Blog Post 3#

 

    When I think about free expression, I picture an elaborate art piece (Like the Mona Lisa), a piece of music, someone wearing whatever they want, or a sandbox game (like Minecraft). As a future game designer, that’s where my voice actually lives. So when I saw the Eight Values of Free Expression, the one that hit me the hardest was Individual Self Fulfillment. C. Edwin Baker describes free expression as “Speech or other self expressive conduct is protected not as a means to achieve a collective good but because of its value to the individual”. That’s exactly what game design feels like to me.

    When I create a game, I’m not just placing objects or writing code. I’m shaping a world that reflects who I am and what I love. I think about games like Celeste, where the creator explored anxiety and self‑acceptance through gameplay. Or God of War, which uses narrative to talk about being a better person. Throughout the two games the main character (Kratos) repeats the same line “We must be better”. These games aren’t just entertainment, they’re personal expressions. They show how free speech lets people turn their experiences into something others can connect with.

Image of Twitch Chat

I also see individual self fulfillment in the communities around games. Discord servers, Twitch streams, modding forums, these are places where people build identity together. Twitch streamers create new forms of community online, and I’ve seen that myself. People share art, stories, jokes, and sometimes even their struggles. Free expression makes those spaces possible. Without it, game culture wouldn’t exist the way it does.

    The second theory that feels important to me is Check on Governmental Power. This one becomes extremely important when you look at how governments treat games and online platforms. For example, Reuters has reported on China tightening rules on video games, limiting releases and restricting content they consider “unhealthy.” That’s a direct example of a government controlling dialogue. Games get banned, stories get changed, and creators lose their voice. it’s the direct opposite of self fulfillment.

    Even in the U.S., debates about TikTok bans show how fragile digital speech can be. If the government blocks platforms or controls someone's internet access, it interferes with the “marketplace of ideas.” And when that happens, it’s a market failure. Game design depends on open dialogue, tutorials, feedback, collaboration, modding, streaming. If those channels get restricted, creativity gets restricted too.

Logo of Animal Crossing

There are also moments when games become tools for checking government power. During the Hong Kong protests, people used Animal Crossing to share political messages when public gatherings were limited. Reporters Without Borders even built the “Uncensored Library” inside Minecraft to store banned journalism. Using games as the medium, you can push back against censorship.

My ability to create depends on my ability to speak, my ability to learn depends on open access to communities, and my ability to grow depends on being able to express myself without fear. These theories feel personal because the reason I can imagine new worlds and share them with others is thanks to Free Speech.