Marquette Law Review Volume 100 Article 3 Issue 4 Summer 2017 Postmodern Free Expression: A Philosophical Rationale for the Digital Age Stephen M. Feldman University of Wyoming Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/mulr Part of the Constitutional Law Commons, First Amendment Commons, and the Law and Philosophy Commons Repository Citation Stephen M. Feldman, Postmodern Free Expression: A Philosophical Rationale for the Digital Age, 100 Marq. L. Rev. 1123 (2017). Available at: http://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/mulr/vol100/iss4/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Marquette Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Marquette Law Review by an authorized editor of Marquette Law Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 5 Side A 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͷͷ͵ͳǦͺ͵ǦͶ͵Ǧͻ ͳǦͶʹ͵ ͷͲ͵͹ͷͻͷȋȌ ͹Ȁͳ͵ȀʹͲͳ͹ͺǣ͵͹ ͳͲͲ ʹͲͳ͹ Ͷ POSTMODERN FREE EXPRESSION: A PHILOSOPHICAL RATIONALE FOR THE DIGITAL AGE Ǥ ȗ Three philosophical rationales—search-for-truth, self-governance, and self-fulfillment—have animated discussions of free expression for decades. Each rationale emerged and attained prominence in American jurisprudence in specific political and cultural circumstances. Moreover, each rationale shares a foundational commitment to the classical liberal (modernist) self. But the three traditional rationales are incompatible with our digital age. In particular, the idea of the classical liberal self enjoying maximum liberty in a private sphere does not fit in the postmodern information society. The time for a new rationale has arrived. The same sociocultural conditions that undermine the traditional rationales suggest a self-emergence rationale built on the feminist concept of relational autonomy. This novel rationale constitutionally protects expression that fosters the ongoing creative and dynamic process of self-emergence. As such, the rationale justifies protecting expression concerned with the emergent self’s struggle to define itself and 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 5 Side A 07/17/2017 08:32:28 the broader culture. The self-emergence rationale has important ramifications, especially for free-expression issues related to the Internet. The Roberts Court has invoked the traditional rationales in granting expansive first-amendment protections to corporations. Many Internet- related issues involve multinational corporations, such as Google, Verizon, and Facebook. But under the self-emergence rationale, publicly held business corporations should not have free-speech rights for two reasons. ȗ ǡ Ǥ Ǥ Ȁ Ǥ ǡǤ ʹͲͳͷ Ǥ ǡ ǡ ǡ ǡǡ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ C M Y K 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 5 Side B 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͷͷ͵ͳǦͺ͵ǦͶ͵Ǧͻ ͳǦͶʹ͵ ͷͲ͵͹ͷͻͷȋȌ ͹Ȁͳ͵ȀʹͲͳ͹ͺǣ͵͹ ͳͳʹͶ MARQUETTE LAW REVIEW ȏͳͲͲǣͳͳʹ͵ First, they have fixed rather than emergent natures. Second, they manipulate and limit the sociocultural space available for the autonomous self- emergence of individuals. Ǥ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳʹͶ Ǥ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳ͵ʹ Ǥ ǦǦǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳ͵ʹ Ǥ Ǧ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳ͵ͺ Ǥ Ǧ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳͶʹ Ǥ ǤǤǤǤͳͳͶͺ Ǥ ȋȌǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳͶͺ Ǥ Ǧ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳͷͷ Ǥ Ǧ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳ͸ʹ Ǥ Ǧ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳ͸ʹ Ǥ Ǧ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳ͹ͳ ͳǤ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳ͹ͳ ʹǤ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳ͹ͷ Ǥ ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤͳͳͺͺ Ǥ 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 5 Side B 07/17/2017 08:32:28 Ǥͳ ǦǦ ǦǦ ǤǦ ǤǦ Ǥ ǡ Ǧ ͳ.See Ǥǡ ͸Ȃ͹ȋͳͻ͹ͲȌȏ Ȑȋ ȌǤ C M Y K 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 6 Side A 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͷͷ͵ͳǦͺ͵ǦͶ͵Ǧͻ ͳǦͶʹ͵ ͷͲ͵͹ͷͻͷȋȌ ͹Ȁͳ͵ȀʹͲͳ͹ͺǣ͵͹ ʹͲͳ͹Ȑ POSTMODERN FREE EXPRESSION ͳͳʹͷ Ǥʹ Ǥ Ǥ͵ Ǧ ǣ Ǣ Ǣ ǤͶ ǡǡ ǤǤͷ Ǥ͸ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ Ǥ Ǧ Ǥ Ǧ Ǧ ǡ Ǥ ǡͳͲǡʹͲͳͶǡ ȋ Ȍ Ȅ Ȅ ȋ Ȍ Ǥ͹ ǡ ȋȌ ǡ ǡƬǡ Ǥͺ ͶǡʹͲͳͷǡ 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 6 Side A 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ʹ. See, e.g.ǡ Ǥ ǡ ȋͳͻͺ͸Ȍ ȋ ȌǢ Ǥ ǡ Ț ͳǤͲͶ ȋͳͻͺͶȌ ȋ Dzdz ȌǤ ͵.See Ǥ ǡ ǣ ȋʹͲͲͺȌ ȋ ȌǤ ͶǤ Ƭ ǡ ͳȂ͵ȋʹͲͳͷȌǢ ǡ ǡ ͵ͲȂ͵͵ȋͳͻͻͷȌǢ ǡ ͳͶ͵ȂͻͺȋͳͻͺͻȌǤ ͷ.See infra Ǥ ǡ ǡ ǣͳȂͶͳȋͶǤʹͲͳͶȌǤ ͸Ǥ Ǥ ǡ ȋʹͲͲͻȌ ȋ ȌǤ ͹Ǥ ǡObama Urges FCC to Adopt Strict Rules on Net NeutralityǡǤǤ ǡǤ ͳͲǡʹͲͳͶǤ ͺ.See ǡ ʹ͸Ͳǡʹͺ͸Ȃͺ͹ȋʹͲͳͳǤȌȋ ȌǤ C M Y K 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 6 Side B 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͷͷ͵ͳǦͺ͵ǦͶ͵Ǧͻ ͳǦͶʹ͵ ͷͲ͵͹ͷͻͷȋȌ ͹Ȁͳ͵ȀʹͲͳ͹ͺǣ͵͹ ͳͳʹ͸ MARQUETTE LAW REVIEW ȏͳͲͲǣͳͳʹ͵ ǡ ǡ Ǥͻ ʹ͸ǡʹͲͳͷǡ ǡ ͳʹǡʹͲͳͷǤͳͲ ǡ Ǥͳͳ ǡ ǡ ǯǦǤͳʹ Ǥͳ͵ǡǦ ǤͳͶ ǡ ǡǡ Ǥͳͷǡǡ Ǧ Ǥ Ǧ Ǧ ǡ Ǥǡ ǡ ǡ ǡ ǡ ͻǤ ǡ ǣ ȋ Ǥ Ͷǡ ʹͲͳͷȌǢ ǡ This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutralityǡ ȋ ǤͶǡʹͲͳͷȌǤ ͳͲǤ ǡ Open Internetǡ ǣȀȀǤ ǤȀȀǦȏǣȀȀǤ ȀͶ ʹǦȐǤ ͳͳ.E.g.ǡ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ ͳͷǦ͵ͻʹͳȀͳͷǦ͵ͷͷͷ ȋ͸ Ǥ ʹͳǡ ʹͲͳͷȌǢ ǤǤ ǤǤ ǡǤͳͷǦͳͲ͸͵ȋǤǤǤǤʹ͵ǡʹͲͳͷȌǤ ǡǤǤ 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 6 Side B 07/17/2017 08:32:28 Ǧ ǡ ǤU.S. Telecom Assoc. v. FCCǡͺʹͷ Ǥ͵͸͹ͶȋǤǤǤʹͲͳ͸ȌǤ ͳʹǤ ǡHow Net Neutrality Violates the First Amendment (According to One ISPȌǡ ȋ Ǥ ͸ǡ ʹͲͳͷȌ ǣȀȀ Ǥ Ȁ Ǧ ȀʹͲͳͷȀͳͲȀǦǦ ǦǦǦǦ ǦǦǦȀ ȏǣȀȀǤ Ȁ͵Ǧ͹͸ȐǢ ǡ AT&T Argues Net Neutrality Violates Its First Amendment Rightsǡ ȋ ʹ͸ǡ ʹͲͳͷȌ ǣȀȀǤ Ǥ ȀȀȀ ȀʹͲͳͷͲͷʹ͸ȀͲ͸Ͷ͹ͷͲ͵ͳͳͲͳȀǦ ǦǦǦǦǦǦǤȏǣȀȀǤ ȀͺǦȐǤ ͳ͵Ǥ Verizon v. FCCǡ ǦǤ ǯǡ ǡ ǡ Ǥ͹ͶͲ Ǥ͵͸ʹ͵ǡ͸͵Ͷ ȋǤǤǤʹͲͳͶȌǢseeǡFirst Amendment Common Senseǡͳʹ͹ ǤǤǤʹ͵Ͷ͵ǡ ʹ͵Ͷ͹ȂͻͳȋʹͲͳͶȌȋ Verizon ȌǤ ͳͶ.E.g.ǡǤǡ͹͵Ͳ Ǥ͵͵͸ͺǡ͵͹ʹȂͺ͸ȋͶǤʹͲͳ͵Ȍȋ Dzdz ǯ ȌǤ ͳͷǤ Ǥ ǡ͹ͶͲ Ǥ͵͸ʹ͵ȋǤǤǤʹͲͳͶȌǢǡ ǤǤ Ǥǡ͹ʹ ǤǤ͵ ͷ͵ǡͷ͸ȋǤǤǤʹͲͳͶȌǢǤ ǡ Ǥǡ͹ͻͲ ǤǤʹͳͳͳͲȋǤǤǤʹͲͳͳȌǤ C M Y K 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 7 Side A 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͷͷ͵ͳǦͺ͵ǦͶ͵Ǧͻ ͳǦͶʹ͵ ͷͲ͵͹ͷͻͷȋȌ ͹Ȁͳ͵ȀʹͲͳ͹ͺǣ͵͹ ʹͲͳ͹Ȑ POSTMODERN FREE EXPRESSION ͳͳʹ͹ Ǥͳ͸ Ǧ Ǧ Ǥͳ͹ ǣ Ǥ ǡͳͺ ǯ ǣDz ǡȏȐ Ǥdzͳͻ ǯ ǯ ǤʹͲ ǯ ǡǤ Ǥǡ Ǥʹͳ ȋȌ Dz ǡǡ ǡǡ Ǥdzʹʹ Dzdzǡ Ǥʹ͵ ǡ ͳ͸.See ǡ ͳͷȂͳͲ͵ȋʹͲͳͷȌȋ Ǧ ȌǤ ͳ͹Ǥ Ƭ²Ǥ²ǡFree Speechǡ ͳͲͲ Ǥ Ǥ ͷͲͳǡ ͷͲ͸ȂͲ͹ ȋʹͲͳͷȌ ȋ ȌǤ ͳͺǤ ǤSeesupraͶǤ ǡ Ǥ ǡ ǣ ͳͷȂʹͺǡͺ͵Ȃͳ͵͸ȋʹͲͲͲȌȏ ǡ ȐǤ 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 7 Side A 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͳͻǤ ± ǡMeditationsǡin ͸͵ǡͻ͹ǡͳͳʹȂʹ͹ȋ Ǥǡ ͳͻ͹ͶȌȋͳ͸ͶͳȌȋ ǯcogitoȌǤ Ǥ ǡ ǣ ȋʹͲͳͶȌǤ ǤǤƬ Ǥ ǡ ʹͲ͹ȂͳͲȋͳͻͻ͸ȌǤ ʹͲǤ ǡ ȋͳ͸ͻͲȌǡ reprinted in ʹ͵ͺȋǤǤǡͳͻ͵ͻȌǤ ʹͳ.See ǡ ͶȂͳͳ ȋ Ǥ Ǥǡ ͳͻͷʹȌȋȌǤ ǡDzǡ Ǥdz Ǥ ǡ Political Liberalismǡ ͳͲ͹ Ǥ Ǥ Ǥ ͳ͹͸ͷǡ ͳ͹͸ͻ ȋͳͻͻͶȌ ȋ ǡ ȋͳͻͻ͵ȌȌǤ ʹʹǤ Ƭ Ǥ ǡ Critical Engagements with Culture and Selfǡ ͳͷ Ƭ ͶͳͻǡͶʹͲȋʹͲͲͷȌǤ ʹ͵Ǥ Ƭ ǡBetween the Modern and the Postmodern: The Possibility of Self and Progressive Understanding in Psychologyǡͷͷ ͵ͻ͹ǡ͵ͻ͹ȋʹͲͲͲȌǢ ƬǡsupraʹʹǡͶʹͲǤ C M Y K 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 7 Side B 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͷͷ͵ͳǦͺ͵ǦͶ͵Ǧͻ ͳǦͶʹ͵ ͷͲ͵͹ͷͻͷȋȌ ͹Ȁͳ͵ȀʹͲͳ͹ͺǣ͵͹ ͳͳʹͺ MARQUETTE LAW REVIEW ȏͳͲͲǣͳͳʹ͵ ǡ ǡ ǤʹͶ ǡȄ subject ȄǤʹͷ ǡ Ǥʹ͸ ǡ ǡ Ǥʹ͹ ǡ ǡ Ǥʹͺ Ǥʹͻ ǡǡ Ǣ͵Ͳ ǡ͵ͳ ǡ ǫ Ǥ͵ʹ Ǥ ǡ ǫ ǡ ǫ ʹͶǤ Dzǡ ǡǤdz Ǥ ǡ ͳ͵ʹ ȋʹͲͳʹȌȏ ǡ ȐǢsee ǡNarration and Postmodern Mediations of Western Selfhoodǡin ͳͺͻǡͳͺͻȋ Ǥǡ ʹͲͲ͵ȌȋȌǤ ǤǡWhat Privacy is Forǡͳʹ͸ ǤǤǤͳͻͲͶȋʹͲͳ͵ȌȏǡPrivacyȐǤ ʹͷǤ ǡ ȋ Ȍ ȋ ȌǤ ʹ͸.SeeǡIntroduction, in ȋǤǡ ͳͻͻͶȌǤ 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 7 Side B 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ʹ͹Ǥ Ƭ ǡ ͹ȂͳͳȋʹͲͲͳȌǢsee ǡ ǡǡ ͸ʹ ȋͳͻͻͳȌ ȋ ȌǤ ʹͺǤ Ǥ ǡ ǣ ͳͷȂͳͺȋͳͻͻͷȌǤ ʹͻǤ ǡ ǡ ǡ Ǧ ͳȋͳͻͻ͹ȌǢǡsupra ʹ͸ǡǡȂǤ ǡ ǡ ǡsupraͳͺǡ͵͹ȂͶͷǡͳ͵͹Ȃͺ͹Ǥ ͵Ͳ. See ǡAfterword: The Subject and Power, in Ǥ Ƭ ǡ ǣ ʹͲͺǡ ʹͳͳȂͳʹ ȋʹ Ǥ ͳͻͺ͵ȌǤ ͵ͳǤ Ǥ Ƭ ǡ ǣ ͳʹͲ ȋʹ Ǥ ͳͻͺ͵ȌǢ ǡ supra ͵ͲǡʹͳͳȂͳʹǢ ǡ Introduction ǣ ͳǡͶȂͷȋ Ǥǡͳͻͺ͸ȌǤ ͵ʹ.SeeƬ ǡsupraͳͻǡ͵Ͳ͵ȋ ȌǤ C M Y K 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 8 Side A 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͷͷ͵ͳǦͺ͵ǦͶ͵Ǧͻ ͳǦͶʹ͵ ͷͲ͵͹ͷͻͷȋȌ ͹Ȁͳ͵ȀʹͲͳ͹ͺǣ͵͹ ʹͲͳ͹Ȑ POSTMODERN FREE EXPRESSION ͳͳʹͻ ǡ Ǥ ǡ ǡ ǣ ǡǡǤ͵͵ ǡ Ǥ͵Ͷǡ Ǥ͵ͷ ǡ ǡ Ǥ͵͸ ȋ Ȍǡ Ǥ͵͹ǡ Ǥ ǡ ǡǦ ǡ Ǥ͵ͺ Ǧ ͵͵Ǥ ǡ ȋʹǤͳͻͻͻȌǢ ǡ ȋͳͻͺʹȌǢsee ǡPolitical Philosophy and the Patriarchal Unconscious: A Psychoanalytic Perspective on Epistemology and Metaphysicsǡin ʹͶͷǡ ʹͷͲ ȋ ƬǤ Ǥǡͳͻͺ͵Ȍȋ ȌǤ ǡ ȋ Ǥǡͳͻͻ͹ȌǤ ͵Ͷ.See ǡ Subjectivity, Historiography, and Politics: Reflections on the ‘Feminism/Postmodernism Exchangeǡǯin ͳͲ͹ǡͳͲͺȋͳͻͻͷȌǤ ͵ͷǤ ǡPast as Prologue: Old and New Feminismsǡͳ͹ Ǥ Ǥ ƬǤͳͷ͹ǡ 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No. 8 Side A 07/17/2017 08:32:28 ͳ͸ͻȂ͹Ͳ ȋʹͲͳͲȌ ȋ ȌǢ Ǥ ǡ Autonomy? Or Freedom? A Return to Psychoanalytic Theoryǡ inǡ ǡ ͸ͳǡ ͹͵ ȋ Ƭ Ǥǡ ʹͲͳͶȌ ȋDz dzȌǢ see ǡ Foucault, Feminism, and the Self: The Politics of Personal Transformationǡin ʹ͵ͷȋƬ Ǥǡ ʹͲͲͶȌ ȋ ȌǢ Ǥ ǡ Foucault and Feminism: Power, Resistance, Freedomǡ in ʹͳͶǡ ʹͳͷȂͳͻ ȋ Ƭ Ǥǡ ʹͲͲͶȌ ȋ ȌǤ ͵͸.See Ƭ ǡ Introduction: Autonomy Refiguredǡ in ͵ǡ͵ȂͶȋ ǤǡʹͲͲͲȌȋ ȌǤ ͵͹Ǥ ǡ Ǥ Ǧ ǡ ͳͷ͵ȂͷͻǡʹʹͲȂʹͳȋͳͻͻͳȌǤ ͵ͺǤ ǣ ǡ ǯ ȋʹͲͳͳȌǢ ǡ ǡ ǡ ȋʹͲͲ͵ȌǢ ǣ ȋǤǤ Ǥǡ ʹͲͳͷȌǢ ǡ ǡ ȋƬǤǡ ʹͲͳͶȌǢ ǡsupra͵͸Ǥ C M Y K 39332-mqt_100-4 Sheet No.