A little over two centuries ago, the French Enlightenment thinker François-Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire, uttered a famous line: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” To the open-minded people of that era, it probably seemed that the world was moving forward when it came to freedom of thought, and that everyone would be able to express their views without being judged by others or, worse still, being subjected to a lynching. Yet, looking at the world today, we cannot help but notice that the majority have still not reached the level of thought of the Parisian Enlightenment thinker.
When it was announced at the beginning of this year that, in February, a film by a director from an Eastern country would be screened at one of the city's iconic cinemas, you probably assumed that the auditorium would not be particularly crowded because, after all, it was not a Hollywood blockbuster being shown. Yet that Wednesday afternoon, the cinema was, as they say, almost packed. The people who entered the auditorium with pleasant smiles seemed to promise a good atmosphere and an even better discussion after the screening, which had been announced earlier by the event organizers.
From the very beginning of the screening, film enthusiasts — or at least that is how they appeared at first — had the opportunity to witness the masterful direction of a filmmaker from another continent. As the plot unfolded, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, which was understandable given that the film was extremely disturbing to watch (the story revolves around a middle-aged man who murders prostitutes). None of this would have been particularly unusual had it not turned out that, by the end, this increasingly heated atmosphere had almost prepared the ground for an unpleasant incident.
After the film ended, a panel discussion followed on the topic of “Women, Art and Freedom.” At first, it seemed that the entire event would conclude in a peaceful manner. As the discussion progressed, someone commented on the ongoing war on the other side of the planet, after which a large number of people joined the conversation, discussing the terrible conflict. At that point, the audience had strayed quite far from the original topics, at least in the opinion of one elderly man. He quite politely suggested that it would be better for the audience to focus more on the film itself and the issues it addressed. In such a situation, one would naturally expect a proper response from the moderator, whose responsibility it was to guide the discussion. Instead of a calm and civilized response, however, part of the audience lashed out at the elderly gentleman with unpleasant comments, while the moderator was bombarded with rhetorical questions. “How can he possibly say something like that? Can't he see what we're talking about?” someone exclaimed at one point. And now the smiles those people had worn as they entered the auditorium were no longer charming. There was nothing charming about the way they glared at a perfectly polite gentleman simply because he had expressed his opinion. The truth is that the issues that had sparked the incident were important as well. No one disputed that! The gentleman had not said that they were insignificant. His only wish at that moment was for everyone to collectively return to discussing the film and the social problems it addressed. Yet the only response he received was condemnation because he had not fully embraced their views, even though only moments earlier they had been talking about the rights and freedom of thought and speech. It is rather absurd, isn't it? Who knows — had there been someone a little more unhinged in the audience, he might have ended up in one of the city's hospitals.
And you? Did you really think that everyone has the right to say whatever they please? Anyone who commits such an offense, expressing their opinion and openly defying the crowd, must be aware of the consequences, because it is not wise to challenge the mob. Perhaps it is best, then, to simply adopt their opinion, because at least your head will remain safe. And if you nevertheless dare to express your own view, even if it does not differ all that much from theirs, be prepared for punishment and exclusion from society.
In the end, ask yourself what democracy actually means in our society, and whether it even exists at all. What is the purpose of the numerous projects and events organized throughout this region where we are taught that we should respect views that are often different from our own, if hearing those views in practice immediately becomes a problem? What can we expect from a majority that will speak today about how we are all equal, only to turn around tomorrow and, like medieval judges, condemn anyone who does not think as they do? Try to consider, too, what those who openly declare themselves undemocratic are capable of doing if these self-proclaimed advocates of freedom of thought allow only opinions that suit them...
This text was inspired by an event that took place in February 2023 in a country in the Balkans. Unfortunately, the Balkans are not the only place on the planet where similar events take place.