Greg Lukianoff, co-author of 'The Coddling of the American Mind', joins Michael Shermer and Rikki Schlott to discuss cancel culture. Topics covered include the definition of cancel culture, the left and right utilizing cancel culture, free speech law vs. norms, diversity and inclusion, generational change, and solutions to cancel culture.
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Quick takeaways
Parenting styles, social media, and the desire for safety have contributed to the rise of cancel culture and the stifling of free speech.
Balancing free speech and preventing harmful content on social media requires a fine line between regulation and government interference.
Freedom of speech is a unique and valuable concept that promotes rationality, prevents violence, and fosters a peaceful society.
Younger generations' fragility and anxiety, influenced by parenting and social media, have fueled cancel culture, but promoting open dialogue and the exchange of ideas can challenge this trend.
Deep dives
The Influence of Parenting and Social Media on Fragility and Anxiety
Parenting styles, particularly anxious parenting, and the rise of social media have contributed to the fragility and anxiety experienced by younger generations. The constant need for safety and psychological well-being has led to the belief that words are equivalent to violence, resulting in a push for censorship and the stifling of free speech. This misguided notion stems from a desire to protect others but fails to recognize the importance of open dialogue and the value of differing opinions. It is essential to foster a free speech culture that embraces the challenging of ideas and perspectives.
The Importance of Balancing Free Speech and Regulation in Social Media
While private social media platforms have the right to regulate their content, there is a need to strike a balance between free speech and the prevention of harmful content. However, government interference should be limited, particularly with regards to regulating speech as violence. The free market has also allowed for the emergence of alternative platforms, although they may still face challenges in competing with more established platforms. It is crucial to create an environment that encourages experimentation and diversity of thought while addressing concerns about misinformation and harmful speech.
Understanding the Historical and Psychological Factors Behind Censorship
Censorship has been a prevailing norm throughout history, rooted in tribalism, the craving for certainty, and the belief in an unchanging truth. However, the Enlightenment introduced the radical idea of free speech, challenging traditional notions of censorship. It is important to recognize that freedom of speech is an anomaly in human history and should be protected, as it allows for the exchange of different ideas, prevents violence, and fosters a more rational and peaceful society.
The Link Between Fragility and Anxiety and the Rise of Cancel Culture
The fragility and anxiety experienced by younger generations, fueled by factors such as parenting styles and social media, has contributed to the rise of cancel culture. The misguided belief that words are equivalent to violence has led to a push for censorship and the silencing of opposing viewpoints. This trend is perpetuated by a societal inclination towards insulating individuals from potentially harmful speech. It is important to challenge this notion and promote a culture that values open dialogue, intellectual diversity, and the exchange of ideas.
The importance of raising anti-cancellers
It is crucial to cultivate a generation of individuals who actively oppose cancel culture. Many young people have a negative view of cancel culture, and it is important to encourage them to speak up and support one another. By instilling values of grace, empathy, and open-mindedness, parents can play a vital role in raising the next generation to challenge the oppressive nature of cancel culture.
The need for alternative avenues in higher education
There is a pressing need to establish alternative avenues of education that go beyond elite higher education. The current system often fails to cultivate the hardest working and most intelligent students, and can even foster an environment of intolerance and cancel culture. By seeking out and supporting alternative educational institutions that prioritize freedom of speech and diversity of ideas, individuals can help bring about meaningful change in higher education.
Challenging problematic laws and policies
It is essential to challenge laws and policies that infringe upon freedom of speech and expression, both in academia and in society at large. This includes laws that restrict academic freedom, enforce compelled speech, or engage in viewpoint discrimination. Through legal action, public advocacy, and awareness-raising, individuals can combat these problematic policies and protect the fundamental right to free speech for all.
Get your tickets to meet Peter Boghossian + Michael Shellenberger: https://skeptic.com/event
Cancel Culture is a new phenomenon, and The Canceling of the American Mind is the first book to codify it and survey its effects. From the team that brought you the bestselling Coddling of the American Mind comes hard data and research on what cancel culture is and how it works, along with hundreds of new examples showing the left and the right both working to silence their enemies.
The Canceling of the American Mind will change how you view cancel culture. Rather than a moral panic, we should consider it a dysfunctional part of how Americans battle for power, status, and dominance. Cancel culture is just one symptom of a much larger problem: the use of cheap rhetorical tactics to “win” arguments without actually winning arguments. After all, why bother refuting your opponents when you can just take away their platform or career?
Shermer, Lukianoff and Schlott discuss: • the definition of Cancel Culture • The Henny Youngman Principle: “Compared to what?” • Cancel Culture as imagined moral panic • Cancel Culture on the political Left/Right and on social media • free speech law vs. norms • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) • sensitivity training • bias hotlines and silencing of speech • pluralistic ignorance • The 4 Great Untruths • Jean Twenge’s theory of generational change • solutions to Cancel Culture.
Greg Lukianoff is the president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and one of the country’s most passionate defenders of free expression. His law degree is from Stanford. He worked for the ACLU of Northern California, the Organization for Aid to Refugees, and the EnvironMentors Project before joining FIRE in 2001.
Rikki Schlott is a New York City-based journalist and political commentator. She is a research fellow at FIRE, host of the Lost Debate podcast, a columnist at the New York Post, and a regular contributor to numerous publications and television programs. Her commentary focuses on free speech, campus culture, civil liberties, and youth issues from a Generation Z perspective.
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