Marketplace of Ideas & Individual Self-Fulfillment
While reviewing the Eight Values of Free Expression, I found that the two that most resonated with me are the Marketplace of Ideas and Individual Self-Fulfillment. The Marketplace of Ideas, also known as the discovery of truth, refers to the belief that the testing of truth or acceptance of ideas depends on the competition with one another, not the opinion of someone in a position of authority. The Marketplace of Ideas is the most prevalent metaphor to justify broad protections of free speech. This value was first suggested by John Milton, who first stated that "when truth and falsehood are present, the truth will always win out." Milton argues against censorship and is in favor of the free flow of ideas. The Free Speech Center claims that this concept draws on a similarity related to the economic marketplace, where superior products sell better than others through economic competition. People want real authentic products made with purpose and care. Therefore, the economic marketplace uses competition to determine truth and acceptability. This value was expressed during the Reed v. Town of Gilbert case in 2015, where it was stated that when the government disfavors one kind of speech, it places that speech at a disadvantage.
I have always believed that telling the truth holds so much value, especially in a world where many are silenced for expressing their ideas and values. An example of this would be the Black Lives Matter movement protests following the death of George Floyd. An article by Charlotte Mecklenberg Library states that many people gathered in cities around the United States to protest against police brutality and racial injustice against Black Americans. Although most protests were peaceful, orders for militarized police were requested on a national level. Police used pepper spray, tear gas, and rubber ammunition which intensified the violence. As a result, several states went under lockdown as a response. On May 13, 2021, an Oklahoma School District banned students from wearing a BLM shirt after sending out a statement saying "politics will not be allowed at school". If a student is not promoting hate or violence towards other people's opinions or beliefs, then they shouldn't be prohibited from wearing certain shirts.
This also ties into one of the next values of free expression: Individual Self-Fulfillment. Founded by Free Speech gives individuals the opportunity to express themselves and create their own identity. This value is also known as Self-Actualization. Additionally, it is an aspect of human dignity, human agency, and autonomy. C. Edwin founded this as the Liberty Model, which states that the government can prohibit three types of speech: "Speech involved in an attempt to take of, or physical injury to another person's property, speech not chosen by the speaker, and speech intended to disrespect another person's frame of mind." Practicing free speech is extremely important in our society. There can be exceptions for speech that involves promoting hate and violence to be silenced. I have always been a huge advocator to promoting a positive and safe environment for those around me. Whenever someone says something hurtful to me or to someone else, I always find it beneficial to call that person out, even if it is someone close to me.
https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/marketplace-of-ideas/
https://www.aclu.org/documents/freedom-
expression#:~:text=Freedom%20of%20speech%2C%20of%20the,to%20as%20freedom%20of%20expres
https://media.okstate.edu/faculty/jsenat/jb3163/theorists.html
https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/liberty-model/
https://www.cmlibrary.org/blog/censorship-and-black-lives-matter
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