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Why the $1 paywall?
Those that have met me will know I’m not the most talkative person. And while part of that is no doubt due to temperament, I think it is also a learned behavior.
Freely expressing opinions and asking questions has caused me trouble at times. In the pursuit of truth, I’ve been willing consider ideas that challenge dogmas in topics like politics, culture, and religion. The resulting reactions have (unfortunately) taught me to develop a “filter” that prompts significant hesitation. I rarely say what is on my mind – out of an overabundance of caution.
In 1994, the economist Glenn Loury published an excellent article explaining this “Self-Censorship” behavior from a rational, game-theoretic perspective. Glenn Loury is a professor of economics at Brown University, and hosts a podcast where controversial ideas are often discussed. I was fortunate enough to briefly meet Dr. Loury in person (basically just saying “Hello”) at a talk he gave on the same subject of Self-Censorship.
In his article, Loury explains one strategy speakers have used to facilitate free expression is audience selection. I understand a $1 paywall may discourage people from engaging with topics in this section of the blog. I hope anyone that “clears the hurdle” will share my desire for open discussion – even if they disagree with the ideas presented.
