19/09/2025
🕊️ Freedom of speech is one of the most important human rights we have, it’s the foundation of thought, creativity, and progress. When people are silenced, it doesn’t just take away their voice. It takes away our ability as a society to think critically, challenge authority, and move forward.
George Orwell warned us about this in 1984. Concepts like Newspeak and Doublethink showed how controlling language eventually controls thought itself. If people don’t have the words to express an idea, that idea slowly disappears. Taking away speech isn’t just censorship, it’s the destruction of thought.
Freedom of speech also matters because dialogue has the power to transform even the hardest of hearts. We’ve seen real-world examples where difficult conversations, even with people who hold extreme or hateful views, have led to genuine change. Silencing people may feel easier in the short term, but it eliminates the possibility of growth and understanding.
Of course, freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequence. It protects us from government punishment, but it does not shield us from criticism or accountability. True freedom thrives when expression and responsibility go hand in hand.
The alternative is silence and control. Without free speech, truth becomes whatever those in power decide, dissent is crushed, and fear replaces freedom.
That’s why the words often attributed to Voltaire still resonate today: “I may not like what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” True freedom means protecting even the speech we disagree with because without that, no speech is truly free.
