On free speech and martial arts
I've never been in a fight in my life, not a physical one anyway.
The other day I listened to Lex Fridmans podcast, he talked with someone
about martial arts, and they mentioned this thing, a common understanding and
respect that happens after a fight between two good fighters, due to their
situation, having been physically close, and tearing into each other, trying to
cause pain and the other to lose. Today, as I went through site submissions for
the geekring, I happened upon a site by someone who I think I'd be at odds with
simply, they seem like the opposite of me in many ways, and I'm sure they'd hate
me if they knew me (maybe not if they knew me well enough, but they'd hate me
before they got the chance anyway..).
I added their site and wished them welcome, I'm happy to have their site, with
it's content be in my ring, not because I agree with it, but because I don't!
It's absolutely lovely and beautiful that there can be disagreement.
It struck me, that I'd love for this common understanding after an Internet
argument, even if someone loses, or we agree not to agree, I wish there would
be more of this looking into each-others (virtual) eyes and being grateful for
that person to be there and fight.
I want there to always be free speech, I want people to be able to pose their
ideas and views, no matter how contrary to the current fashion. I am an
absolutist on this point, I don't care how horrible something is, I want people
to be able to utter it. I want to be able to utter my own disagreement too.
