The past two years have brought a deluge of cancellations - books, statues and an ever increasing amount of living persons from all corners of the political and social spectrum.
Joe Rogan is the most recent and perhaps most popular example, but assuredly will not be the last. Cancelation is merely a modern term for censorship and a quick look backwards in time shows that censorship is not only a treacherous slope, but an insatiable monster that consumes endlessly. There is always someone or something new that does not agree with the ever-evolving worldview of someone else and thus, must be silenced or snuffed out.
Here’s a simple question: When has censorship ever been on the right side of history?
Engage, debate, disagree, but don’t censor and silence.
First of all censorship is simple-minded and lazy, second of all it never works and third, once employed, particularly with the frequency and expediency as in present day, we watch the vestiges of free and liberal society slip away.
As I have stated before - teach and engage with people on how to think, don’t tell them what to think, or in this case what not to say or hear, and thus not to think at all. Cancelation and censorship is diametrically opposed to critical thought and discourse and without those pillars, we march toward authoritarianism.
A few quotes on the subject:
"To whom do you award the right to decide which speech is harmful, or who is the harmful speaker? Or to determine in advance what are the harmful consequences going to be, that we know enough about in advance to prevent? To whom would you give this job? To whom are you going to award the task of being the censor? Isn't it a famous old story that the man who has to read all the pornography, in order to decide what's fit to be passed and what isn't, is the man most likely to become debauched? Did you hear any speaker of the opposition to this motion – eloquent as one of them was – to whom you would delegate the task of deciding for you what you could read? To whom you would give the job of deciding for you? Relieve you from the responsibility of hearing what you might have to hear? Do you know anyone? Hands up, do you know anyone to whom you'd give this job? Does anyone have a nominee?" - Christopher Hitchens
“If my conclusions are wrong, tell me how they are wrong. If my data is in error show me the correct data, the actual data. Telling me to shut up tells me there is no actual rebuttal to what I say. Censorship ultimately becomes a backhanded compliment and confirmation that I may in fact be right.” - Uncredited (though pointedly succinct)
“Fear always breeds authoritarianism, which is why manipulating and stimulating that human instinct is the favorite tactic of political demagogues…every week brings news of a newly banished heretic.” - Glenn Greenwald
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. - The 1st Amendment of the US Constitution
Notice that the 1st Amendment does not include, “…unless you personally disagree or feel harmed by free speech, press or assembly.” The reason it doesn't present such a caveat is because there is no caveat - censoring and silencing people, thoughts and ideas did not work in the 1700’s and it does not work today. That was the very first amendment to the Constitution - this is longstanding dangerous ground.
On an aside, here is a shortlist of some recent (in)famous people you may have heard of who suppressed and censored free speech and assembly, journalists, political opponents and those they disagreed with or felt harmed or threatened by: Joseph Stalin - Adolf Hitler - Mao Zedong - Pol Pot.
It didn’t start where it ended with that list of figures. It started by censoring a few, then more under the guise of fear and safety, then silencing adversaries, then dehumanizing anyone who disagreed and that element of dehumanization opened the door for … well all four are well-documented. And if you’re thinking to yourself, “That would never happen in America,” hop in a time machine and ask the Russians, Germans, Chinese and Cambodian citizens of those eras if they thought it would escalate to the degree that it did.
But hopefully we’re getting way ahead of ourselves here. Let’s stop canceling, censoring and silencing now and instead listen and engage in discourse, however distasteful you may find it or how much you disagree. Such discourse is after all the basis of our (once and fleeting) liberal society.
And as always - get off social media.
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