Free Speech Trumps Someone's 'Right' To Not Be Offended

[GURPS]

During an interview with Channel 4, professor and clinical psychologist Jordan B. Peterson left reporter Cathy Newman speechless when she asked him why freedom of speech should trump someone's "right" to not be offended.

"Why should your right to freedom of speech trump a trans person's right not to be offended?" asked the Channel 4 reporter.

"Because in order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive. I mean, look at the conversation we're having right now," Peterson answered. "You're certainly willing to risk offending me in the pursuit of truth. Why should you have the right to do that? It's been rather uncomfortable."

"Well, I'm very glad I've put you on the spot," Newman replied, deflecting from his point.

"Well you get my point," said Peterson. "You're doing what you should do, which is digging a bit to see what the hell is going on. And that is what you should do. But you're exercising your freedom of speech to certainly risk offending me, and that's fine. More power to you, as far as I'm concerned."

Newman was rendered speechless.

"So you haven't sat there and — I’m just trying to work that out," she said clumsily, giving off a sigh.


WATCH: Psychologist Leaves Reporter Speechless Explaining Why Free Speech Trumps Someone's 'Right' To Not Be Offended

 

[vraiblonde]

There is no "right" to never be offended or uncomfortable. Offense is a subjective term and means different things to different people. I'm not sure how it happened that a certain segment of our society decided that they had a "right" to never be offended.

 

[GURPS]

But the segment of the interview that grabbed the public’s imagination wasn’t Peterson’s discussion of the wage gap or the biology of hierarchical relationships. It was a very simple exchange over the value of truth. Newman questioned Peterson on why he refused to go along with the trendy Leftist cause du jour: using pronouns chosen by individuals rather than pronouns that describe their biology. “Why should your freedom of speech trump a trans person’s right not to be offended?” Newman asked. Peterson, ever the gentleman, answered the question without guffawing: “Because in order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive. I mean, look at the conversation we’re having right now. You’re certainly willing to risk offending me in the pursuit of truth. Why should you have the right to do that? It’s been rather uncomfortable.”

Newman misdirected: “Well, I’m very glad I’ve put you on the spot.” But Peterson pursued: “Well, you get my point. You’re doing what you should do, which is digging a bit to see what the hell is going on. And that is what you should do. But you’re exercising your freedom of speech to certainly risk offending me, and that’s fine. More power to you, as far as I’m concerned.”

Newman had no answer. Point to Peterson.

But despite Peterson’s obvious logic, the Left refuses to concede this particular point. Any statement — any statement — must be gauged not only on the basis of its truth-value, according to the Left, but on the basis of whether such truth is likely to offend — or, at last, whether such truth is likely to offend groups the Left perceives as victimized. According to the Left, any and all truth must take a back seat to “your truth,” so long as you claim minority status in any way.


https://www.dailywire.com/news/26281/shapiro-national-review-what-right-not-be-offended-ben-shapiro