Bad ideas deserve to be analyzed, argued against, and demolished. Bullying people into grudging silence isn't pushing out bad ideas. Rather, the history of such behavior is that it's a tactic for people to try and prop up bad ideas which can't stand on their own.
When one finds oneself doubling down on an ideology with more acrimony and fervor, it's a clear sign that one is on the wrong side of history. When one is bullying others into agreement instead of convincing others, it's a clear sign that one is on the wrong side of history. When one must convince oneself that another's human rights are to be sacrificed for the greater good, one is on the wrong side of history.
Good ideas stand on their own. Good ideas can convince.
Assuming rational, non emotional, actors, which is hardly ever the case. People like Alex Jones have an audience, but bring a good argument to their feet, that say Sandy Hook wasn't a false flag, and you're unlikely to get a change in belief.
If we all had infinite time and infinite energy we could hear out every bad idea, analyze it, argue against it, and demolish it. But we don't. So we sometimes just have to say, "Y'know what: It's a bad idea and we need to set it aside and put our energy into good ideas."
"Y'know what: It's a bad idea and we need to set it aside and put our energy into good ideas."
That right there is an attempt to convince. However, if people then took it on themselves to punch, harass, or get the advocates of those ideas fired, then that would be an attempt to suppress.
I believe it was the NY Times that did a study in the 30s to find out how people who voted for the NSDAP felt. Amazingly they were being pushed out, many kept the affiliation secret as to avoid being fired, loosing their home and friends. And yet pushing them out did not stop the entire thing turning into a world war...
When one finds oneself doubling down on an ideology with more acrimony and fervor, it's a clear sign that one is on the wrong side of history. When one is bullying others into agreement instead of convincing others, it's a clear sign that one is on the wrong side of history. When one must convince oneself that another's human rights are to be sacrificed for the greater good, one is on the wrong side of history.
Good ideas stand on their own. Good ideas can convince.