I always wondered why Socrates chose death instead of exile. He said that the unexamined life isn’t worth living but he still could’ve lived a life of quiet contemplation. I asked my high school history teacher about this and I think he said something like he was willing to die for wisdom and he considered Athens to be the only center of art and culture in the world.
I've wondered that too. It is tempting to think that he chose death to make a statement about his beliefs. Exile might have felt like cowardice. Choosing death makes a statement: "I was right, even if you kill me. Your power to kill me does not mean you were right."
Some conservatives say that social institutions should become more illiberal to compensate for smaller government. This is the logic behind the phrase "god-fearing american" and "god, not gov". I agree that religion is better than government in improving society but it fails to acknowledge the way in which political and social institutions interact and how dysfunction in one can affect the other. People who argue against political correctness think that they're like defenders of Socrates despite the fact they demonize their political opponents and Socrates created consensus by asking questions.
"People who argue against political correctness think that they're like defenders of Socrates despite the fact they demonize their political opponents and Socrates created consensus by asking questions."
Media literacy works better than censorship. When ideas are censored they just move underground where they grow. This is what happened on Twitter and Facebook where right-wingers just set up their own social network called Gab. Who decides what's acceptable and what's not? Would violence and pornography be allowed as long as it's not directed against a minority group? We could allow people to use for defamation over things that aren't true and could affect their reputation but I believe that instead of censorship we should focus on where and when it's being said so children don't see it.
Still, every study I've seen has concluded that most disinformation is moving across Facebook or Twitter, not Gab. The minor social networks remain minor, even for right-wing disinformation. The main sources of right-wing disinformation are still Facebook and Twitter.
I always wondered why Socrates chose death instead of exile. He said that the unexamined life isn’t worth living but he still could’ve lived a life of quiet contemplation. I asked my high school history teacher about this and I think he said something like he was willing to die for wisdom and he considered Athens to be the only center of art and culture in the world.
I've wondered that too. It is tempting to think that he chose death to make a statement about his beliefs. Exile might have felt like cowardice. Choosing death makes a statement: "I was right, even if you kill me. Your power to kill me does not mean you were right."
Some conservatives say that social institutions should become more illiberal to compensate for smaller government. This is the logic behind the phrase "god-fearing american" and "god, not gov". I agree that religion is better than government in improving society but it fails to acknowledge the way in which political and social institutions interact and how dysfunction in one can affect the other. People who argue against political correctness think that they're like defenders of Socrates despite the fact they demonize their political opponents and Socrates created consensus by asking questions.
This is very true:
"People who argue against political correctness think that they're like defenders of Socrates despite the fact they demonize their political opponents and Socrates created consensus by asking questions."
Excellent point.
Media literacy works better than censorship. When ideas are censored they just move underground where they grow. This is what happened on Twitter and Facebook where right-wingers just set up their own social network called Gab. Who decides what's acceptable and what's not? Would violence and pornography be allowed as long as it's not directed against a minority group? We could allow people to use for defamation over things that aren't true and could affect their reputation but I believe that instead of censorship we should focus on where and when it's being said so children don't see it.
Still, every study I've seen has concluded that most disinformation is moving across Facebook or Twitter, not Gab. The minor social networks remain minor, even for right-wing disinformation. The main sources of right-wing disinformation are still Facebook and Twitter.