For subscribers
Culture of respect: Why it’s important and how we can sustain it
Mudslinging detracts from serious debate over policies that matter to society and deters good people from seeking or remaining in public office.
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Public figures in many liberal democracies, including US President Joe Biden, face rampant abuse, says the writer.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
Follow topic:
In May, stand-up comedian Li Haoshi drew the ire of Chinese officials for a quip deemed disrespectful to the People’s Liberation Army
While many, especially in the West, may baulk at the harshness of the penalty and its chilling effect on freedom of expression, it could be argued that many liberal democracies have gone too far in the other direction in allowing or even encouraging the lampooning of political leaders and institutions.
