Previously, Bored Panda spoke with Vilnius-based journalist Dovydas Skarolskis, who shared his views on freedom of opinion and what role it has in the Dude With Sign project. According to him, Dude With Sign captures the essence of freedom of speech, which is a fundamentally essential part of liberal democracy. Commonly, it seems like a given to citizens of the free world, Skarolskis argues.“However, there has been a variety of political regimes that restricted both individuals’ personal opinions, and one’s ability to form one. The dystopian shadows depicted by George Orwell and Aldous Huxley still haunt us in the 21st century,” he told us.
On the other hand, being a part of society places an unquestionable restriction on every member of it. Dovydas explained: “I can’t just arrive naked at the shopping mall just because I want to. There are many public norms, cultural traditions, laws, and many other social institutions that repress our behavior.”
Meanwhile, the internet gives us the opposite experience where a sense of freedom can be achieved unlike in the real world. "The internet is a liberating tool, and millions of anonymous comments allow authors to express their views that otherwise remain silent in the daylight,” Skarolskis said.
Skarolskis argued that politics are everywhere, and it starts as soon as you leave your apartment. “It comes down to the questions like who has to clean it, and whether it needs a repair,” he said, referring to the apartment complex you live in.
In this sense, Dude With Sign's protests showcase our very own micro politics in action. Skarolskis commented: “Dude With Sign highlights our online habits that we don’t really think of that much because we go with the flow. Dude With Sign not only talks about the freedom of opinion and speech, but he also encourages people to take a step back and look at themselves from the outside. Only when you start using your own head do you stand apart from the blunt mass and become an independent thinker.”
