The Eight Values of Free Expression

Free expression has been the foundation of our nation since the very beginning. It is the reason so many people from all over the world choose to come to America and chase the "American Dream." The values of free expression in America are enticing to many whose governments have silenced and restricted them from personal freedoms. The importance of free expression has been defined in eight ways: The Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment, Check on Governmental Power, the Promotion of Tolerance, The Promotion of Innovation, and the Protection of Dissent. All eight values of free expression show the importance of our right to be genuinely and fully ourselves. 

When reflecting on the Eight Values of Free Expression, one that resonates the most with me is individual self-fulfillment or self-actualization. This is the human liberty given to us to express ourselves and create our own identities. I feel this value is most important because it is the basis of every other value. Our freedom of speech was described as "an aspect of human dignity, human agency, and autonomy." I believe that in order for us to make our own opinions and decisions, we need to be able to fully express and know ourselves before anything else. It is important that we know who we are as an individual, which is why individual self-fulfillment is a vital value of free expression.  

Another value of free expression that goes hand in hand with self-fulfillment is protection of dissent. In today's world, social media allows everyone to share their thoughts, views, and opinions with just the click of a button. Protection of dissent is so important especially in the tense political climate we are in today. As mentioned in Speech Theories, it states "In fact, it is your patriotic duty to criticize the government." Above I talked about how so many people travel to America in hopes to have the "American Dream." I believe that a huge part of the American Dream is free expression, and protection of dissent is a privilege to most who have had no personal freedoms, much less freedom of expression. 

Finally, Marketplace of Ideas is another value I feel is vital within the world of social media. This is the concept that different beliefs can be freely posted on the same platforms and not be censored by the government. Social media is mostly meant to be a marketplace of ideas where people are supposed to be able to freely express themselves to a certain extent. Currently, this value, as well as others, are being violated. Twitter has been seen working with the government to ban certain accounts that speak out against the government in a negative way. This censorship from the government through a private company is violating this value, and it makes me wonder just how much our government is actually giving us the freedoms we are meant to have promised to us. 

Overall, all eight values of free expression are vital to our society and our government. Being able to truly and freely be ourselves is what sets us a part from other countries and makes America what it is.