Speech Theories - Individual Self-Fulfillment

Throughout all of our lives, each person continuously works to try and figure out who they are. We collectively want to live our lives by being ourselves, not by putting on a mask trying to be somebody else. Staying true to your own thoughts, interests, and ideas are crucial to what makes each individual human themselves. That process is called self-fulfillment; becoming the best version of yourself by exploring, learning, and growing. A huge part of that process, especially in the United States of America, is the freedom of speech. Free speech isn’t just about politics or laws; it’s about being able to express your thoughts and feelings, regardless of how many others agree or disagree with you. Freedom of speech allows you to truly shape your identity. Which is a privilege a lot of us take advantage of here in the United States.

Self-fulfillment could sound slightly complex, but its idea is objectively simple. It’s about creating your own life by not letting others dictate who you are or who you become. To do that, you need to express yourself. That could mean debating ideas, talking about your beliefs, or even making jokes with family and friends. In short, when you speak, you’re showing a piece of who you are. If you’re not allowed to say what you think, then you’re being restrained from becoming yourself. Unfortunately, not every place in the world allows free speech and censors a lot of things on a daily basis.

That’s why free speech is connected to dignity and freedom. If society lets people share their opinions openly, it’s saying that you and your individual voice matters, regardless of factuality. If people are censored from sharing their opinions, it’s basically saying that their voice doesn’t matter. In these situations not just words are lost; so is the entire person being held back from expressing themselves.

When people speak, they test themselves to figure out what they believe by getting challenged by others. Sometimes this results in one changing their minds. Debating topics allows people to grow. Without it, people either hide what they think or copy what everyone else is saying. Which is the complete opposite of growth. By just going along with whatever is trending or the “more popular” opinion puts another layer on top of who someone actually is. That’s not growth; that’s just playing it safe and being afraid of your own freedoms.

A perfect example of how speech can shape a person’s life is Charlie Kirk. Whether you liked him or not, his whole career was built on freedom of expression and speech. He was the co-founder of Turning Point USA, spoke on tons of college campuses, and constantly used his voice to further establish what he stood for and who he was. His words shaped his identity, and they also shaped how both critics and supporters viewed him.

Kirk also spoke heavily about the dangers of “assassination culture,” warning that heated public speech could turn violent. Sadly, his warnings became a reality. In September 2025, while giving a speech at Utah Valley University, he was shot and murdered. His death shocked many across the country, and around the world. To many, including myself, it felt like more than just an attack on one person; it felt like an attack on free speech itself.

Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University
on September 10th, 2025

The reactions to his death showed how perplexing free speech can become. Many people honored him as someone who respectfully stood up for his beliefs, while others taunted him online. The mocking became such an awful issue that politicians started calling for punishment against people who made offensive comments about the shooting. Which then created a new issue: how do you protect free speech while also dealing with hurtful words?

This is where the lesson comes in; free speech is never completely safe. If you use your voice, you’ll most likely face resistance from people that don’t have the same opinions as you. If we only protect speech we agree with, then it’s not really free speech. And if we silence people because they’re offensive, we lose the chance to argue back, to debate, or to grow stronger ideas. The better answer is always more speech, not less.

At the end of the day, free speech is tied to who we are as people. Without it, self-fulfillment becomes almost impossible. Charlie Kirk’s life along with his tragic death shows both the power and the risk of using your right to freedom of speech. But it also shows why protecting free speech matters so much. If we want to become who we’re meant to be, and if we want others to have that same chance, we have to defend the right to speak freely, even when it’s difficult.