tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post4912223944995789436..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Sunday Essay - Facebook, freedom of speech and the rights of othersJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-29494041336323971552010-07-05T10:23:25.177+10:002010-07-05T10:23:25.177+10:00Thanks, KVD, from all of us! You may well be right...Thanks, KVD, from all of us! You may well be right. For example, when I write on Indian or Indonesian issues I think of Ramana and Tikno.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-65675793756545697672010-07-05T08:08:20.848+10:002010-07-05T08:08:20.848+10:00I think there is hope that the world will muddle t...I think there is hope that the world will muddle through, whenever three such people as those above me - from differing cultures, with different personal histories - can politely discuss their views, and politely listen to each other.<br /><br />With my highest regards to all three. kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-4016973079170471642010-07-05T07:43:25.579+10:002010-07-05T07:43:25.579+10:00Ramana, I find this, FB being used to incite emoti...Ramana, I find this, FB being used to incite emotions, a difficult one. My starting premise is against censorship of any type. However, the use of FB as a conscious tool has worried me for some time.<br /><br />I deliberately didn't dwell on the EDMD example not so much for reasons of PC, but because that's not been a very visible or important issue in Australia. The issues that have been most prominent here are the misuse of FB to cause damage to others (the bullying case, for example) along with certain types of pages intended to appeal to prejudice. <br /><br />Some of these pages create the equivalent of an electronic mob, an instant group that behaves just as irrationally as the physical equivalent. So where do you draw the line?<br /><br />The nature of the response to the initial EDMD raises different issues. If you want to argue that fundamentalism is a global problem I would agree with you, although my interpretation and responses may be a little different. If you want to argue that fundamentalism in Pakistan is a specific problem, I would agree with you. <br /><br />In all this, I would suggest that there is a difference in the right of free speech, a right that I defend, as compared to the right to deliberately pour petrol on a fire in the name of free speech.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-44625655808782205302010-07-05T07:40:50.514+10:002010-07-05T07:40:50.514+10:00Jim,
I absolutely agree with you that we don't...Jim,<br />I absolutely agree with you that we don't have absolute freedom of speech.<br />There is still a part of our society are not well educated to the same level to understand and filtering the things with the same way as we are. I believe that still many people, especially in developing countries are easily provoked. Since the Facebook pages is set for public then it can be searched and accessed worldwide via browser directly without having to login first to Facebook (unlike for personal Facebook account that usually we use it).<br /><br />Rummuser,<br />Maybe I'm a little idealist but my idealism is addressed to FB to remove such pages. I felt that I have to do a "little" moral responsibility as an internet user.<br /><br />I still remember of your post titled "MF Hussein" at:<br />http://rummuser.com/?p=2993<br /><br />MF. Hussein (an origin India's painter) and his paintings that depicting Hindu Gods and Goddesses are naked. For this one, I agree that we don't have absolute freedom to paint everything freely which it may insulting Hindu religion.Tiknohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05733973438543735098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-54169747613929314002010-07-05T00:37:16.582+10:002010-07-05T00:37:16.582+10:00Jim, your analysis is every bit as diplomatic and ...Jim, your analysis is every bit as diplomatic and politically correct as I expected it. It still does not address the core issue of FB being used to whip up emotions. To start with, the draw the prophet momentum started with an innocuous cartoon strip producer being asked to withdraw a totally, inoffensive depiction of the prophet, failing which, dire consequences were threatened. Now, the question is, whose right to freedom of expression has been violated? And what was the response?<br /><br />Such attacks on freedom of expression have been allowed to take place with impunity and I think that finally, people interested in such freedom are saying that okay, how many people are you going to threaten?<br /><br />The fault lines of civilisation are now getting very clearly drawn indeed. Not quite Huntington had in mind, but much bigger.<br /><br />I think that Tikno has got carried away by idealism. I am afraid, that he has got to get adjusted to a world which is rapidly changing into anything but.Rummuserhttp://www.rummuser.comnoreply@blogger.com