Dr. Adam Szetela - Wokeism and Cancel Culture in the Publishing Industry (The Saad Truth with Dr. Saad_865)

Aug 28, 2025

Dr. Adam Szetela, who holds a PhD in English from Cornell University, discusses the impacts of wokeism and cancel culture on the publishing industry. He shares insights about censorship in academia, revealing the tensions between creative freedom and social justice. Szetela also critiques the influence of social media on literary perception, along with the pressures that impact both readers and writers. Lastly, he offers advice for aspiring authors on cultivating writing discipline while reflecting on his own ambivalence towards an academic career.

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INSIGHT

Interdisciplinary Study Of Publishing

Adam Szetela used interdisciplinary methods across English, sociology, and psychology to study book censorship.
He combined qualitative interviews with empirical techniques to map publishing's culture shifts.

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ANECDOTE

Inside Interviews Across Publishing

Szetela interviewed presidents, editors, agents, sensitivity readers, and library directors across publishing.
Many participants described rampant self-censorship reshaping acquisitions and editing decisions.

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ANECDOTE

Sources Begged For Anonymity

Many publishing insiders asked Szetela to keep their names and titles anonymous.
Interviews felt cathartic for sources who feared professional backlash.

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Navigating Interdisciplinarity and Censorship in Academia

02:37 • 23min

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Exploring Authorship and Representation in Film

26:01 • 4min

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Cultivating Discipline in Writing

30:25 • 6min

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Masculinity and Political Dynamics

36:43 • 8min

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The Impact of Social Pressure on Literary Perception

44:56 • 22min

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Reflections on Academia and Future Projects

01:06:40 • 2min

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This clip was posted on August 28, 2025 on my YouTube channel as THE SAAD TRUTH_1884: https://youtu.be/S7UenhgtT8c

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Dr. Gad Saad is a professor, evolutionary behavioral scientist, and author who pioneered the use of evolutionary psychology in marketing and consumer behavior. In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Saad is a leading public intellectual who often writes and speaks about idea pathogens that are destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense.

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