After reading over the eight speech theories, there were three that stood out the most to me, two of them being similar. The two theories that stood out to me as being important and similar are Individual Self-Fulfillment and Promote Innovation. Both of these theories talk about using freedom of speech in order to create identity, creativity, fulfill themselves and have dignity. I would say this theory is greatly supported by today’s social media. As of 2021, we have what I would argue is the greatest amount of diversity yet in history. Taking Tik Tok for example, there is content for everyone, made by everyone. People using this social media platform seem to be really free and open with who they are no matter gender, race, sexuality, and other identity factors. They are able to use this platform that allows them to create content in order to be creative and express themselves as who they are. Although I think people would express themselves and have identity without social media, It definitely exemplifies how much someone goes out of their way to broadcast their identity, in this case to the world. This is only made possible because of the two speech theories and that we have the freedom to do so in our country.
Tik Tok isn’t the only example of this however, this is universal to many other social media platforms like Instagram but also in real life as well. In previous years in a High School, if you wanted to be “cool” you’d probably wear the same thing as everyone else. However, nowadays, this is changing and standing out and being your own original individual is the new “cool”.
Now, turning the tables, the third theory that stood out to be in a different way was to Promote tolerance. Instead of this theory becoming more relevant today like the other two, It seems as though it is actually the opposite. A topic that has been building up over the years but seems especially pressing as of 2020 and 2021 is lack of tolerance and what seems as though everyone is offended by everything. However, there is still truth to this theory. Part of this theory states that by promoting tolerance you will shape society to be able to condemn hate speech on their own. However it has blown way past that today. No matter what you say, or what the intentions are, there is a group in society that will tear you apart for it. It has made a very blurry line on what is “acceptable behavior” and what everyone should see as condemned. With this comes a very controversial issue on the internet, cancel culture. In this article by Aja Romano at Vox, it outlines why “cancel culture” is a problem and how it is actually interfering with history and our freedom of speech. One recent example of this was the cancelling of the Mr. Potato Head toy. Although there was confusion with what happened with this, the brand decided to drop the “Mr.” out of the name and include a line of all gender inclusive potatoes as well as the original Mr. and Mrs. Unfortunately it's not only childhood toys, its real people as well.
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