“We have a conversation about racism that is led by the global south and people of colour from Germany, which the German state is trying to brand as antisemitic,” Younes added. “And if we present our relationship to race, racism and European genocides from a non-European or non-white perspective, we get cancelled.”
Free speech is one of the most important right we have in the world. Without we are lost.
I remember the Internet when I was younger and free speech was such a great ideal.
Now people only want to hear their view and no one else’s. Views don’t get changed and incorrect views just get more caricaturised.
We are rolling into 1984 as much as people feel that statement is overused. Our government, jobs, media, friends pressurise us so much to have a specific opinion and say a certain thing. When I was younger I thought work life balance would get better, people would get more free, sex would be more liberated, ideas would be spread more. But no society is regressing and will fall.
1984 has been a reality for a long time. People intentionally pay hundreds of dollars to give Amazon (and other companies) a direct wiretap into their houses.
Think about the mentality required to believe in trickle down economics. The belief that rich people getting richer helps the poor! It’s better than any satire ever could be.
Then there is the fact that the US government recorded every single communication possible, and built a million square foot datacenter to upgrade their spying operations. A whistleblower called it out and he can never return to the US again in exchange for his bravery. I actually heard someone working with me at a tech job say “wait, who was Edward Snowden?”
That is drastic hyperbole. In 1984 if you hid from the surveillance you’d be tortured and executed. In the real world if you decide not to buy an Alexa subscription… you don’t get an Alexa subscription.
K
Satire is meant to be exaggerated. Yet in your mind unless reality hits actual full on satire to a tee, it’s fine.