Eight Values of Free Expression

 In a country where we have the privilege to express our views and say our opinions out loud without government restriction, we find ourselves still silenced when trying to express ourselves. Although we are given these freedoms, we still today find ourselves silenced by our own forms of expression. In more recent news, Twitter paid a whistle-blower $7 Million over questioning their sites security measures. Reflecting on measures like this makes us ponder what it really means to be free and was falls under the category "free speech". This is arguably the most important right and amendment we have in this country, so we as citizens will feel a certain way when that is limited or taken from us. To help understand this, there are the eight values of free expression, which is a summary of values created by scholars to explain why the first amendment is so important to us in this country

When looking through the values, there are many that stick out to me, with the first one being Stable Change. This simply states that people who are angry by certain actions are allowed to share their distaste for them, or "vent" their frustrations. Allowing people to vent their frustrations causes a more stable society and is less likely to lead to violent actions. A good example of this can be led back to the French Revolution. In the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, the French people declared freedom of speech and the abolishment of censorship in response to the monarchy's policies and restrictions on free speech. Of course in the following years, there were many violent acts committed, including the public beheading of many political figures, including King Louis XVI, the head of the monarch system during the Revolution. This is a prime example of the backing of the Stable Change value.

Another value I found interesting, and also one that is seen in everyday life was the Promote Innovation value, created by Jack Balkin. This states that "a community in which free speech is valued and protected is likely to be a more energized, creative, interesting society as its citizens actively fulfill themselves in many diverse and interesting ways." By having free expression, one can create a more diverse society and also be more welcoming of more ideas. Governments that restrict this usually have more like-minded thinking and result in a less creative and diverse society, which can be harmful to the people and country. Limiting speech can harm a person's potential to being an important role in society, as their ideas and imagination could be something useful for others around them, even in areas such as economics.

One value that relates closely to me was the first one on the list: Marketplace of Ideas. Made by John Milton, the theory states that, "when truth and falsehood are allowed to freely grapple, the truth will win out. And the grappling makes the truth even stronger." As someone who is studying the media field and is actively involved in it, I need to figure out what is the truth and what is false. Milton states that even when truths and falsehoods are thrown at you, the truths will always win out. And that taking the time to sort out what is right and wrong, will only make the correct reports and findings even better. This is a value that directly correlates with media today and people must eventually learn what to believe and not believe when it comes to media outlets and their content.

Reading through these theories has been very helpful in my understanding of the first amendment and the values that are implemented into it. Along with that, it has also helped me feel more appreciative of my right to free expression. There are many countries with governments that heavily limit, or even banned it completely, this right and it's important we as a society take the time to realize this. Our government is not perfect in any way, shape, or form, but we do have a right to tell and say that because that is our job as citizens: to use our rights to better shape our country for the better, not just for ourselves, but also our future society.