In today’s world, it’s not just governments, laws, or institutions that control speech, it’s the mob. Not an official body, not elected representatives, but an army of faceless, nameless trolls who have taken it upon themselves to decide what’s acceptable and what’s not.
You see it everywhere. Whether it’s politics, cinema, or even a casual opinion, the moment someone expresses something that doesn’t fit into the "accepted" narrative of a group, the attacks begin. And it’s not just disagreement, it’s a full-blown assault to silence. Take "Empuraan" for example. What should have been a normal film discussion turned into an ideological battleground. A slight creative choice, a minor change, or even an imagined offense was enough to trigger outrage, threats, and online wars. Why? Because certain groups have become hyper-sensitive, especially the right-wing ecosystem, which seems to have a sneezing fit over the slightest change.
But this is nothing new. Throughout history, challenging the dominant narrative has always come at a price. When Aristarchus of Samos first suggested that the Sun, not the Earth, was at the center of the universe, he was mocked and ignored because it went against everything people believed at the time. Centuries later, when Galileo supported the idea that the Earth moves around the Sun, he was declared a heretic, forced to recant his findings, and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. Even before them, Socrates was executed simply because he asked people to think critically and question authority. The pattern is clear, those who challenge the status quo are always met with resistance, and more often than not, it is not reason or logic that fights back, but fear and blind belief.
We are no longer a society that debates. We are a society that dictates. And the ones dictating? They are not leaders, scholars, or intellectuals. They are mobs, trolls, and anonymous digital warriors who thrive on intimidation. The rules are clear: disagree with them, and you are an enemy; criticize them, and you are anti-national, anti-culture, anti-religion; have a different perspective, and get ready to be trolled, threatened, and silenced. The irony? These very people cry about “free speech” when it suits them. But the moment someone else speaks against their belief system, they launch an all-out attack to suppress that voice.
This is not about one ideology or one party. The right-wing mob is just more visible and more aggressive right now. But the truth is, this cycle of outrage exists everywhere. If you don’t agree with me, you are wrong. If I feel offended, the entire world must change. If I attack you, it’s “freedom of expression,” but if you respond, it’s “disrespect.” Isn’t this the very definition of hypocrisy? This fear-based culture has led to a dangerous shift in society. People hesitate to express their true thoughts. Artists, writers, and filmmakers self-censor to avoid trouble. Even rational discussions turn into battlegrounds of outrage. And the biggest tragedy? Those who dare to speak up pay the price. FIRs, online harassment, threats of violence—it has become the new normal.
And the biggest question is, who really benefits from this? Not the common citizen. Not the struggling worker. Not the youth looking for jobs. Not the farmer fighting for his rights. The only ones who benefit are those in power. Because as long as we are fighting each other over films, tweets, and statements, no one is asking the real questions. If disagreement is not allowed, if questioning is seen as an attack, if fear dictates what can and cannot be said—then we are not living in a democracy anymore. We are living under mob rule. It’s time we ask ourselves: do we want to be a society of independent thinkers? Or a society controlled by faceless mobs? The choice is ours.
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