As CEO of PEN America, a graduate of Harvard Law School, and with experience working in a range of settings from the State Department to Amnesty International USA, Suzanne Nossel definitely has the qualifications needed to take on the thorny topic of free speech. And that’s just what she does with her new book.
In Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech For All, Nossel argues that freedom of speech and the fight against prejudice can, and in fact must, co-exist. She explores the boundaries of free speech to delineate how speech can be protected while also ensuring it does not encroach upon other vital human rights and values. Nossel firmly asserts that most speech should not be banned or limited in any way and, furthermore, goes on to offer an explanation of why this is so important, as well as how society at large should go about supporting this approach. This unexpectedly challenging read — not in style, but in content — is sure to raise questions and provoke conversation among readers all along the political spectrum.
One of the great strengths of Dare to Speak lies in the meticulous way it is structured. Broken down into four large areas, Nossel identifies basic principles everyone should adhere to when speaking, listening, debating free speech, and considering policies around free speech. Much of the emphasis throughout the book is on what we, the public, should do to help address this vital issue, as the First Amendment leaves much open for interpretation in its implementation. These four broad areas are further broken down into chapters which address a broad range of key concepts. Nossel delves into the importance of carefully considering how to word potentially difficult or controversial ideas while also arguing for the importance of maintaining the right to voice these unpopular opinions. She makes a critical distinction between the right to essentially offend others with speech and that of the morality or “rightness” of the offending statement itself. She urges readers to consider the intent and context of comments when interpreting speech and delineates times when speech should be “called out” versus when it should be forgiven. She also cautions against allowing the government and corporations to have increased control over regulating free speech and argues why we should avoid making free speech a more political issue.
Nossel also touches on many issues which are currently being discussed in the media at large, as well as among friends and peers on a smaller scale, such as via social media platforms. One such example is that of cultural appropriation and the role of publishers in determining who can or should tell what stories. (Spoiler alert: Nossel advocates against any such limitations. After all, the subtitle of the book is “Defending Free Speech For All”) She examines the role of the public in responding to stories told by diverse voices and goes on to provide an overall critique of trending toward a “cancel culture.” She also shares the differences in how internet companies are not required to follow the First Amendment, allowing them to restrict speech more broadly on their platforms — an issue which continues to cause debate.
Dare to Speak covers quite a bit of ground in a relatively short space, as freedom of speech is no small topic to take on. There is, however, one area that could have been addressed more fully here. Many of the arguments made by Nossel appear to be done under the assumption that most individuals want to avoid offending others with their speech. For instance, an entire chapter is dedicated to apologising when one has said something “wrong,” which hinges on the assumption that one is both able to identify they have said something “wrong” and also that they regret the offending speech. But what about when speech is purposely offensive, hateful, or even dangerous? While Nossel argues for protecting even speech which is meant to offend, the argument falls a bit short on where these boundaries should be drawn and how such speech should be handled. Hate speech and hate crimes are discussed throughout the text, clarification is given in how to identify when speech is “dangerous,” and reference is made to where the First Amendment draws the line on what types of hateful speech are protected. Yet putting these concepts into practice is not so clear-cut, both in this book and in the real world, and this key issue deserves further consideration and discussion.
These concerns aside, Nossel has compiled a thoroughly thought-provoking and timely read here. Every reader, no matter what your viewpoint may be, is sure to learn something from reading this book.
Dare To Speak is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore. Many thanks to Dey St. Books for providing me with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
A vital, necessary playbook for navigating and defending free speech today by the CEO of PEN America, Dare To Speak provides a pathway for promoting free expression while also cultivating a more inclusive public culture.
Online trolls and fascist chat groups. Controversies over campus lectures. Cancel culture versus censorship. The daily hazards and debates surrounding free speech dominate headlines and fuel social media storms. In an era where one tweet can launch–or end–your career, and where free speech is often invoked as a principle but rarely understood, learning to maneuver the fast-changing, treacherous landscape of public discourse has never been more urgent.
In Dare To Speak, Suzanne Nossel, a leading voice in support of free expression, delivers a vital, necessary guide to maintaining democratic debate that is open, free-wheeling but at the same time respectful of the rich diversity of backgrounds and opinions in a changing country. Centered on practical principles, Nossel’s primer equips readers with the tools needed to speak one’s mind in today’s diverse, digitized, and highly-divided society without resorting to curbs on free expression.
At a time when free speech is often pitted against other progressive axioms–namely diversity and equality–Dare To Speak presents a clear-eyed argument that the drive to create a more inclusive society need not, and must not, compromise robust protections for free speech. Nossel provides concrete guidance on how to reconcile these two sets of core values within universities, on social media, and in daily life. She advises readers how to:
Use language conscientiously without self-censoring ideas;Defend the right to express unpopular views;And protest without silencing speech.Nossel warns against the increasingly fashionable embrace of expanded government and corporate controls over speech, warning that such strictures can reinforce the marginalization of lesser-heard voices. She argues that creating an open market of ideas demands aggressive steps to remedy exclusion and ensure equal participation.
Replete with insightful arguments, colorful examples, and salient advice, Dare To Speak brings much-needed clarity and guidance to this pressing–and often misunderstood–debate.
