Elon Musk’s (& Libertarianism’s) Free Speech Absolutism is a Cop Out
Anything goes isn’t freedom. It’s just another way to avoid taking a stand.
Absolutists are dangerous. That’s as true for the ideologue or tyrant so convinced of their views that they won’t tolerate any dissent as it is for the person that cannot imagine any circumstance or argument that justifies placing limits on what people might do or say. An absolutist has no answer to the question of how much intolerance a tolerant society can allow.
Elon Musk no doubt thought he was taking a principled stand when he rebuffed those calling for him to deny Russian media access to his new Starlink satellite internet service. Musk said he would not take such a step “unless at ‘gunpoint’” and then added that he was “sorry” for being a “free speech absolutist.”
When it was pointed out to him that Russian media was broadcasting state propaganda instead of news, Musk replied, “All news sources are partially propaganda, some more than others.” Apparently, Musk is unaware (or is he?)…
