Great article Ed, this sort of thing is why I read you and send you money. Really looking forward to your The West's Cultural Revolution is Over book as this is an intensely fascinating phenomenon and you're the only person I can think of who has precisely delineated what is going on as you have.
As far as the First Amendment goes, speaking as an American, I am insanely grateful that we have it. Now, the people in charge of the Blue Tribe have made it so that your entire life can be ruined by saying or thinking the wrong thing (this business where they get people frozen out of the financial system is especially scary), but you can't be imprisoned for it.
At least, not yet. I fully expect for a left-leaning Supreme court to, some time in the not too distant future, rule that "hate speech" is not protected by the First Amendment... and "hate speech" can be ANYTHING. Won't happen anytime soon because of the right tilt of the current court, but I fully expect this to occur after 2030 or so at some point.
Also if you're interested here's a fun disquisition about what's going on with America's blue tribe. Would like to hear what you think of this. Half of me thinks it's genius and the other half thinks it's unhinged: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/revenge-of-the-yankees
Poor Socrates. Then again, he was indisputably annoying and did corrupt the youth by encouraging them to question the wisdom of their elders.
Even here in the United States, the First Amendment is in hot water for the first time in American history because it's apparently now a product of white supremacy and institutional racism, ya know. That we ever got to this point, and so suddenly, is certainly a testament to the culture wars and the explosive growth in the powers of the woke progressives. But at least we still have the First Amendment and the Constitution is devilishly tricky to change. But even so, people are noting a creeping double standard in prosecution and application of laws and policies.
by all accounts Socrates did sound quite annoying.
Will be interesting to see whether the logic of anti-racism, or race communism as it in reality is, can override even the First Amendment. I would guess not but then it has trampled over so many other norms so who knows.
I will add that while there's pressure on the First Amendment, there's also green shoots of the rebellion against the excesses of wokery because the same Constitution protects the green shoots too. That's the genius of the American Constitution. The insistence on equal application of the law by the Constitution makes instances of unequal applications much more visible than it otherwise would be. You can't hide them away, no matter how much one tries.
In an unwritten Constitution like Britain's, its easier to obscure the unequal applications. That's the downside to what otherwise was a remarkably successful political framework. It's possible the unwritten Constitution worked so well because the national consensus was so uniform and strong that it didn't need a Constitution to spell out everything neatly. But when the consensus is gone you're left with magistrates and judges with too much individual powers to apply their own ideologies because they don't have the restraints of a fully defined Constitution? Just a thought.
I think that is definitely true. Britain's constitution worked for the country it was designed around, but the country has drastically changed. the problem is that it's a Gordian knot, everything they've tried to change has just made things worse. This is why, for instance, we still have clerics in the HoL, Iran being the only other state to do that. Disestablishment would just be a nightmare.
Remember reading a theory that the blasphemy charge was largely a cover for a more political motive, as Socrates was regarded as having sided with the pro-Spartan puppet government of the 'Thirty Tyrants' (one of whose members had been a student/companion).
In any case, he was probably a nightmare to spend any time with, and even the way he chose execution strikes me as irritatingly pompous somehow.
It wouldn't surprise me. Plato's Republic was venerated as Ancient Greek wisdom but it was a thinly veiled criticism of Athenian society and politics of the time. His Kallipolis was not that different from Sparta and I'm sure the Athenians spotted the similarities.
I do struggle with the book, veering from admiration for the examination of the soul and trying to define a good soul to horror at the discussions about the idealized society. Socrates so effectively (naively?) introduced the concept of the naturally superior and wise Guardians, forever corrupting generations of youthful philosophers angry at the unjust world for failing to recognize their brilliance. Even among today's woke anti-West progressives, the themes of Plato's Republic still heavily influences their outlook.
But in Socrates' defense, I'll also add that midwit philosophers hungry for recognition in revolutionizing an unjust world also ignore the whole discussion about a well-rounded soul in the Republic, which would have to exist to make Kallipolis function well. In theory, of course!
If blasphemy laws cover all beliefs, it means all beliefs are sacred. if all beliefs are sacred, then none are technically. In actuality, the secular elites who stand 'above ideology' treat their own viewpoints as very jolly sacred thank you very much, and don't you forget it, sinner.
That said, I am not in favour of the First Amendment. I know this may not be a popular opinion here, hopefully it won't constitute blasphemy. I don't like freedom of speech. Nobody does really. No, NOBODY. Every society has blasphemy laws, formally or informally - even (especially) the USA. I just want our blasphemy laws to be crystal-clear, with consistent sentencing, and if at all possible, directed against the enemies of Christ, as defined by me. No problem, right?
But seriously, the danger with modern day blasphemy laws is that unlike laws regulating what you can say about the Holy Trinity or the whether you think transubstantiation is holy dogma or papist folly, modern day dogmas demand you assent to statements about THIS world, about reality as dealt with on a daily basis. You must affirm, instead of arcane doctrine about the afterlife or hypostatic unions, none of which can be proven in the everyday sense of the term, you must assent to rather strange ideas about men and women, ideas that very few people truly believe. You must assent to weird dogmas about race and discrimination, in violation of your own eyes and ears, you must assent that it would be best if you and your people were to simply go extinct and be replaced by others. And that's just the start.
The inconsistency of hate speech prosecutions (or social platform cancellations) reminds me of stochastic terrorist acts. They serve to make many more people afraid than really need to be and so implement a shadowy type of control over society.
As an American, I can tell you that we have a First Amendment for the government, but not for private businesses or organizations! That’s where the pressure comes from in America.
I simply can't believe women are being jailed for insisting that men aren't women in the UK. Like the Rotherham sex scandal it's one of those things you read about on social media, assume it's some crazy rambling nonsense, and then you find out it's completely true and nothing seems quite right after...
And this is with your Conservatives in power for over a freaking decade? Seriously? They do realize the Blue Tribe here is never going to like or approve of them, right? (Note the US Blue Tribe will never approve of any (white) British as being anything but a pathetic and castrated bitch apologizing for your ancestors. Please don't feed them). But for real, the whole trans thing has taken off while the Conservatives have been in control. And in that time the UK has become one of the legal leaders in persecuting those who stand up to this nonsense! All completely under Conservative leadership.
What?
ps I do not write this to mock. I live about an hour outside LA and trust me it breaks my heart when people treat the worst fucking ideas ever made here, coming straight from the mouths of the most utterly vile, as the new gospel. Try Scientology instead, please.
I don’t think any have been jailed… yet. It’s more just the stress and injustice of the police coming around to your house because you objected to men using female changing facilities. Explain that one to a 20 year coma awaker
Great article Ed, this sort of thing is why I read you and send you money. Really looking forward to your The West's Cultural Revolution is Over book as this is an intensely fascinating phenomenon and you're the only person I can think of who has precisely delineated what is going on as you have.
As far as the First Amendment goes, speaking as an American, I am insanely grateful that we have it. Now, the people in charge of the Blue Tribe have made it so that your entire life can be ruined by saying or thinking the wrong thing (this business where they get people frozen out of the financial system is especially scary), but you can't be imprisoned for it.
At least, not yet. I fully expect for a left-leaning Supreme court to, some time in the not too distant future, rule that "hate speech" is not protected by the First Amendment... and "hate speech" can be ANYTHING. Won't happen anytime soon because of the right tilt of the current court, but I fully expect this to occur after 2030 or so at some point.
Also if you're interested here's a fun disquisition about what's going on with America's blue tribe. Would like to hear what you think of this. Half of me thinks it's genius and the other half thinks it's unhinged: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/revenge-of-the-yankees
Poor Socrates. Then again, he was indisputably annoying and did corrupt the youth by encouraging them to question the wisdom of their elders.
Even here in the United States, the First Amendment is in hot water for the first time in American history because it's apparently now a product of white supremacy and institutional racism, ya know. That we ever got to this point, and so suddenly, is certainly a testament to the culture wars and the explosive growth in the powers of the woke progressives. But at least we still have the First Amendment and the Constitution is devilishly tricky to change. But even so, people are noting a creeping double standard in prosecution and application of laws and policies.
by all accounts Socrates did sound quite annoying.
Will be interesting to see whether the logic of anti-racism, or race communism as it in reality is, can override even the First Amendment. I would guess not but then it has trampled over so many other norms so who knows.
I will add that while there's pressure on the First Amendment, there's also green shoots of the rebellion against the excesses of wokery because the same Constitution protects the green shoots too. That's the genius of the American Constitution. The insistence on equal application of the law by the Constitution makes instances of unequal applications much more visible than it otherwise would be. You can't hide them away, no matter how much one tries.
In an unwritten Constitution like Britain's, its easier to obscure the unequal applications. That's the downside to what otherwise was a remarkably successful political framework. It's possible the unwritten Constitution worked so well because the national consensus was so uniform and strong that it didn't need a Constitution to spell out everything neatly. But when the consensus is gone you're left with magistrates and judges with too much individual powers to apply their own ideologies because they don't have the restraints of a fully defined Constitution? Just a thought.
I think that is definitely true. Britain's constitution worked for the country it was designed around, but the country has drastically changed. the problem is that it's a Gordian knot, everything they've tried to change has just made things worse. This is why, for instance, we still have clerics in the HoL, Iran being the only other state to do that. Disestablishment would just be a nightmare.
actual antidisestablishmentarianist spotted in the wild
Remember reading a theory that the blasphemy charge was largely a cover for a more political motive, as Socrates was regarded as having sided with the pro-Spartan puppet government of the 'Thirty Tyrants' (one of whose members had been a student/companion).
In any case, he was probably a nightmare to spend any time with, and even the way he chose execution strikes me as irritatingly pompous somehow.
It wouldn't surprise me. Plato's Republic was venerated as Ancient Greek wisdom but it was a thinly veiled criticism of Athenian society and politics of the time. His Kallipolis was not that different from Sparta and I'm sure the Athenians spotted the similarities.
I do struggle with the book, veering from admiration for the examination of the soul and trying to define a good soul to horror at the discussions about the idealized society. Socrates so effectively (naively?) introduced the concept of the naturally superior and wise Guardians, forever corrupting generations of youthful philosophers angry at the unjust world for failing to recognize their brilliance. Even among today's woke anti-West progressives, the themes of Plato's Republic still heavily influences their outlook.
But in Socrates' defense, I'll also add that midwit philosophers hungry for recognition in revolutionizing an unjust world also ignore the whole discussion about a well-rounded soul in the Republic, which would have to exist to make Kallipolis function well. In theory, of course!
I misread this headline as 'Why Britain needs a 2nd amendment' and thought you'd gone off the deep end, Ed :p
haha
that reminds me, need to apply for my spoon licence. you could get hurt with one of those things
Just remember to get your spoon licence licence first.
If blasphemy laws cover all beliefs, it means all beliefs are sacred. if all beliefs are sacred, then none are technically. In actuality, the secular elites who stand 'above ideology' treat their own viewpoints as very jolly sacred thank you very much, and don't you forget it, sinner.
That said, I am not in favour of the First Amendment. I know this may not be a popular opinion here, hopefully it won't constitute blasphemy. I don't like freedom of speech. Nobody does really. No, NOBODY. Every society has blasphemy laws, formally or informally - even (especially) the USA. I just want our blasphemy laws to be crystal-clear, with consistent sentencing, and if at all possible, directed against the enemies of Christ, as defined by me. No problem, right?
But seriously, the danger with modern day blasphemy laws is that unlike laws regulating what you can say about the Holy Trinity or the whether you think transubstantiation is holy dogma or papist folly, modern day dogmas demand you assent to statements about THIS world, about reality as dealt with on a daily basis. You must affirm, instead of arcane doctrine about the afterlife or hypostatic unions, none of which can be proven in the everyday sense of the term, you must assent to rather strange ideas about men and women, ideas that very few people truly believe. You must assent to weird dogmas about race and discrimination, in violation of your own eyes and ears, you must assent that it would be best if you and your people were to simply go extinct and be replaced by others. And that's just the start.
The inconsistency of hate speech prosecutions (or social platform cancellations) reminds me of stochastic terrorist acts. They serve to make many more people afraid than really need to be and so implement a shadowy type of control over society.
As an American, I can tell you that we have a First Amendment for the government, but not for private businesses or organizations! That’s where the pressure comes from in America.
Yes that is true, but that’s better than nothing. Over here you can get sacked by your company for wrong think but also visited by the police
I simply can't believe women are being jailed for insisting that men aren't women in the UK. Like the Rotherham sex scandal it's one of those things you read about on social media, assume it's some crazy rambling nonsense, and then you find out it's completely true and nothing seems quite right after...
And this is with your Conservatives in power for over a freaking decade? Seriously? They do realize the Blue Tribe here is never going to like or approve of them, right? (Note the US Blue Tribe will never approve of any (white) British as being anything but a pathetic and castrated bitch apologizing for your ancestors. Please don't feed them). But for real, the whole trans thing has taken off while the Conservatives have been in control. And in that time the UK has become one of the legal leaders in persecuting those who stand up to this nonsense! All completely under Conservative leadership.
What?
ps I do not write this to mock. I live about an hour outside LA and trust me it breaks my heart when people treat the worst fucking ideas ever made here, coming straight from the mouths of the most utterly vile, as the new gospel. Try Scientology instead, please.
I don’t think any have been jailed… yet. It’s more just the stress and injustice of the police coming around to your house because you objected to men using female changing facilities. Explain that one to a 20 year coma awaker