So grateful to you, folks at Substack. You are on the right side of history for protecting the most fundamental American value of free speech. I applaud and support you!
I discovered this wonderful platform through Alex Berenson. I have found his reporting on COVID to be incredibly accurate as it pertains to the data and science (not Scientisim). Thank you for allowing journalists like Alex and others to express their viewpoints and expose the truth.
It's generous of you to offer the diagnosis that we have "a trust problem." I believe, however, that most of your readers would argue that we have "a censorship problem." There is no reason to trust news sources that simply would not allow open discussion of Hunter Biden's laptop, Covid's origins in the Wuhan lab, election fraud, suppression of HCQ and IVM, or any other relevant topic that strayed from an enforced narrative. What we desperately need are platforms that support open conversation where critical information can be presented and discussed. Trust is downstream from freedom of speech which must always come first.
The scientific method starts with a question that needs to be answered. We are here to explore those questions and find what is right and wrong about our conclusions. I'm tired of other platforms that tell people we can't question, not even the experts, but the bought and paid for factcheckers. Especially when they trudge on my area of expertise.
Let people decide for themselves. Getting lots of contrary information is difficult and complicated. Sorting through the morass can be challenging. But this process keeps us sharp and aware of different facets of every story.
I so appreciate that Substack is taking this tact and upholding free speech rights.
I'll leave Christopher Hitchens to the rest...
"To whom do you award the right to decide which speech is harmful, or who is the harmful speaker? Or to determine in advance what are the harmful consequences going to be, that we know enough about in advance to prevent? To whom would you give this job? To whom are you going to award the task of being the censor?
Isn't it a famous old story that the man who has to read all the pornography, in order to decide what's fit to be passed and what isn't, is the man most likely to become debauched? Did you hear any speaker of the opposition to this motion – eloquent as one of them was – to whom you would delegate the task of deciding for you what you could read?
To whom you would give the job of deciding for you? Relieve you from the responsibility of hearing what you might have to hear? Do you know anyone? Hands up, do you know anyone to whom you'd give this job? Does anyone have a nominee?"
- Christopher Hitchens, Be It Resolved: Freedom of Speech Includes the Freedom to Hate - 15 November 2006
Excellent. Of course, if Substack does start censoring "misinformation" and "canceling" any of the people I follow, I will expect a refund on all of my subscriptions.
Two days ago I joined Substack and published my first article, comparing Neil Young's message about junkies dying from needles in their arms to today's situation. The next thing that happens is Neil Young protesting against all those who express their concern about seeing loved ones dying from having needles stuck in their arms!
At the time he wrote his song, there was almost unlimited freedom of expression. Sadly, that is no longer the case. We are fortunate, I think, to have this podium and I sincerely hope the owners will continue defending our right to express our opinions.
This was an excellent, clearly articulated statement on the value of free speech. Those who argue against it will miss it when it’s gone, which is hopefully never. Viva Substack and thank you for standing firm on this principle which is essential to literature, art, science and any form of critical inquiry. And besides: who watches the watchmen?
Thank you for posting this, I am new to Substack and find your approach so refreshing in the face of the decline of legacy media due to the crap practices that abound on social media channels. We are social creatures and yearn to connect but we're all pretty much fed up with being the fodder for social media advertising.
Thank you for this. I'll leave a little Ricky Gervais quote here that seems relevant, "Please stop saying 'you can't joke about anything anymore'. You can. You can joke about whatever the fuck you like. And some people won't like it and they will tell you they don't like it. And then it's up to you whether you give a fuck or not. And so on. It's a good system."
Society has a trust problem. More censorship will only make it worse.
So grateful to you, folks at Substack. You are on the right side of history for protecting the most fundamental American value of free speech. I applaud and support you!
in an age where "platform risk" is a major issue for content creators, this message is reassuring.
I discovered this wonderful platform through Alex Berenson. I have found his reporting on COVID to be incredibly accurate as it pertains to the data and science (not Scientisim). Thank you for allowing journalists like Alex and others to express their viewpoints and expose the truth.
It's generous of you to offer the diagnosis that we have "a trust problem." I believe, however, that most of your readers would argue that we have "a censorship problem." There is no reason to trust news sources that simply would not allow open discussion of Hunter Biden's laptop, Covid's origins in the Wuhan lab, election fraud, suppression of HCQ and IVM, or any other relevant topic that strayed from an enforced narrative. What we desperately need are platforms that support open conversation where critical information can be presented and discussed. Trust is downstream from freedom of speech which must always come first.
We have a trust problem because our institutions have become increasingly corrupted. They have earned the mistrust with their lies and propaganda.
The scientific method starts with a question that needs to be answered. We are here to explore those questions and find what is right and wrong about our conclusions. I'm tired of other platforms that tell people we can't question, not even the experts, but the bought and paid for factcheckers. Especially when they trudge on my area of expertise.
Let people decide for themselves. Getting lots of contrary information is difficult and complicated. Sorting through the morass can be challenging. But this process keeps us sharp and aware of different facets of every story.
This is important, and people in the years to come will remember who protected a culture of free speech and open discourse.
I so appreciate that Substack is taking this tact and upholding free speech rights.
I'll leave Christopher Hitchens to the rest...
"To whom do you award the right to decide which speech is harmful, or who is the harmful speaker? Or to determine in advance what are the harmful consequences going to be, that we know enough about in advance to prevent? To whom would you give this job? To whom are you going to award the task of being the censor?
Isn't it a famous old story that the man who has to read all the pornography, in order to decide what's fit to be passed and what isn't, is the man most likely to become debauched? Did you hear any speaker of the opposition to this motion – eloquent as one of them was – to whom you would delegate the task of deciding for you what you could read?
To whom you would give the job of deciding for you? Relieve you from the responsibility of hearing what you might have to hear? Do you know anyone? Hands up, do you know anyone to whom you'd give this job? Does anyone have a nominee?"
- Christopher Hitchens, Be It Resolved: Freedom of Speech Includes the Freedom to Hate - 15 November 2006
Excellent. Of course, if Substack does start censoring "misinformation" and "canceling" any of the people I follow, I will expect a refund on all of my subscriptions.
This strategy makes Substack a clear leader in the new social media. People are intelligent.
Two days ago I joined Substack and published my first article, comparing Neil Young's message about junkies dying from needles in their arms to today's situation. The next thing that happens is Neil Young protesting against all those who express their concern about seeing loved ones dying from having needles stuck in their arms!
At the time he wrote his song, there was almost unlimited freedom of expression. Sadly, that is no longer the case. We are fortunate, I think, to have this podium and I sincerely hope the owners will continue defending our right to express our opinions.
This was an excellent, clearly articulated statement on the value of free speech. Those who argue against it will miss it when it’s gone, which is hopefully never. Viva Substack and thank you for standing firm on this principle which is essential to literature, art, science and any form of critical inquiry. And besides: who watches the watchmen?
Thank you for posting this, I am new to Substack and find your approach so refreshing in the face of the decline of legacy media due to the crap practices that abound on social media channels. We are social creatures and yearn to connect but we're all pretty much fed up with being the fodder for social media advertising.
Thank you for this. I'll leave a little Ricky Gervais quote here that seems relevant, "Please stop saying 'you can't joke about anything anymore'. You can. You can joke about whatever the fuck you like. And some people won't like it and they will tell you they don't like it. And then it's up to you whether you give a fuck or not. And so on. It's a good system."
#FreeSpeech 🤗 That’s why I’m here.
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
― Evelyn Beatrice Hall (paraphrasing Voltaire)
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/communication-insights-from-movies