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A concept like free expression has this societal value of accountability and innovation. The constantly changing society is able to be pushed forward by these expressions. Those conversations that confront what is widely accepted or bring forward new perspectives act as a pillar to society. These moves forwards are all branching from a person’s single ability to freely express those thoughts. The Institute for Humane Studies describes this, “John Stuart Mill famously argued that even false ideas deserve a hearing—not because they are valuable in themselves, but because they force us to confront and refine our own beliefs. A bad idea, openly debated, reveals its flaws. A good idea, openly defended, proves its worth.” These arguments are what bring that societal merit of expression. While not every expression made by people will be radically changing it still pushes forward these ideas of progress and accountability. This creates this intertwined relationship of personal and public value that cannot exist without the other. It begins with that personal value to every person and their own expression of freedom. That ability to speak without fear or punishment is the foundation of the larger movements for keeping those in power in check or reach cultural agreements. In turn the public commitment to those rights of expression those individual voices cannot be heard or nurtured.

Freedom of expression contributes to identity by allowing this exploration into different perspectives and ideas to internally curate this sense of self that is constantly growing. The silence created by the loss of this contribution would stunt each person’s own personhood in the key parts that work as the building blocks of identity. With no true thought of what they consider their integrity, how they make decisions, be separate from what others may value and allow for other people’s own experiences to influence their own. Foucault explores this idea, “First, as is clear in Plato’s text for example, the problem of the freedom of speech becomes increasingly related to the choice of existence, to the choice of one’s way of life. Freedom in the use of logos increasingly becomes freedom in the choice of bios.” These intrinsic choices in one’s freedom are informed by their identity and in turn that influences who they are. Free expression gives people that freedom to develop and nurture each of their own personal identities which in turn will develop their more public identities. How they operate within public discourse or the dynamic between themselves and those in power is built upon the foundation of their personal identity made possible by free expression.

I think freedom of expression is worth protecting as it is the pillar of truth and progress. The loss of free expression would eliminate all the innovation made by those sharing their own perspective and calling out for that change. To live in the fear of repercussions and turning all the power of experience to those in power would be catastrophic in safeguarding liberty on a personal and public level. Free expression is something that may not always be valued as it should. People can have major disagreements and feel the drain of confronting norms that they find comfort within. Free expression must be understood beyond that as Teresa Bejan explains, “It does so not because all citizens are equally rational or good, or because all things that are sayable are worth saying. No, it does so because the alternative will always be to empower the powers-that-happen-to-be to grant that liberty as a license to some—and to deny it to others, in turn.” It is not because every person is this amazingly eloquent speaker of all knowledge, but because they don’t know everything and they deserve to be given the voice no matter what. The reading “Can the Subalteran Speak?” explores the larger thoughts of how the underrepresented voices are not given proper platforms in order to express their own experiences to those with power. Protecting free expression is what allows for this barrier to erode and for people with true need to be part of these conversations to speak without fear and call for true, radical change. When Rivers Were Trails is a more modern example of how people previously not protected in their expressions are able to now truly represent themselves and give others the correct way of viewing them. Without protection it would continue to be in the hands of those ignorant to their perspectives. Protection of free expression is necessary in every aspect of life. Sacrificing on any level would be sacrificing the society we live in no matter how miniscule it may be. The chase of truth and rising advocacy of vulnerable groups to the simple way a person may dress are all expressions that require constant protection for how influential they all are.