But you're only contradicting the idea of "freedom of speech" if you define it the way
you are defining it. If you define "freedom of speech" differently -- as some people in this thread, myself included, have -- there is no contradiction.
For me, "freedom of speech" simply says you can SAY what you want. You can't be blocked from saying what you want by being put in prison or denied the same platforms that other people can buy or have for free.
But, for me, "freedom of speech" doesn't mean there can't be civil consequences like, say, not being laughed at or ridiculed or not purchased by the general public. (Would you consider me pointing and laughing at someone's opinion a stifling of their freedom of speech? Some people care more about social approval than monetary gain, after all.)
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So you don't measure them by their deeds/accomplishments (=books, writing skills...) but only by their words.
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I would prefer to say that I am measuring them by their stated opinions. Those opinions may or may not be present in their writing -- I may chose to not purchase their books and find out. I will not automatically assume
hey, I'll bet their opinions haven't influenced their writing at all and sally forth and buy their book on spec.
It's possible that if I KNOW their book doesn't contain their opinions, I might buy the book, but if I KNOW that, I've already read it (at the library, most likely) and I may choose not to buy the book for my personal collection because I may feel uneasy with what the author would do with my money.
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Of course, you're not actively censuring B, you don't say that he's not allowed to express his opinion, but what you're doing has the same effect - it comes down to: if B tells this opinion that I don't like then he has to starve because I won't buy his book.
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If B is counting on
me buying his book to prevent him from starving, he's going to be very hungry in the future. I don't buy a lot of books lately.
Your censorship argument breaks down here because you are assuming that everyone will censor B for his opinion. This is highly unlikely. I cannot think of a single opinion that everyone on earth will equally censor to the point where the author must starve or remain silent.