All those people who want to be heard: do you think you owe them a hearing?

Good question.

No.
That is why they need to make some noise.
Make a racket. Protest in the streets.
Burn down the White House.

No. One does not have to listen, one does not have to Arendt, free speech does not mean equal speech. I ge to discount the value of anyone who speaks nonsense.

No. If I put myself in a position that requires me to listen, a job perhaps, a desire to help others, a desire to have others rely on me for some reason, there is still an element of choice involved, even if it is choosing to work so I won’t be on the streets.

If I want to be listened to, it is incumbent on me to figure out who will choose to do so.

No. Not all points of view are of equal value, and some points of view are simply not valid.

Also some people are just saying the same thing, or something similar that someone else has already said.

I, as an individual, have a limited capacity for what I can take in, as does everyone else, and our capaciticies are not necessarily the same. Each one of us has to make value judgements as to what is important, what is not important, what is good for us, what is harmful to us, what information helps us, what is faulty or false information, what kinds of things are interesting to us, as individuals, and what kinds of useless nonsense is too boring, or meaningless for us to bother with.

It is good to try to give voice to all sorts of ideas and viewpoints, but not just simply so that everyone can be heard.

Only elected officials are obliged to, we pay them. As for everyone else, it behooves us to listen and learn, to gain perspective. But no, YOU are not obligated as an individual. Some people are banning news, taking social media breaks, its really affecting many people negatively. Protect your mental health.

If I owe them a hearing, then what do they owe me in return?

No, I don’t, but maybe law makers do owe people the right to be heard. Maybe not every individual who wants to be heard, but at least someone who can speak for the group.

I guess to some extent I owe people I have relationships with, if I want to sustain the relationship, and they owe me. Owe is an odd word though. Point-of-view (POV) is everything. Understanding someone’s POV through a description of their experiences gives great insight, and helps to find compromise. I guess I would not use the word owe, but it might be advisable. Parents, spouses, children, friends, etc.

Does a doctor owe a patient? I will say yes. It is essential to being a good doctor. We are paying him to hear us, it is part of the job. Same with judges, politicians, and clergy. If they don’t listen then maybe they should not be in those jobs. Although, I guess there is a line, people can’t babble ongoing.

No. This is another reason I quit watching award shows. I don’t care what their political views are and don’t want to hear about them.

Of course not. They have the right to speak. I have the right, sometimes even the obligation, not to listen. And I definitely have the right to disagree and to laugh at them.

No one has a right to a moment of my time unless I decide to give it to them.

I think as a community we have an obligation to create spaces where these voices can be heard.

As the wise Benjamin Parker once said: With great power, comes great responsibility.