Should bad opinions be censored?

by **Aquophia** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:25 pm

I support free speech. I think it is one of our greatest freedoms that we have. However, there are some groups who use it to gather cult followings based on outright lies. You have all heard of them. There are people who think the earth is flat, people who think we never went to the moon, people who think dinosaurs and human beings walked among each other, people who STILL think Obama is a muslim.

It may be easy to dismiss it and say these people have no real influence on the world, but aside from the flat earth people, polls show that a significant percentage of the population believes in the other things stated. That is because even the most illogical views can be made to seem logical with the right words. People are easily swayed and tend to follow people who dont "conform" to beliefs that most people have.

Thats why ive been thinking, why should insane conspiracy theorists even have a voice when its so clear they they are wrong? Why not just censor/condemn it? If you have no proof to back up what you say or if science has disproven you, what good is your crazed point of view? Its ok to have an opinion, but it has to be a good one.

by **Genivaria** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:27 pm

Who decides what is or isn't a "bad opinion" ? :eyebrow:

by **Aquophia** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:27 pm

Genivaria wrote:Who decides what is or isn't a "bad opinion" ?

SCIENCE!

by **New Sapienta** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:27 pm

Absolutely not, completely violates free speech.

by **Conserative Morality** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:29 pm

No. Bad opinions should be destroyed, not censored.

by **Kobeanare** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:30 pm

I think they should be and as such demand that this thread be deleted.

by **Unsolicited Hypocrites** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:33 pm

stalin seemed to think so. he said it pretty well. me i don't think so. because believing that censoring bad opinions is a good thing is a bad opinion

by **Ifreann** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:35 pm

If there are no bad opinions left, what will I laugh at on NSG?

by **Tlaceceyaya** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:35 pm

Aquophia wrote:However, there are some groups who use it to gather cult followings based on outright lies.

But then we'd be censoring the opinions of most of the people on Earth.
I'm going to censor your pro-censorship opinion on this issue.

by **Mike the Progressive** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:35 pm

Aquophia wrote:
Genivaria wrote:Who decides what is or isn't a "bad opinion" ?

SCIENCE!

No, better, blind women.

by **Ceannairceach** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:36 pm

No, they shouldn't be. Rather, they should be debated against and destroyed with the utmost of prejudice.

by **New Sapienta** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:38 pm

Aquophia wrote:I support free speech. I think it is one of our greatest freedoms that we have. However, there are some groups who use it to gather cult followings based on outright lies. You have all heard of them. There are people who think the earth is flat, people who think we never went to the moon, people who think dinosaurs and human beings walked among each other, people who STILL think Obama is a muslim.

It may be easy to dismiss it and say these people have no real influence on the world, but aside from the flat earth people, polls show that a significant percentage of the population believes in the other things stated. That is because even the most illogical views can be made to seem logical with the right words. People are easily swayed and tend to follow people who dont "conform" to beliefs that most people have.~~Thats why ive been thinking, why should insane conspiracy theorists even have a voice when its so clear they they are wrong?~~Why not just censor/condemn it? If you have no proof to back up what you say or if science has disproven you, what good is your crazed point of view? Its ok to have an opinion, but it has to be a good one.

Your bad opinion has been censored by declaration of the goverment. Your opinion has been declared as bad by Mr. President.

by **Aesthetica** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:39 pm

Conserative Morality wrote:No. Bad opinions should be destroyed, not censored.

^ This...

Censorship is wrong, it's a slippery slope, today flat-earth-erism, tomorrow ows, next week socialism, next month everything...

Find the enemy, defeat them but don't censor them, that is their weapon of choice, not ours.

by **Iglesian Archipelago** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:39 pm

No, absolutely not; it would violate free speech and democracy. Free speech is for all, no matter what's their opinion.

That's at least my point of view.

by **Kvatchdom** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:40 pm

Nobody has the authority to define a bad opinion, so no. Nothing can be censored.

by **Alissan Empire** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:42 pm

You are completely contradicting yourself.

I believe in free speech unless I believe the other person is wrong, in which case they are banned from speaking. (And what will you do exactly, are you going to give life term imprisonments to everyone who is stupid, naive, or just badly taught?)

I confess I have been wrong before. I have made statements that later turned out to be correct, and I have devils advocated conspiracy theories.
Should I now be arrested? Fined? That is a terrifying thought.

(Not to mention that science is often wrong. It proves itself wrong quite often. What happens when a scientist discovers some aspect of science is wrong or flawed. He announces his racial seeming discovery, and is promptly arrested? - That recent issue with particles breaking the speed of light for example...)

by **Daistallia 2104** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:43 pm

Censoring bad ideas gives them the cover of darkness in wich to hide and grow. Rather, one should drag them into the shining light so that all may see them and judge them for themselves.

by **Genivaria** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:45 pm

Daistallia 2104 wrote:Censoring bad ideas gives them the cover of darkness in wich to hide and grow. Rather, one should drag them into the shining light so that all may see them and judge them for themselves.

I like this idea.

by **Great Nepal** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:45 pm

Aquophia wrote:I support free speech. I think it is one of our greatest freedoms that we have. However, there are some groups who use it to gather cult followings based on outright lies. You have all heard of them. There are people who think the earth is flat, people who think we never went to the moon, people who think dinosaurs and human beings walked among each other, people who STILL think Obama is a muslim.

By the exclusive decision made by myself, I declare the rest of your post to be under censorship under Content Control Act 003, passed on Dec 10, 2011 8:25 pm.

Aquophia wrote:It may be easy to dismiss it and say these people have no real influence on the world, but aside from the flat earth people, polls show that a significant percentage of the population believes in the other things stated. That is because even the most illogical views can be made to seem logical with the right words. People are easily swayed and tend to follow people who dont "conform" to beliefs that most people have.

Thats why ive been thinking, why should insane conspiracy theorists even have a voice when its so clear they they are wrong? Why not just censor/condemn it? If you have no proof to back up what you say or if science has disproven you, what good is your crazed point of view? Its ok to have an opinion, but it has to be a good one.

by **The Republique Dardania and Gazmania** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:15 pm

-actually, I’m split on the matter.

Oh shit, was that a bad Opinion???

by **Coccygia** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:17 pm

Jeez, you start censoring bad opinions, and there goes NSG. Oh wait...hmmm...

by **Rivenwood** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:32 pm

Conserative Morality wrote:No. Bad opinions should be destroyed, not censored.

If practicable in a good debatte showing that the bad opinion doesn't have any arguments to back it up while the good opinion clearly has them up its sleeves and therefore is VERY EVIDENTLY superior.
Because showing that good opinions are superior is the best way of eliminating bad opinions.

It can also lead to new opinions that MAY be even better. You never know.

by **Kryozerkia** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:38 pm

Conserative Morality wrote:No. Bad opinions should be ~~destroyed~~ censured, not censored.

There, now you have a clever play on words.

by **Nightkill the Emperor** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:42 pm

Ceannairceach wrote:No, they shouldn't be. Rather, they should be debated against and destroyed with the utmost of prejudice.

This.

by **New Manvir** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:44 pm

No, they should be ridiculed.

Should bad opinions be censored?

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Should bad opinions be censored?

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