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Notes -
Elon really likes China but he also strongly opposes censorship, at least so he claims. These seem antithetical , so i don't know.
I don't have any problem reconciling these.
Free speech with few bounds is great. It enhances human dignity, exposes bad actors, and enhances the chances that we're accurately evaluating reality. However, it's not without its drawbacks. People can demagogue, they can spread lies, they can even spread socially damaging truths.
China is a sovereign nation and it's not my place to castigate them over their speech policies. They are in a better position to judge the consequences of unfettered political speech on their society, and they've decided the benefits aren't worth the costs. Maybe they'll change their mind some day, but outside pressure to do so would likely be counterproductive.
It also seems like U.S. allies don't get the same level of criticism that China gets re: free speech. In the U.K. you can be punished by the state for posting a picture of your dog doing a Hitler salute. AFAIK canine Hitler impersonations are still legal in China.
Yes and in my experience the best way for demagogues to do the latter two is to claim that their opposition is doing them and needs to be censored so that their half-truths can go uncontested.
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