Is It a Dark Side of Freedom of Expression or Just a Bad Experience?

I love the world; this new world where my voice is promised to be heard and where my heart does not have to go through the tunnels of deceiving in order to survive the censured reality of outside world.

I can finally breathe and speak my mind.

I can navigate my life the way I want and enjoy the fruits of the choices that were purely made by me.

I can be honest and I can be fearless.

No more silent compassion anymore!

No more lies.

Now, in this new world, I have the rights to express my opinion and pursue my visions.

As long as my freedom does not take away the freedom of others, I am free.

Or so I thought.

Living in a box with a beautiful view of a promise

The cocoon where I nurture my mind is very important to me.

Its membrane is not only to protect me from the disturbance of the minds of other people but also to establish a healthy, natural connection between the positive and enlightening parts of my existence, and the world around me.

In short, it matters for both me as a human and other people around me.

When this membrane is broken or not taken a good care of, the cocoon turns into a toxic womb that brings all the darkness there is to the mind of a human and so this way the toxic people are made.

It is the essence of the endless war between good and evil. But freedom of expression given to us as a gift somehow turned into a field for this kind of war.

On one hand, I am given the right to speak what is on my mind, my opinion, my visions, my ideas and thoughts on anything that is of my interest.

But on the other hand, by opening my mouth and mind to the world and other people, I sign a devil contract (by default).

What I say is not as promised to be heard as it is to be judged and hated.

Internet critics are always ready to attack and fill your cocoon with mercury of their hatred and unhappiness.

Friends can turn foes in a moment your opinion or your view at something does not fit theirs.

Pretty much any relationship is in jeopardy because of the freedom of expression and to say how wrong it is would just be not enough here.

It is more than just a glitch in the system.

It is living in a box with a beautiful view of the promised freedom but never being really free.

So, I asked myself: How do I use and protect my freedom of expression?

This train of thoughts would never arrive if there was not for bullying I had to survive that came from one of the most manipulative and toxic person I have ever met.

I have faced Internet trolling and shaming a lot of times but this situation was different.

It was real and it came from someone I actually knew.

My opinion has been neglected; my thoughts - shamed; my priorities - mocked; my worth - discounted.

All the years that I spent on nurturing the cocoon of my mind’s peace was poisoned in a matter of a day.

It was the first time, I felt like puking at the very thoughts of that person.

But wait, why am I including that situation in here, in the middle of our conversation about freedom of expression?

Because believe me or not, while I was bombarded with the toxicity of that person, I could not escape the feeling that if I shut him up now or respond coldly and protectively of my cocoon, I somehow would violate his right on freedom of expression.

That was quite upsetting feeling.

I was drowning in the toxicity of that man and yet, I felt like that person had the right to drown me.

That is SO wrong

I could not have been more wrong about it.

Freedom of expression or not, everyone has the right to choose who they want to talk to, how they want to talk, and whether they want to talk to this or that person at all.

People who have no light in their hearts and mind are not able to bring positive changes to the world and other people around them.

And sorry, but if you care about the quality of your life, you have to detect this kind of people and distance yourself from them.

For trying to do this, I was called names, I was shamed for taking care of my life and refusing to join senseless existence that person doomed himself to live, I was manipulated and even threatened.

In some countries, there is a law regulating this question but here, in Russia, for example, we have no such luxury and so we have to take care of ourselves by ourselves.

I have seen so many people being harassed and bullied to literally death because someone did not approve what they said or posted or showed, and at times it feels like we are losing so many lives on the field of this paradoxical freedom of expression.

I decided to give attention to this problem here, on my blog, by creating a reminder of the rights we have and by forgetting which we so often become the victims of toxic people and destroyers beyond the law.

You have the right to express your opinion and to be heard just like other people have the right to oppose your opinion and be heard.

Civilized people won’t let the touch of the opposing forces of opinions turn into a bloodbath, and if somehow the blood starts going, at least someone has to have the courage to stop it.

You have the right to choose; choose wisely and do not be ashamed of your choice.

Do not try to change people by taking away their freedom of expression; find the strength to move on and live the best life you can.

If you see someone who forgets their rights and lowers their heads in defeat, reach out your hand and remind yourself and them that we all have the right to keep ourselves in a better place physically and mentally.

That we all have the right to make decisions for ourselves and choose not to stay in the same room with the people who violate our rights and freedom of expression.

And though the freedom of expression is much needed in our society, it still takes a lot of wisdom to know how to use it in the least destructive way for the people who do not have such wisdom.