Free Speech: Is It Dangerous For Someone To Think Critically In Today's World?

If someone goes along with the status quo, it is unlikely that they will have to worry about saying the wrong thing. Through accepting what they have been told by the mainstream media, politicians, and what they have learned whilst they were in the education system, amongst other things, they will have the ‘right’’ thoughts and ‘right’ way of looking at the world.

The First Part

This is then no different to how only certain things can be allowed to grow in a garden and, if anything else grows, it will be pulled out. A gardener will achieve this outcome by only planting certain seeds.

In the same way, the people in power will do what they can to define what people say, by doing everything they can to control what goes into their minds. So, what grows in a garden is simply a reflection of what has been planted, and what comes out of someone’s mouth will also be a reflection of what they have absorbed.

It Doesn’t Always Work

However, while a gardener can put seeds into the ground, it doesn’t mean that weeds won’t grow. And, while the people in power can do everything they can to control what goes into people’s minds, it doesn’t mean that everything will go to plan.

There are always going to be people who don’t accept what they are told, meaning that they will come to their own conclusion. What is taking place in their mind will then be different, and this will result in them saying things that are different.

Discouraged

When this happens, someone won’t just accept what they are told; they will think for themselves. So, in the same way that this person is likely to be using the body that they have been given, they are going to be using the brain, too.

It could be said that this is what should be done; after all, what would be the point in having a brain if it isn’t used? Nonetheless, this is the last thing that the people in power want to happen.

Self-Policing

Still, it wouldn’t be accurate to say that these people have to keep people inline, as the people who think for themselves can be kept inline by the people who don’t. The way that they see the world can be seen as the truth, which will cause them to believe that they are right.

Thus, if one has a different outlook and questions the dominate narrative; they can end up being slandered. One can be labelled with a word that has an ‘ist’ at the end of it, or they could be told that they have some kind of phobia.

A Big Risk

It is then going to be lot easier for someone to keep their views to themselves, that’s if they have views that are different. If they say the wrong thing at the wrong time, they could lose their job, their friends and/or even have a visit from the police.

Yet, if one was to keep their head down and to go along to get along, they should be fine. Also, if one’s thoughts and beliefs match up with what is seen as ‘acceptable’ and the ‘truth’, there is going to be no reason for them to worry.

No One Is Safe

Even so, just because someone says the wrong things at one point in time, it doesn’t mean that they won’t end up saying the wrong thing at another. For example, one could say something one day and it will be fine, but if they were to say the same thing on another day, they could be in for big shock.

Therefore, even if one does toe the line, there is no guarantee that they won’t come under attack. When someone does go along with what could be called the ‘loud minority’, they might even see themselves as being ‘brave’ and ‘courageous’.

An Analogy

This would be similar to someone joining an army of invaders after their tribe has been more or less wiped out and seeing themselves as heroic. Clearly, this was the easiest thing that they could have done.

What would have taken real strength would have been for them to stand their ground or for them, along with the remaining members of their tribe, to seek pastures new. And when it comes to the people who make the most noise, these are often the ones who hold positions of power.

Weighing Up the Pros and Cons

Taking all this into account, one could look into would might happen if they share their views publicly and decide to act as though they are on board with the dominant narrative. What they say in public won’t reflect what they really believe, but it will allow them to live in a society that doesn’t encourage free thought and free speech.

This way, they can continue to think for themselves but it won’t have a negative effect on their livelihood. What they lose through doing this is made up by what they gain by playing along.

Conclusion

When someone goes to school, they are more likely to be taught what to think than how to think. Ergo, once their time in the education system has come to an end, it is unlikely that they will be able to think critically.

They will be more likely to bow to authority and to accept what they are told, thereby making them easy to control. Ideally, the education system would give someone want they need to thrive on this planet, instead of moulding them into someone who will unknowingly serve the people in power and keep the status quo alive.
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Then again, if the education system exists to indoctrinate children and not to educate them, why would they be taught how to think? It wouldn’t make any sense for this to take place.