“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” ― George Orwell

submitted by sproketboy from goodreads.com

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[–]magnora7 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (8 children)

I agree with the quote.

But on the flip side also imagine if I go up to someone and say like "You asshat, you're so bad and dumb and no one likes you" and stuff over and over, right in their face. Then say they go inside and shut the door in my face so they can't hear me anymore. Have I been deprived of my liberty by being kept from telling someone else what they don't want to hear? I don't think so.

I think the value of the message is important (facts vs personal attacks) in this equation. And also the ability to say something doesn't mean the ability to say it to one particular person, nor does it demand they listen. Perhaps public figures like representatives are exemptions, as they should be required to listen to their constituents. But most people are not required to listen to everything that is put in front of them, nor should they be.

However people should have the ability to broadcast ideas broadly. However people shouldn't be able to shout fire in a crowded theater. The line between the two is very fuzzy and complex when you try to find exactly where it is.

[–]Dragonerne 5 insightful - 4 fun5 insightful - 3 fun6 insightful - 4 fun -  (6 children)

Yes. But the problem is that whites are being genocided through mass immigration and various other means intended to subvert our way of life, and when whites speak up against it they're censored. The fact that we're silenced when we speak up should come as no surprise.

So the context of this quote is rather than your example:

Dictator puts forth policies intended to exterminate a minority in his empire. One from this minority starts asking questions about those policies and the dictator puts him in jail saying "I don't have to listen to this". It's not surprising that the dictator silences those from the minority that speaks up, when he intends on removing them all from the surface of the earth.

In this context it's not that fuzzy nor is it complex.

[–]theLordGodAlmighty 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (5 children)

go back to 1940s germany plz

[–]72ndGender 5 insightful - 4 fun5 insightful - 3 fun6 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

You consider it a Nazi ideology to not want a race to be soft genocided?

[–]Dragonerne 4 insightful - 4 fun4 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 4 fun -  (3 children)

Since you're in favor of white genocide. What's your ethnicity?

[–]Airbus320 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

Probably a nigger

[–]Dragonerne 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Lol, you went 2 years back?

[–]Airbus320 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Better than going back to 40s

[–]sudd3nclar1ty 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

lib•er•ty (lĭb′ər-tē) The condition of being free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor; the condition of being free from oppressive restriction or control by a government or other power.

While it's kinda fun telling people what they don't want to hear sometimes, it is projection of control. I think Orwell is confusing free speech with liberty here.

Free speech is about freedom TO say what you believe. Liberty is about freedom FROM oppression. Trying to control others is the pinch.

Your points about yelling fire in the theater is a good example of limits to free speech. And listening to others is a lot easier if there is something interesting to learn as well.