經濟學人:年輕人與言論自由

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Young people and free speech

年輕人與言論自由

Young people are tolerant of other people, except others’ intolerance

年輕人寬容別人,除了別人的不寬容

YOUNG people have always been more idealistic than their elders, and more liberal too. In the 1960sbaby-boomers spearheaded the social revolution that liberalised values across Western countries. What were then fringe issues, such as equality for women andracial minorities, are now social norms in most rich countries. And even inplaces where they are not, young people espouse such values. However, as a new survey reveals, there is one area where young people’s views are not soprogressive: free speech.

年輕人總是比他們的長輩更理想主義,也更開明.在上世紀60年代,嬰兒潮世代引領了一次社會變革,使西方國家的價值觀趨向自由化.那時候的次要問題,諸如婦女和少數族裔的平權問題,現在已成爲了多數富裕國家的社會準則.而即便在那些尚未成爲社會準則的地方,年輕人也支持這樣的價值觀.然而,正如一項最新調查顯示,有一個領域,年輕人的觀點並不進步----言論自由.

Overall, the poll conducted by Populus, a research firm, on behalf of the Varkey Foundation, aneducational charity, shows that among young people there is broad support for expanding rights to historically marginalised minority groups. In all of the 18countries surveyed, a majority of 18- to 21-year-olds agreed that there shouldbe equality between the sexes and rights for transgender people. In the United States, three-quarters of respondents are in favour of transgender rights. Theyoung are similarly supportive in India, which introduced a law recognising rights for a “third gender” in 2014.

博普魯是一家依託於教育慈善領域的瓦爾吉基金會的研究機構.根據博普魯的調查顯示,總的來說, 年輕人廣泛支持增加歷史上被邊緣化的少數羣體的權利.在所有18國的調查中,18-21歲的被調查者大多數都同意應該男女平等,並認可變性人(跨性別者)的權利.在美國,有75%的受訪者都贊同變性人的權利.印度的年輕人同樣認可這一點,印度曾於2014年引入了一項承認“第三性別”的法律.

Even when equal treatmentis not enshrined in law, young people tend to support it. More than half of youngsters in 15 countries want safe and legal abortion—even in places where the procedure is currently illegal, such as South Korea. Similarly, respondents in most countries are in favour of same-sexmarriage. This pattern includes India, where homosexuality is a crime.

即使法律沒有規定平等待遇,年輕人也傾向於支持這一點.有15個國家希望安全合法墮胎的年輕人超過半數-----即便在像韓國這樣目前把墮胎列爲非法的國家也如此.同樣,大多數國家的受訪者贊成同性婚姻.其中也包括印度,這個把同性戀列爲犯罪的國家.

However, there is one right that young people are less keen on extending to others: the right to saywhat you want. Overall, fewer than half of those polled agreed that people should be allowed to express non-violent opinions even if they offendminorities. In Britain and Germany, for instance, only 46% and 48% did.

不過,有一種權利卻是年輕人不那麼情願給別人的:隨心所欲表達想法的權利.總體來說,只有不到一半的受訪者同意,人們應該被允許非暴力地自由表達觀點,即便這些觀點冒犯了少數人.例如在英國和德國,贊同的比例僅爲46%和48%.

The right to free speech is not absolute, as anyone who shouts “fire” in a crowded theatre will soon discover. At the same time,the recent polling data bolster the view that today′s youth are embracing a right not to be offended, which threatens tosquelch necessary debate. Time will tell whether this group startsto dedicate itself to winning arguments rather than to preventing them from occurring.

言論自由的權利並不是絕對的,任何人只要在擁擠的劇院喊“着火了”就很快會明白這一點.(譯註:這是一個英文中流行的比喻,比喻用語言和行動故意造成不必要的恐慌.意爲強調假的危險言論不應受到保護.事實上,1856年的倫敦,1884年的紐約,1902年的阿拉巴馬,1913年的密歇根都曾發生過在公共場合喊着火而釀成的慘劇.)同時,這份最近的調查數據也強化了一個觀點,即今天的年輕人希望擁有不被冒犯的權利,而這個權利可能會使必要的爭論減少.時間會告訴我們,他們是會致力於贏得爭論,還是會致力於阻止爭論發生.