First Friday - Political Violence, Free Speech, and Extremism

Is extremism the new norm? Let's discuss the Charlie Kirk killing, the response, and the attacks on free speech by cancel culture and the government. Too much? Never!

As usual, we will socialize for about an hour before the discussion begins. Feel free to bring EXTREMELY delicious food to share!

Ideas to consider:

• Is the rise of political extremism a symptom of a broader philosophical crisis—a lack of compelling, unifying, and moderate political philosophies in contemporary society?
• Under what, if any, conditions is political violence justified as a means for an extremist group to achieve its ends, and how do we ethically distinguish between legitimate resistance and terrorism?
• Should lies be protected speech?
• Does political extremism arise from a perceived absolute, non-negotiable value (e.g., racial purity, divine law) that is held to be superior to all practical or ethical considerations, and how do such metaphysical claims override conventional morality?
• Does extremism appeal to a deep-seated desire for authenticity or a solution to profound political alienation and meaninglessness in modern society, and if so, what philosophical voids is it attempting to fill?
• Is political extremism a necessary and inevitable reaction to the perceived failures, contradictions, or excessive relativism of liberal democracy, or is it an external threat unrelated to liberalism's internal philosophical structure?
• What is the philosophical responsibility of the political "moderate" or center in relation to extremism: should they focus on active counter-ideology, on addressing the societal root causes that fuel extremism, or on strict political containment?
• How can we offer a credible, alternative explanation that addresses the underlying grievances or emotions? Is "vote" every 2/4 years a satisfying alternative?
• Does change happen without ideological extremism?
• In what ways does political rhetoric — both online and offline — fuel or restrain acts of violence?

https://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/dealing_extremists