These words echoed from the TED Talk stage last month, where Monica Lewinsky spoke publicly for the first time in a decade. There arguably isn’t any speaker better equipped to talk about the freedom of speech and where it can all go wrong, when at 24, Lewinsky became the Internet’s first case of cyber bullying (though there was no name for it at the time). This private-made-public affair was the first major news story to break on the Internet. As such, this new online playground became a hot bed for media outlets, comedians, and everyone else who wanted to fancy a try at slinging this shiny toy around, and dangling the life of a human being in the process. The Internet’s newfound power erupted an incessant slew of hate, shaming and vilification, all the while dodging the question: At what point have we dehumanized a life, and destroyed it beyond repair?
A majority of us at NC State probably think of Lewinsky as a cultural icon or the end rhyme to a rap lyric, rather than the scapegoat of a ‘90s White House scandal. Now 10 years later, we’re all grown up. Now, we’re old enough to be held accountable for the lesson of her story: Our freedom of speech is a responsibility, not just a right.
The Internet inserts distance, anonymity and speed into our social interactions. For many, this makes it acceptable to dehumanize another person online, to yell at, threaten, and shame them. This makes opinions toward others online harsher, and reactions stronger. But the Internet does not remove the person at the receiving end of your interaction. The person sitting in front of the screen, reading your words, is still very much real.
An apt and relatable example of this is Wolfpack Students, an NC State Facebook group that has garnered a reputation for online harassment and bullying. Many people who engage in trolling behavior on WPS justify their actions by claiming their First Amendment right, the freedom of speech. We all know what these rebuttals look like: “The First Amendment lets me say whatever I want.” Or, “Don’t tell me what I can’t say, since when did I lose my freedom of speech?”
Of course these people aren’t completely wrong. A basic right of any government should be allowing its citizens to speak honestly without fear of persecution. But if you think the First Amendment is the only power you need to hold yourself accountable to when speaking to others, you have misunderstood what it means to be human.
The First Amendment exists to allow all of our voices to be heard, not to grant one voice the right to drown out all others. The First Amendment is not there to be used as an excuse for a poorly formulated opinion, an offhand sexist slur, or a rude retaliation. The First Amendment does not excuse you from basic respect, from critical thought, from kindness. Your First Amendment right should not be held higher than your sense of humanity.
Monica Lewinsky had a great line in her talk that speaks well to the trolls on WPS and beyond who attempt to use the First Amendment as a scapegoat for their behavior: “We all want to be heard, but let’s acknowledge the difference between speaking up with intention and speaking up for attention.”
Our Freedom of Speech exists so that we are able to hear all of those speaking with intention. It does not exist to serve the needs of those seeking attention. Let’s use our right to free speech intentionally, by speaking responsibly.
