Episode 154: Greg Salmieri discusses free speech, "cancel culture," and "academic freedom"

In the latest episode of Elucidations, Greg Salmieri (University of Texas) joins us once again, this time to discuss freedom of speech.

Free speech talk has been in the air, on the internet, for the past decade. But what exactly is going on with freedom of speech? Do I have the right to criticize my alderman’s second term on my blog without getting thrown in jail? Do I have the right to publish cartoons that make fun of venerated religious figures without being physically attacked Do I have the right to tell my work colleagues who I voted for in the last election without getting fired? Do I have the right to express an opinion on whether R2-D2 or BB-8 is the superior Star Wars droid, without getting kicked out a group chat I have going with my friends? Which of these things is a right and which isn’t? What even is a right?

Our esteemed guest offers a few suggestions to help us navigate these questions. One core suggestion is that we should think of a right as something defining spheres of action: having the right to do something means that on such and such a question, deciding how to act and then acting that way is my purview, rather than anyone else’s. It doesn’t mean that every possible decision I make is the right one. I could have the right to make a given decision, even if the actual decision I end up making in that case ends up being morally wrong; that doesn’t change the fact that it would also be morally wrong to block me from making it. For instance, even if I decide to regularly do drugs, knowing that it will turn into a harmful habit, that doesn’t change the fact that I have the right to decide whether or not to get into drugs, and it also doesn’t mean that it would be okay for others to prevent me from making that decision.

This idea of a right as tied to spheres of action and decision making leads naturally to a distinction between the different examples on our original list. I do have the right to mock revered figures, or to express unfashionable political views, without being physically attacked or thrown in jail. However, there is no such thing as the right to say whatever you want to your friends in a group chat, without getting kicked out. Indeed, if there are any rights in the vicinity of that question, it’s your friends who have the right to decide who they want to associate with and invite to their group chats. Why is that? The idea is that you aren’t being physically forced away from a decision that’s in your purview. If your friends don’t want you in their group chat, it’s their prerogative, and it would probably be best for you to find a group chat in which your hot takes on droids would be received more favorably.

Salmieri then goes on to argue that similar reasoning applies to both social media platforms and workplaces. The overall view that emerges is that the right to free speech is central and important, but that in recent discourse, it has strangely been extended beyond its natural reach.

I found this to be an illuminating conversation that had a big impact on how I think about freedom of speech. I hope you enjoy it.

Matt Teichman

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