Just had coffee with a friend who defended a speaker ban at her school, saying it prevented harm.

She argued some ideas are too dangerous for a campus, but I said that's exactly when free speech matters most. Where do you draw the line between safety and open debate?

3 comments

3 Comments

avery_roberts8d ago

Wait, she actually said some ideas are too dangerous for a campus? That's the whole point of a university. If you can't debate hard ideas there, where can you? Calling something "harmful" is just an excuse to shut down stuff you don't like. This path leads to banning any opinion that makes people uncomfortable.

tyler_hunt7210d ago

Sounds like a great way to make sure nobody learns anything.

allen.cole10d ago

Honestly, you're probably right about that. I've tried explaining things this way before and just ended up confusing myself more than anyone else. Tbh my teaching method is basically just hoping someone figures it out by accident.