There is no organization that’s done more to fight for freedom of speech on American campuses over the past 20 years than FIRE, The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. If you care deeply about the First Amendment and a robust culture of free speech, FIRE is the kind of organization you hope will go out of business.
At about the 53 minute mark, Bari asks (paraphrasing) "which side is worse - left or right?" Greg, more or less, says that both sides are equally crazy with censorship. Over the course of the interview, dozens of examples of left-wing censorship are given, but I didn't hear any examples of right-wing censorship. Did I miss even one contemporary example from the right?
I have been a Philosophy professor for over 40 years, and from my perspective much of the censorship is just subterfuge. American Academia is stealing money from our students and their families, and so long as we professors remain terrified of the administrators, so long as we continue to cower and play the pronoun games and all the rest of these absurdities, this thievery will continue. Academia has become a fraudulent institution where students are manipulated and treated like angry customers and truth has become a flavor, perpetually adjusted to appeal to the tastes of the customers who are systematically cheated. For my very small part I have simply refused to play the pronoun game. It is not courageous, but at least it is something. Perhaps God is dead for most, but Truth is very much alive, and I thank God I still feel guilt when I attempt to teach what I know is not true.
I have only personal observation, but no data to support my hypothesis. I feel like during the early 2000’s we passed a critical mass in a change in child care that had been building since the 1980’s.
More and more college bound children were raised from birth through college age with no extensive time playing with other children WITHOUT adult supervision. Virtually all of their waking time was spent under adult supervision in day care, pre-K, kindergarten, school, and adult organized and supervised activities, play dates, etc. Other than some inner-city basketball courts, the places for unsupervised child interaction have almost ceased exist. For every two or three children playing in a park or playground there is one adult watching. At the slightest hint of conflict or risk of even the slightest physical harm or emotional trauma, the adults swoop in to intervene.
Accordingly, at some point, we reached a critical mass of college enrollees who, while they feel the natural adolescent impulse for independence, also feel the need to remain in the water in which they have swum their entire lives—someone in authority watching over and protecting them from any risk of physical harm or emotional upset.
It is little wonder that they rebel if they feel those in authority (be that those who run the university or those who run the company) are not so protecting them physical and emotional danger. And they express their frustration as toddlers would by shouting and even lashing out physically because they never learned self-protection and conflict resolution in the rough and tumble of free play among children.
The history lesson on how we got to this point was quite illuminating. Had no idea this had been going on as long as it has. It seems like it came out of now where just a few years ago and then accelerated with the covid lockdowns. I especially liked how Greg tied what is happening to cognitive mental health issues. The woke require that others use the right words ensure a their personal happniess or to justify their identity. Those who require this will be forever miserable, as no one can make another person happy or justify their identity. That comes from within. It is sad to see so many people buying into a religion of misery. Namaste.
“There is no organization that’s done more to fight for freedom of speech on American campuses over the past 20 years than FIRE” This sounds like they are in favor of freedom of speech.
But then this sentence “If you care deeply about the First Amendment and a robust culture of free speech, FIRE is the kind of organization you hope will go out of business.”
I think honesty, industry and fair-mindedness are all equally important for a civil and prosperous society. Of course we all need the 2% who are geniuses. We would not be communicating as we do without them and we couldn’t safely travel the world or over most bridges.
In 77 , I was at The Chicago Federal Building when (the ACLU defended) Nazis spoke race hate to an angry large and possibly violent crowd. These fascists were delivered by and protected by Chicago's finest . The Cowards were going to march through Skokie at first but word got out that defenders (JDL and others)were going to gun them down in the street. Seeing these Nazi Cowards huddling behind cops like weaklings spoke volumes and was made famous in The Blues Bros Movie (Illinois Nazis LOL)
Oh Mr. Lukianoff... and I disagree with you regarding IHRA definition of anti-semitism: "I hate The Church but I have no problem with Catholics." That is a contradiction. Judaism is defined by its connection to Israel precisely as Catholicism is defined by its connection to the Vatican and the Pope and The Church in general. That lousy Pope and that crooked Vatican, well that is one thing but I think my acquaintances who go to Mass on Sunday are just dandy people; so I am not anti-Catholic at all. See? Many reasonable Jewish people are critical of Israel in innumerable ways, just like many reasonable Catholics are critical of the Vatican. If you hate the Church however, you hate the core of every Catholic, precisely the way anti-Zionism is hating the core of every Jew. I hope you and FIRE see your way to embrace the IHRA definition of anti-semitism. Oh, I detest your mom too, but you seem OK. Would you buy that? (I am certain I would like your mom however, because I like the way you think. Israel is my mother.)
This was great interview, but I was left with one burning question. Mr. Lukianoff mentions how things seemed to change over night in 2014, but does not explain why it changed at that moment in time. What was going on in our government / society that allowed for things to change on campus seemingly over night? I wish the interview had dug a little deeper to help our (my) understanding of these changes.
thanks for a terrific show! the concept that those who attack free speech are promptly 'sent to Mongolia' is a new one to me; it appears to stand up under scrutiny.
At about the 53 minute mark, Bari asks (paraphrasing) "which side is worse - left or right?" Greg, more or less, says that both sides are equally crazy with censorship. Over the course of the interview, dozens of examples of left-wing censorship are given, but I didn't hear any examples of right-wing censorship. Did I miss even one contemporary example from the right?
I have been a Philosophy professor for over 40 years, and from my perspective much of the censorship is just subterfuge. American Academia is stealing money from our students and their families, and so long as we professors remain terrified of the administrators, so long as we continue to cower and play the pronoun games and all the rest of these absurdities, this thievery will continue. Academia has become a fraudulent institution where students are manipulated and treated like angry customers and truth has become a flavor, perpetually adjusted to appeal to the tastes of the customers who are systematically cheated. For my very small part I have simply refused to play the pronoun game. It is not courageous, but at least it is something. Perhaps God is dead for most, but Truth is very much alive, and I thank God I still feel guilt when I attempt to teach what I know is not true.
I have only personal observation, but no data to support my hypothesis. I feel like during the early 2000’s we passed a critical mass in a change in child care that had been building since the 1980’s.
More and more college bound children were raised from birth through college age with no extensive time playing with other children WITHOUT adult supervision. Virtually all of their waking time was spent under adult supervision in day care, pre-K, kindergarten, school, and adult organized and supervised activities, play dates, etc. Other than some inner-city basketball courts, the places for unsupervised child interaction have almost ceased exist. For every two or three children playing in a park or playground there is one adult watching. At the slightest hint of conflict or risk of even the slightest physical harm or emotional trauma, the adults swoop in to intervene.
Accordingly, at some point, we reached a critical mass of college enrollees who, while they feel the natural adolescent impulse for independence, also feel the need to remain in the water in which they have swum their entire lives—someone in authority watching over and protecting them from any risk of physical harm or emotional upset.
It is little wonder that they rebel if they feel those in authority (be that those who run the university or those who run the company) are not so protecting them physical and emotional danger. And they express their frustration as toddlers would by shouting and even lashing out physically because they never learned self-protection and conflict resolution in the rough and tumble of free play among children.
I think the Right should go on an imaginable fundraising campaign to develop a Hillsdale/Austin, in every state.
It's time for an education revolution.
The history lesson on how we got to this point was quite illuminating. Had no idea this had been going on as long as it has. It seems like it came out of now where just a few years ago and then accelerated with the covid lockdowns. I especially liked how Greg tied what is happening to cognitive mental health issues. The woke require that others use the right words ensure a their personal happniess or to justify their identity. Those who require this will be forever miserable, as no one can make another person happy or justify their identity. That comes from within. It is sad to see so many people buying into a religion of misery. Namaste.
good luck, just reading about Hunter Biden;s laptop at the tablet, its depressing but slowly but surely info can get out.
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/the-national-tragedy-of-hunter-bidens-laptop
I’m a little confused.
“There is no organization that’s done more to fight for freedom of speech on American campuses over the past 20 years than FIRE” This sounds like they are in favor of freedom of speech.
But then this sentence “If you care deeply about the First Amendment and a robust culture of free speech, FIRE is the kind of organization you hope will go out of business.”
??
what am I missing? 🤔
I think honesty, industry and fair-mindedness are all equally important for a civil and prosperous society. Of course we all need the 2% who are geniuses. We would not be communicating as we do without them and we couldn’t safely travel the world or over most bridges.
In 77 , I was at The Chicago Federal Building when (the ACLU defended) Nazis spoke race hate to an angry large and possibly violent crowd. These fascists were delivered by and protected by Chicago's finest . The Cowards were going to march through Skokie at first but word got out that defenders (JDL and others)were going to gun them down in the street. Seeing these Nazi Cowards huddling behind cops like weaklings spoke volumes and was made famous in The Blues Bros Movie (Illinois Nazis LOL)
I enjoyed the podcast- great topic and guest
Oh Mr. Lukianoff... and I disagree with you regarding IHRA definition of anti-semitism: "I hate The Church but I have no problem with Catholics." That is a contradiction. Judaism is defined by its connection to Israel precisely as Catholicism is defined by its connection to the Vatican and the Pope and The Church in general. That lousy Pope and that crooked Vatican, well that is one thing but I think my acquaintances who go to Mass on Sunday are just dandy people; so I am not anti-Catholic at all. See? Many reasonable Jewish people are critical of Israel in innumerable ways, just like many reasonable Catholics are critical of the Vatican. If you hate the Church however, you hate the core of every Catholic, precisely the way anti-Zionism is hating the core of every Jew. I hope you and FIRE see your way to embrace the IHRA definition of anti-semitism. Oh, I detest your mom too, but you seem OK. Would you buy that? (I am certain I would like your mom however, because I like the way you think. Israel is my mother.)
This was great interview, but I was left with one burning question. Mr. Lukianoff mentions how things seemed to change over night in 2014, but does not explain why it changed at that moment in time. What was going on in our government / society that allowed for things to change on campus seemingly over night? I wish the interview had dug a little deeper to help our (my) understanding of these changes.
thanks for a terrific show! the concept that those who attack free speech are promptly 'sent to Mongolia' is a new one to me; it appears to stand up under scrutiny.