Fireworks and collective irresponsibility
Umberto Eco said that the Internet has given idiots the right to speak to a legion of idiots. But long before the Internet, we already had fireworks to prove that this legion was not only there: it was organized and capable of causing very real harm.
No algorithms are needed to amplify hate or stupidity. This legion of idiots terrorizes animals, starts fires and injures thousands of people, sometimes killing them, while overloading hospitals, police forces and fire services.
In places like Berlin, entire neighborhoods have turned into war zones where it is no longer safe to walk down the street. An idiot holding a firework enjoys the same rights as someone who just wants to take a peaceful walk and celebrate New Year’s Eve with their family.
That isn’t freedom. It's collective irresponsibility masquerading as tradition.