Why Freedom of Expression Is An Ideal Worth Fighting For

The best ideas emerge when inferior ones are challenged. We are forced to dive deep and think of better arguments, creations, designs, devices and explanations when we are confronted with conflicting thoughts. It is how we move forward. It is how we evolve.

Only the weak-minded and lily-livered respond to opposing points of view by clamping down on them, making their articulation impossible. A society that does not encourage and entertain free speech will, at best, remain stagnant with the dominant viewpoint, no matter how regressive, ensuring a status quo. Or, at worst, move backwards. This is why freedom of speech and expression is worth fighting for and imperative for any society.

That Section 66A of the Information and Technology Act was enacted in a self-respecting democracy was terrible. That many politicians found it worthy of being used (I won’t say misuse since this Act was legislated for misuse, which was its entire point) is shameful. That many fought for its removal is something worth celebrating. Whenever as a nation we get too cynical, something like this can give us hope and reason to celebrate.

Challenging existing ideas and breaking norms and accepted traditions are qualities that made Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Savitribai Phule, Jyotirao Phule, Baba Ambedkar, Galileo Galilei and many many more ground-breaking reformers (the real ones, not the Manmohan Singh-type reform). They and others like them ensured that established ideas and norms were challenged and rejected because better ideas emerged.

Had it not been for that first woman saying she will not sit at home because that was the accepted norm, had it not been for that person from an oppressed caste or community to step out and study even though “rules” said lofty ideas and education were not for his kind, if it weren’t for such free thinkers, we would still be in the dark ages.

We will never know how many great hypotheses and concepts have been aborted by muzzling freedom of expression. We will never know how many brilliant minds and world-changing thoughts have not realised their true potential because they germinated in the mind of someone who lived in an oppressive environment. But we must create an environment to truly realise the much-anticipated “demographic dividend”. The demographic will only yield a dividend when it knows it can have the most ridiculous thought, yet express it freely. You never know where it can lead, but if it never sees the light of day, one can be sure that that thought, idea, creation will go nowhere.  This is why freedom of expression is worth fighting for and worth defending.

For all that is wrong with America (and there is way more than I care to list here) the way they protect their First Amendment (freedom of speech) contributes heavily to an environment where United States of America is either the birthplace or the incubator for most inventions and innovations in modern times and will remain so. How quickly they transition from a really bad idea (slavery and segregation) to affirmative action and Barack Obama has much to do with how new ideas and thoughts are entertained. An absolute freedom of expression throws up much idiocy too, but finally the smartest will prevail. This is why freedom of expression is worth fighting for and defending.

It is sad and displays the small mindedness of some that the entire Section 66A and freedom of expression debate often gets caught up in the pathetic conversation about abuse, foul language and offence on social networking sites or comments sections of webzines. That’s not why freedom of expression is defended or even discussed. That’s the by-product, the side show. That is not the point.

Now to make a point that I am embarrassed making but it must be done because while it may appear as obvious as a slap in the face to many, there are still some who don’t get it. Online abuse. Sure abuse is horrible.  Vile troll behaviour is neither constructive nor desirable. It adds no value to any freedom. However, if that is what you see as the central focus in the freedom of expression conversation, you need to read more. And scrolling down your Twitter timeline isn’t really “reading”.

To whine about online abuse and making it the centrepiece of the freedom of expression argument is like saying the by-product of any process is the entire point of the process. Bathing regularly makes sure we remain disease-free, clean and healthy. The dirty water is a by-product, it’s not why we bathe. It’s an acceptable outcome for the larger cause of hygiene and health.

Online abuse is the filth that is an acceptable outcome of making sure big ideas don’t get thwarted because small minds clamp down on the freedom to speak one’s mind. When I see online Twitter abuse being cited as the pivotal argument to curtail freedom of expression – I balk. When I see journalists making that point, I’m dumbstruck at the spectacular ignorance or lack of thought given to why freedom of expression is sacred, valuable and worth fighting for.

If online abuse is what you see when you hear freedom of expression, then one thing you can be sure of is that no big idea will emerge from your mind. Either way, it won’t affect you. At least, leave the space open for others. The Supreme Court just did.