A Matter of Perspective

This year’s Great American Think Off question is: “Is freedom of speech worth the cost?”

Essays are due April 1 and finalists will be announced May 1.

Immediately my brain began to think of the costs of freedom of speech. There are quite a few. For one, having to listen to politicians babble on endlessly (it seems) about their views on the economy, religion, the future of the world, and more.

Because speech is free, we also get to hear people down at the coffee shop express their views.

We might sometimes think the cost is too high, but without the freedom to express ourselves, the cost could be even greater than needing to rest our aching ears.

I’m still debating with myself if I want to enter an essay. I’ve never done it before so it might be fun to see how I do. But on the other hand, I don’t like to lose!

I also don’t like to debate with others (with myself it’s okay because win or lose, I’m still right!). If I understand it correctly, the finalists have to read their essays. I’m not entirely sure if they have to defend it, as well. I feel like if you wrote your essay well enough to be a finalist then it shouldn’t need defending.

I’ll let you know if I decide to enter. If this is something you think you would like to write about you can find more details here: https://www.kulcher.org/think-off/the-great-american-think-off. You can also submit your essay through their website on this page.

The first annual debate took place in 1993 and asked the question “The Nature of Humankind: Inherently Good or Inherently Evil?”

I am glad I don’t have to contend with that question!