You can probably guess that this is due to the fact that as time has gone on, I've gotten more and more stupid responses from people. Stupid, ignorant, self-righteous, head-up-the-ass kind of comments that just make me sigh and wonder what has happened to people these days.
What strikes me the most is this need to voice opinions even when said opinions are not constructive criticism nor asked for. What happened to, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all"? If you so dislike someone's video, then why leave a hateful comment? A lot of the times when I tell or ask someone these things they usually reply with something along the lines of them having every right to say whatever they please. Freedom of Speech. Though most seem to not phrase it as such. I won't pretend that I am of some old and wise generation; I am not. I am merely 20 years old and sit right with the generation in which these people I write about reside. But for the sake of this piece of writing, indulge me and forget who I am.
To those who invoke the right of Freedom of Speech, I highly recommend you take a moment to google that particular right of yours. I concede, yes, it IS your right. You DO have the freedom of speech and no one can take that away from you. But even a source such a Wikipedia should provide you with knowledge of how this freedom works. The freedom of speech comes with limitations. That's right. You do not get to say whatever you please. That's not what this freedom is about at all.
Let me quote your oh-so-trusty Wikipedia on the Freedom of Speech:
"In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly subject to limitations, as with libel, slander, obscenity and incitement to commit a crime.
...
Limitations to freedom of speech may follow the "harm principle" or the "offense principle", for example in the case of pornography, religious belief or hate speech. Limitations to freedom of speech may occur through legal sanction or social disapprobation, or both."The harm principle:
"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others." -John Stuart Mill
I was raised on the harm principle I suppose. You limit your freedom of speech so that it does not hurt others and so that you follow social etiquette. "Social etiquette" is just fancy speak for manners. Ah, manners: where have you gone? What has possessed this generation that manners seem to have been wholly thrown out the window?
It frankly quite disgusts me: reading what some kids have to say while wielding their faulty defense of "Freedom of Speech" when they know nothing of what that even entails. Words cannot express my utter disappointment and frustration at how the minds of our younger generation is being formed. To be blessed as to have had your ancestors fight for these freedoms for you then to turn around and practically defile the name of the freedom: it's... disgusting.
I take a moment here to remind you of my request for you to forget who I am because no doubt there will be some who read this who will be eager to point out any faults of mine. Instead, reflect on how this topic relates to you and how your actions have been thus far. Concern yourself not with me but with yourself (another huge topic which I will discuss another day).
The freedom of speech is for exchanging ideas, challenging ideas, fighting against injustice or wrongs, and yes, for voicing our opinions. But these are all subject to manners. When you see someone acting in a manner that is disagreeable to you, do not demean yourself by letting bitterness and hate be the flavour of your words. Either move on or approach them in a manner that is constructive towards the other. Also keep in mind that perhaps what is disagreeable to you may not be disagreeable to others. Especially in a place like the internet, there's more than enough room for you to remove yourself elsewhere and away from those who are disagreeable to you. If you should encounter one who would cause you harm through their speech, save your dignity and respond not in kind but with your manners intact or perhaps do not respond at all. If everyone could start to do these things then truly the world would be a better place.
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A post script, if you will: Now that my piece of writing is done I may now reflect on myself and how I relate to the above. I admit with absolutely no qualms that I have NOT followed the above perfectly myself. I do not fault you if you haven't either. The case where everyone acts as such all the time would be an ideal case... but alas, we are human! Add to that fact that I have a temperament of a camel and you can see how I might not have followed the above perfectly. But what counts is that I have been making the effort.
Just before writing this post I had received a reply from someone who was, if I put it lightly, a tad rude. My first instinct was to hiss like cat and spit back venomous words and I went so far as to type it all out. One good thing about me though is that I have a habit of re-reading what I've typed before posting things... and upon reading it over I sighed and deleted it. Instead I wrote a reply in which I simply pointed out how they mistook what I said and left it at that. Never mind the fact that I thought that interpreting my words in the manner which they did must have taken a great deal of ingenious stupidity. Keep thoughts like that to yourself and say merely what is necessary.
