NOTES:
Another thing that has turned me against ‘the left’, especially as delineated by the typical Guardianista is the anti-elitist elitisism, the snobbery, the holier-than-thou self-righteousness of them all. For a fine example of this smug condescension we only usually have to turn to Poly Toynbee in the aforesaid Guardian, and here she does not disappoint. The comments are also quite illuminating on how the typical Guardianista has an almost pathological hatred of The Daily Mail – and, by extension, its readership (well, everyone who isn’t like them, in reality). The Mail is – of course – like all tabloids a dire ‘newspaper’, but it seems there is something beyond mere dislike of the tabloidisation of culture – not that the Guardianistas would be ‘elitist’ enough to believe in such a bourgeois concept as ‘Culture’ – that fires this rage in those of a Guardian-leftist persuasion.
COMMENTS:
The consequence of immoderation
My comment:
Zoe, I believe in the power of language - a bit like last week's Dr Who with Shakespeare - but I don't believe in 'hate' speech, not anymore. The concept is too dangerous - the 'religious hatred' bill tipped it over the edge for me, because I do hate what religions do to some people's minds and I want to say so.
I now believe in total freedom of speech and think that outlawing 'racist, sexist, sizeist, ageist, whatever-ist speech is wrong. I think - but I'm not sure yet - I would even allow the shouting 'fire' in the crowded theatre scenario.
In short, I don't believe prohibition works and the only way of defeating such talk is to take it on - everything from treating it with contempt to outright derision and all points between. Because, in the end, the only way to really stop people being nasty about and to each other in words is to change the mind that produces those words, rather than just tying a gag over the ranting spouting mouth because that is just pretending it isn't happening not defeating it at all, really.
No comments:
Post a Comment