Market Place of Ideas

John Miltons Portrait

I believe that the Marketplace of Ideas is the one that most resonates with me because being able to network while fostering a compatible communication line is extremely important. Having ideas and not being able to share them with other individuals does no one any good. Being able to bounce ideas off of one another and allow each other to use machinery, equipment, etc., is a very important aspect of our economy today. One idea that I just mentioned that really compelled me to choose the Marketplace of Ideas was the ability to borrow or rent another person’s equipment. This topic isn’t just about sharing ideas; it’s about helping one another boost economic growth—not just a Marketplace of Ideas, but also a Marketplace of Economy. Being able to have conflicting ideologies at business meetings allows room for growth in companies. This means you can be the black sheep without being restrained. This fits me by demonstrating new tactics to run my business with my partner—being able to have conflicting ideas yet come to a conclusion in the end that satisfies both our needs and benefits our company. This all supports John Milton’s claim: “holding that to bring forth complaints before the Parliament is a matter of civil liberty and loyalty, because constructive criticism is better than false flattery.”

Beliefs coming together to create
Something bigger.

Milton’s argument in his 1644 treatise, Areopagites, defends free speech by stating that “truth emerges from open debate.” He believed that if anyone's ideas were suppressed, it wasn’t only ruining their own potential but also limiting others. According to Wikipedia’s overview of the Marketplace of Ideas, Milton laid the groundwork for modern-day free expression. A prime example of where the Marketplace of Ideas comes into play is interpretation—of anything. Opinions differ among individuals because of morals. Having different morals will bring up conflicts that better the common good by providing diverse backgrounds. Ethics create different perspectives so that others can experience cultural diversity. Conflicts in beliefs will foster a growth mindset, where individuals must look through another lens, just as Milton suggests. If you were to picture a world where nothing went wrong and there was no opposition, how would you think it would go? Good? At first, this sounds amazing—no one’s arguing or opposing your thoughts, beliefs, etc. However, it becomes unsettling really quickly. Ideas wouldn’t be challenged, meaning no one would grow. No growth in the human mind and body means a big plateau in humanity. Emotions would be lost because you could never feel sadness or depression if you never knew what happiness was. Therefore, I truly support Milton’s claim. Why would we have a stagnant world when we can just grow together? Looking at another article that reflects on unpopular and offensive opinions, Douglas Youvan’s research on Mill’s defense of free expression shows that conflicting values spark debate and help humanity evolve. In the end having opposing opinions betters the common good by a variety of ways. That’s the essence of the Marketplace of Ideas, being able to share different ways to come about work scenarios and come to a compromised solution is what these values. That is why I believe it is the most important one