Dramatic Literature, Criticism and Theory | Open Access Articles

More public and philosophical attention has recently been given to hate speech. Hate speech does not merely hurt feelings; it is public communication that implies that the targeted group does not merit the constitutional protections assured the speaker. Hate speech poses a riddle given the liberal commitment to freedom of speech independent of content.

This paper argues that philosophers misdiagnose hate speech. The novel claim is that hate speech is a tactic in a game being played by the speakers. The game’s prize is the same kind of personal buzz felt by effective theater actors. Winning requires manipulating the audience’s …

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Hate Speech As Theater, Adam White

Adam White