 What influence does Fiss intend for his ideas to have on people?
What Professor Fiss has to say about it is worth attending to not merely because of his prominence in the field but because his argument is planted in the common assumptive ground of a lot of contemporary academic thought about the bankruptcy of individualism. This is what Fiss means by the "irony" in his title: that true freedom of speech for all requires suppressing the speech of some. If Fiss had addressed the subject of free speech in this spirit, as an irony, he would undoubtedly have had some interesting things to say, for he is a learned and temperate writer. Fiss does not avoid it. Fiss' analyses of specific cases are presented against a lightly sketched historical argument.
 He wants people to recognize the dark side of free speech.
 He hopes to promote his own political agenda for a future career in office.  He wants people to recognize the dark side of free speech.  He wants to glorify the idea of life without free speech.  He wants to slam the workings of the government.