speech. A healthy debate is built upon differences of opinion. It advocates for freedom of expression and enables the exploration of different perspectives to reveal diverse realities about a subject. Differing opinions reveal unexplored paths in debates. This tool allows for a comprehensive exploration of the topic at hand. Radical societies oppose freedom of expression in the name of social security, but this is unacceptable as it is a fundamental human right that should not be compromised, even in the face of differing opinions. Differences of opinion are now seen as a cause of conflict in our current societies due to increased intolerance. This has led to the stunted development of these communities.
Mutual inclusivity in societies is reinforced by the freedom of expression, which is a crucial means to thrive and survive. The foundation of inclusivity lies in the soil of freedom of speech. Today, we live in the age of enlightenment. The element of inclusivity is disappearing from our world. The restriction on freedom of speech has led to the emergence of this phenomenon. Ancient civilizations lacked enlightened citizens but had inclusive people’s councils with freedom of speech as a sign of social inclusiveness. Inclusivity means giving all genders an equal role in society. The protection of fundamental rights requires giving all genders the freedom to raise their voice. Gender discrimination prevails when freedom of expression is absent, jeopardizing mutual survival. Freedom of speech is essential for social growth; without it, social decay is a looming concern.
When societies protect sane voices, they meet their glorious destiny. In such societies, justice triumphs, and injustice has no room to exist. Freedom of expression ensures the protection of vulnerable communities, providing a sense of security. Moreover, enlightenment is born from freedom of speech. Societies that uphold freedom of expression provide the perfect conditions for individuals to cultivate their ideas and reach their highest potential. Societies that deny freedom of expression hinder social enlightenment and empower radical tendencies and rigid mentalities. Consequently, freedom of speech allows for enlightenment, leading to social growth and prosperity.
When people in a society share diverse opinions, a collective sense of survival prevails. In a conducive environment of collectivism, civilizations prosper by embracing diversity of opinion. It is vital to instill a feeling of social security. In a collectivist society, hatred, conflict, and degeneration are diffused. It highlights the significance of fostering freedom of expression in societies. For democracy to thrive, all segments of society must exert their right to freedom of expression. The nectar of democracy is best extracted by allowing freedom of expression in democracy. Freedom of speech is essential for democracy’s elements like accountability, transparency, rule of law, and justice. Consequently, the idea of democracies without freedom of speech is flawed and has the potential to become dictatorial. The safeguarding of freedom of expression is essential for a people-oriented democracy.
However, when autocratic tendencies dominate a nation, the decline begins, suppressing people’s freedoms and silencing their voices for their rights. The remedy for this curse lies in the freedom of expression, even if it means embracing opposing viewpoints. Yet, freedom of speech must not be misused to target state institutions, well-known figures, various cultures, or religions. If it pertains to one’s rights and privileges, freedom of speech is a fundamental human right. Nowadays, freedom of speech is being weaponized to spread hate and target cultures and religions. Unrestricted freedom of speech has the same effect as no freedom of speech. The survival of societies depends on maintaining a balance between extremes. Educational institutions can play a crucial role in teaching students about their right to freedom of speech within moral and ethical boundaries. Social awareness on media platforms is crucial to ensure people’s voices are heard and prevent misuse of this right. The aspirations of people demanding increased participation in governance should guide the transformation of democratic models today. In the modern era, democracies must enable citizens to express reservations about government actions to benefit the entire system. Above all, we must collectively decide what is worth mentioning and what should be overlooked for our collective well-being.
The optimal way to utilize freedom of speech is to foster a society that is inclusive, peaceful, and just, ensuring that all segments of the population have their fundamental rights. However, it is regrettable that anti-state elements are using this tool to inflict harm, disintegrate societies, and spread hatred, causing chaos and social disorder. The misuse of freedom in our time has become a lethal weapon, damaging reputations, fuelling anti-state sentiments, and inciting religious and political turmoil. Extremist tendencies have emerged due to the misuse of freedom of speech. Online harassment in the name of freedom of speech is now a norm. This tool is being utilized to spark unrest against institutions, individuals, and social groups, within the misperceived ambit of one’s right.
Although freedom of speech is a basic human right, it is limited to personal liberty. Freedom of speech becomes poisonous when it exceeds moral and ethical boundaries, leading societies to their demise. Freedom of speech within the ambit of personal freedom breeds the most favourable outcomes. Using this basic right to protect one’s rights is acceptable, but misusing it to harm others is causing increased insecurity in the world. This is the time to decide on making this right a tool to make societies more inclusive and liveable and to mitigate its negative use which contains the power to endanger humanity.
—The writer is CSS Officer, based in Sargodha.
Email: waqarhassancsp@gmail.com
views expressed are writer’s own.
