John Morrison Individualism

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Freedom is one of the most important and the most sought-after commodities in the world we live in today. Freedom is important for all of us as it is all about breaking the chains that have bound us for ages. It’s about speaking up, it’s about liberation and, emancipation. The modern world over the time has evolved in becoming individualistic. Individual freedom, and individual values are of great significance. The rise of individualism has lead to elevation of individual liberty and freedom. Certain liberties like freedom to express are now considered to be absolute rights. Such ideas and notions of freedom have also been endorsed by international bodies like the United Nations. Western democracies today run on this very basic principle of …show more content…

In many ways, it is used to coerce and hurt people in different ways. When there is rampant freedom of speech without any kind of checks and balances, it may cause a particular segment, or in some cases the society at large to feel unsafe. Ultimate freedom of speech of one person may cause someone else’s right/freedom to feel safe to erode. John Morrison, in his article, about the interfaith hate in Burma, depicts the gruesome turn the events have taken in the following words, “old hatreds and sectarian violence emerge with new freedom of expression divide in Burma (Morrison).” Burma, however, is not the only case that seems to be affected by the dark facet of freedom of speech. Around the globe, the freedom to speak has taken a sinister turn. In many south Asian countries like Pakistan, ethnic minorities don’t feel safe. Anti-minority narrative has been promoted for ages in Pakistan and it goes unchecked. Over the years a lot of incidents of mob violence have occurred owing credit to hate speech. To name a few, a student of Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan was lynched by a mob following a public hate speech accusing him of blasphemy. Moreover, there have been cases of sectarian violence, and lynching of people from minority ethnic backgrounds over uncorroborated claims. The situation, however, is not so different in the developed countries as well. In USA, the most advanced country in almost all the avenues, there are organizations like KKK, which publish content to establish white supremacy. The representatives of KKK are able to speak out publicly, pass racist comments, and are able to get away with it. There is no law to curtail their hate speech against the black minorities which feel threatened and unsafe because of their white supremacist

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