Arr, ye scurvy dog! Convince yer kin that cancel culture be naught but a hornswaggle!
2023-12-22
Avast ye scallywags! Many a landlubber be fooled by the notion that cancel culture be naught but a right wing trickery! Fear not, for a tome be on the horizon, enlightening souls and showin' 'em the true nature of bein' canceled!
In the language of a 17th-century pirate, Greg Lukianoff introduces his new book, "The Canceling of the American Mind," co-authored with Rikki Schlott and featuring a foreword by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. Lukianoff addresses those who dismiss cancel culture as a non-issue or a hoax, asserting that cancel culture not only exists but thrives on college campuses. He argues that cancel culture is part of an unhealthy approach to winning arguments without truly engaging in them, and it erodes public trust in expertise. Lukianoff explains that those who downplay or deny cancel culture often lack knowledge about the history of free speech and academic freedom. He also challenges the belief that cancel culture is a right-wing hoax, highlighting the numerous campaigns to punish professors and students for their speech.Lukianoff defines cancel culture as the measurable increase in campaigns to get people fired, expelled, deplatformed, or otherwise punished for speech that is protected by the First Amendment. He cites statistics from surveys conducted by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), revealing that around one in 10 college students and one in six professors have experienced threats or disciplinary actions for their speech. Lukianoff emphasizes that innocent people have been targeted and punished, even when their statements later prove to be true.
He recounts the tragic case of his friend, former University of North Carolina Wilmington professor Mike Adams, who faced repeated targeting and harassment before ultimately taking his own life. Lukianoff challenges the arguments that cancel culture is merely "accountability culture" or marginalized people reclaiming power, pointing out that top-tier schools and elite colleges have the highest rates of attempted cancellations.
Lukianoff concludes by asserting that speech policing on campuses has been a disaster for decades and that censorship and cancel culture will not solve the problems. He encourages readers to delve into the book for a comprehensive understanding of cancel culture and its impact, providing data and examples that prove its existence. Lukianoff humorously suggests that the book would make a great Christmas gift for those who still refuse to believe in cancel culture.