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Voltaire never met anyone as dumb as Charlie Kirk.
Voltaire also never wrote that.
That’s fine, the origin is even noted in the image. I don’t anticipate a need to spell out how, if Voltaire had met someone like Kirk, it might have changed his views (and, consequently, Hall’s writing about those views).
Why? Kirk can say shit. The problem is not him specifically, but the lack of education in the population that makes him thrive.
Maybe the problem is the internet. It used to be easy to say that speech should be free, no matter what. But the internet has given a bigger stage while distancing people from real life consequences, allowing them to do real harm to society.
Kirk is a great example. He could have preached his hatred alone on a corner in a small village, but he got a pulpit, he faced no real life consequences, and he caused harm increasing our divisiveness, pitting neighbor against neighbor, encouraging hatred, and that is before the effect on government services.
Not anymore, he can’t.
Such a loss I almost forgot already.
The best part about forgetting he’s dead is remembering it again next time I open a web browser.
People like Kirk will see that quote and say things like, “See, not every belief is equal and not every belief should be defended, that’s how we got to this point.” The mental gymnastics is incredible
