Eight Values of Free Expression

 
The Eight Values of Free Expression highlights the freedom of our first amendment rights and how everyone is protected. These values help people feel like they can achieve personal fulfillment and allowing individuals to participate in democracy. It allows people to feel free and feel like they can express themselves the way that they want to. 

Individual Self-Fulfillment - Free speech enables individuals to express themselves and thereby create their own identity and sometimes find kindred spirits. Freedom of speech becomes an aspect of human dignity, agency, and autonomy. 

While reading about the Eight Values of Free Expression, I find that Individual Self-Fulfillment resonates the most with me. I think people should be able to freely express who they want to be in any way that they want. There are so many cases when people don't believe they can freely be themselves which is upsetting to hear. Everyone should have the ability to choose how they want to express themselves without thinking that people are going to judge them. Everyone should be able to feel like they have a voice and can say what's on their mind without fearing judgement. It lets people reach their true potential and feel the freedom that they have with the first amendment. This value allows people to recognize their own uniqueness and worth. I feel that people should have the ability to be who they want and to be able to speak up for themselves. Not everyone feels that they can confidently speak up for themselves because they are scared of judgement. 

Promoting Self-Change -  It has been suggested that a society in which angry and alienated citizens are allowed to speak their mind, or "vent," will be more stable, as people will be less likely to resort to violence.  It has also been pointed out that allowing the alienated and discontented to speak freely enables government to better monitor potentially dangerous groups who would otherwise act more clandestinely. Ultimately, it is in the governments own self-interest to allow such venting. 

This value speaks to me a lot because it praises the idea of good communication. It helps keep everyone safe and violence free. It allows people to freely speak about different situations and conflicts without resulting to violence which in the end helps a lot of people. Everyone should be able to feel like they can speak on a topic without feeling like violence or instability is looming over their heads. This value provides a safer environment for everyone because speaking up about how they feel will instantly validate how they feel instead of creating violence which might cause more distress in the future. Allowing people to vent can avoid danger and will benefit the government as well because they can keep track of dangerous groups. Solving conflicts peacefully is something that I resonate very well with because there is never any need for violence and if it is preventable, then everyone should want to prevent it. There is never a reason for violence when there is conflict because communicating about it is an easy fix and can provide instant gratification.