8 Values of Free Expression

After reflecting on the 8 Values of Free Expression there was one that stuck out to me.

Number 3, Stable Change.

Baruch Spinoza's Book

This value came from Baruch Spinoza's Tractatus Theologico-Politicus. It states that a government or society who lets angry, alienated people speak their mind, will be more stable. It suggests that being able to vent and let heat off about current issues will decrease the likelihood of people resorting to violence to express themselves. Another take on this value is that by letting people vent it draws attention to the issue to help the government monitor it incase it does result in violence.

What interested me about this value is the constant venting I see all over social media about the government or current issues. I believe that people enjoy venting and debating topics online more than trying to make a change in their said issue. Once the steam is blown off and people have gotten the chance to express their feelings they will kind-of move on. If we were not allowed to vent people would reach to get that attention and argument in more invasive ways which could be more dangerous.

This value and idea made me think into how this can be helpful in everyday issues and lifestyles. The psychology behind it is interesting, once people put their opinions into the air or vent about it, they feel better and are less aggressive towards it. I think this can be applied in any situation where an individual might feel angry or upset towards another person, group or organization. Using this method can help reduce violence everywhere.

The Reactance Theory Explained

A way we can explain this behavior is the Reactance Theory This theory explains that when people feel that their freedom is being taken away, they will push back harder against the restriction. On top of that, silencing them can add fuel to the fire. The feeling of freedom being stripped and then censoring their speech can cause huge retaliation. Allowing people the freedom to express their anger can calm them down. This theory helps us understand why Stable Change is such an important value of free expression. 

In my experience, I see examples of Stable Change all over my campus at High Point University. If a student feels angry towards a certain issue on campus I will frequently see posts on social media about it. This can then catch the attention of academic leaders such as faculty, department chairs or even the president. They can then monitor the situation but also look for ways to improve the issue. 

Parkevo Launch 

One example is the issue of limited parking spots on campus. Students will rage about this all over social media and complain to higher ups at High Point University. This issue allowed student all over shcool to connect over their shared frustration of parking issues. This then led to innovation, after realizing the University is not going to add more parking, students took matters into their own hands. The idea of Parkevo was created. This is an app that will show students where to find available parking spots. 

Stable Change can lead to innovation while simultaneously reducing violence.