Reviving the Greek Art of Honest Debate

(First published 7th July 2025, updated 12th July)

Speak Freely

The Acropolis of Athens: Towering above the ancient Agora, this sacred citadel stood as a daily reminder of civic duty, open debate, and the Greek devotion to truth and reason.

There's a reason the greatest minds of Ancient Greece — Socrates, Plato, Aristotle — still shape our thinking thousands of years later. It wasn't because they avoided offence or tiptoed around sensitive topics. It was because they invited challenge. They understood that truth was not discovered in silence or submission, but in open, often uncomfortable dialogue.

This tradition — the fearless testing of ideas through dialogue and debate — is the bedrock of the Freerangers ethos.

We stand in that ancient Athenian lineage, where the right to speak, to ask difficult questions, and to disagree robustly was seen as a duty of citizenship. Today, that tradition is under siege — not from invading armies, but from within: from professional complainers, institutional cowards, and a culture that rewards outrage over reason.

“I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.”— Socrates

That's the point of free speech. It's not about always being right. It's about provoking thought. It's called "stirring the pot". Creating a space where people think for themselves.

A Word of Warning

Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, was sentenced to death by his own city, Athens, in 399 BC — not for any crime of violence, but for "corrupting the youth" and "impiety." His real offence? Asking uncomfortable questions and challenging the powerful. He was offered a chance to flee into exile, but chose to drink the hemlock, staying true to his principles. His death is a stark warning: even the most enlightened societies can turn on their wisest voices when fear, pride, or political rot takes hold. History shows that civilisations often implode from within — through censorship, moral decay, and the silencing of truth-tellers. We must stay alert to these patterns and have the courage to resist them, if we are to keep our own society from going the same way.

When Truth Becomes Taboo, Democracy Dies

Take the furore this week over David Seymour's cheeky jab at critics of the Regulatory

Standards Bill — calling their hysteria "RSDS" (Regulatory Standards Derangement Syndrome). Cue the pearl-clutching. Seymour was labelled a bully. A threat. An inciter of violence. Why? Because he responded to criticism with a bit of wit and pushback.

Let's get one thing straight: a reply is not a threat. Disagreement is not violence. If you enter a public debate — be it through a submission, social post, protest, or platform — you've joined the conversation. You're not immune from being answered back, even if that is by way of cheeky humour. David Seymour is not my favourite politician, but it is free speech I am standing up for.

This was the rule in Ancient Greece. In fact, refusing to debate would have been considered weak. Even the youth were expected to spar intellectually. It's how ideas were sharpened, society evolved, and freedom was defended.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”— Socrates

And how can we examine life — our beliefs, institutions, and traditions — if we are told to remain silent, or to say only what is deemed acceptable? That's not an examination of the problem, then finding solutions. That's indoctrination.

Even at this year's Youth Parliament, where young people should be encouraged to challenge the system, they're being told to tone it down. Keep it nice. Don't upset anyone. What kind of civic training is that?

Delicate Petals Are Not the Standard

We've come to the point where "being offended" has become a political weapon. A way to shut down debate. A way for the most fragile voices in the room to seize the most power. These delicate petals aren't interested in truth — they're interested in control.

But Freerangers don't bend to the breeze. We stand for resilience. We believe ideas must be tested, not tucked away. And that requires free speech — not just for the agreeable, but especially for the controversial.

Think about supporting the Free Speech Union: www.fsu.nz

They are doing the heavy lifting to push back against the silencing of dissent, especially when it comes to contentious or politically inconvenient issues. Whether it's defending students, journalists, politicians, or everyday Kiwis — the Free Speech Union is standing where too many others stay silent.

Support them. Share their work. Join the fight. Because if we lose the right to speak freely, we lose everything else shortly after.

“Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it.”— Pericles

This is a moment for courage. Not for comfort. If we want a free New Zealand, we must reclaim the spirit of fearless dialogue.

The Freerangers Stand

• Speak truthfully — even when it's unpopular.

• Debate fiercely — but fairly.

• Push back when told to shut up.

• Support others doing the same — especially those on the front lines.

And always remember: we do not protect speech because it never offends. We protect it because it will.

Let us be strong enough to disagree — and wise enough to listen.

Let food be thy medicine. Let the body heal itself. Let the people speak. Be a freeranger!