The Eight Values of Free Expression

The founders of America worked hard to give citizens the First Amendment and the freedoms of speech, press, assembly, petition, and religion that come along with it. The founder's ideas shaped the "Marketplace of Ideas", giving Americans a space to express their opinions without government restriction. In this post, I will reflect upon which values of free expression resonate with me most, and how they connect to everyday life. 

 

    I feel that the eighth value of free expression is the most important; to protect dissent. This value of expression safeguards the American people from disagreeing with the majority and the government. Allowing people to disagree with the government builds a healthy democracy, making checks and balances obtainable. In Steve Shriffin's Dissent, Injustice, and the Meanings of America, he points out that dissent is essential in fighting injustice. In his writing, Shriffin also argues the definition of America and its founding principles of liberty, justice, and democracy are examined through the context of dissent.

    With Inauguration Day being yesterday, it makes me reflect upon how lucky our nation is to voice our opinions of our leaders and government without consequence. Generally, our country tends to lean either left or right, but it's become common for people to like certain aspects of both ideologies. I believe there's value in dissent, and being enabled to publically express what and who you stand for. Hearing other people's opinions is important because it educates us as a society, and encourages deeper thought. We the people are blessed with the ability to choose our leaders, and we are influenced by the power of speech every day through rallies, debates, speeches, and more. 

As a class, we've spoken about the TikTok ban. The fourth value of free expression, "Individual Self Fulfillment", fits with this situation. In class, we discussed how the government banning TikTok is a violation of the First Amendment. TikTok is a platform where creators go to express themselves, create their own identities, and interact with others. This is the Individual Self Fulfillment value. This value is built based on Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. When compared to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the value of individual self-fulfillment matches the value of self-actualization. Personally, I enjoy spending time on TikTok and have met new people and ideas from the app. This value feels personal to my generation because we're definitely a more progressive group, always looking to express ourselves. The University of Minnesota's book review of Human Liberty and Freedom of Speech, by C. Edwin Baker, summarizes Baker's opinions on the marketplace theories and liberty theory. "He concludes that marketplace theories reinforce status quo, while the liberty theory protects rights and promotes progressive social change". As I wrote above, my generation values being able to express themselves and create their own identities, overall manifesting progressive social change. 

When evaluating the importance of "The Eight Values of Expression", I found importance in the values of protecting dissent and individual self-fulfillment. Protecting dissent, the American people's ability to disagree with the government without consequence, helps shape a healthy democracy, promotes critical thinking, and holds positions of power accountable. Individual Self Fulfillment gifts society with the ability of one to express oneself, which enables progressive social advancements. There's more than meets the eye when exploring all the freedoms the First Amendment gives us.