If you know who you are and what you believe in then you should have no fear like others are saying. Go wherever you want and talk to whoever you want. I used to regularly post on /r/debatefascism before it got banned on reddit. I was disappointed when it got banned.

When you argue with someone online, you'll never change their opinion.. but you may sway some random lurker just browsing through.

I understand that a lot of the far right use "free speech" as essentially a dog whistle- but freedom of expression in my opinion is a vital part of a free society. That doesn't mean private places like Lemmy instances have any obligation to follow free speech. But I do support and respect places that do.

It probably won't be worse for your ideological development than Sodahead was for me as a teenager

People just don't understand. Because society prohibits exhibitions of hatred, those are most likely to seek out places that do allow it. The desired "freedom" aspect of society-free judgement is why you encounter them more often in these type of forums. And when you got there to "repress" them, it's seen as the claws of society invading one of the few avenues that allow venting their frustrations.

Think of it like this, everywhere you go there's rules, rules, rules! You're stuck doing a job you don't like to pay bills that keep growing, having to play nice with people you barely get along with 5 to 7 days a week and only an online forum to let you vent off your stress. But then some bozo shows up and yells "no, you can't do that!". Wouldn't that just make you angry?

This isn't about the correct thing to vent about, it's about being allowed to vent. When you tell someone they're not allowed to do something because it's bad, it usually comes off as taking away their sense of agency, and that just makes them more hateful.

Say something wrong about co**unism or any s country practicing it here and you'll see how free speech works, that's your only warning, you won't get an official one, that's not how moderation works here, no matter what their COC says

Hello! I've been searching for a reddit alternative, and yes, I've picked Lemmy and Raddle, but here's the thing. My morbid curiosity is perked up, and a part of me wants to join the "free speech" alternatives, like Saidit, Poal, etc. What's wrong with me that I want to join toxic places? I mean, yes I'll find a whole new perspective (albeit wrong), on political topics, but a part of me wants to be the antagonist, and post lefty memes, and music with a left-leaning message (bands from r/rabm) I know that's like kicking the hornet's nest, so you don't need to start in with "that's a bad idea" I know it is. My main point/question is, is it wrong to join a site with potential hate speech? Does it make someone a bad person?

It's ok to explore/try everything from a safe distance.

No. Not only that it doesn’t make you a bad person. IMHO, it’s far more effective than being active here.

Your not changing votes here. Sure some may say they won’t vote or they will vote third party. But like 95+% of lemmy is some version of left leaning. It’s basically a forum of people enjoying agreeing with each other (for the pillars, not the specifics). I don’t think there is anything wrong with that but imo your not making the world a better place.

I would go as far as to say this is the biggest problem with polarization today. You can’t solve it without having some communication. Imo right leaning spaces are full of misguided anger that can be used for good.