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An important conversation about the suppression of viewpoint diversity
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I came across this title while searching for an audiobook on the Libby app. I put a hold on it and listened to American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. While listening American Dirt, I read a lot about the cancelling of Cummins once readers became aware that her story about Mexican migrants was written by a white woman.
The Canceling of the American Mind became available as soon as I finished American Dirt, and it couldn't have been delivered at a better time.
This is a well structured and researched book about free speech, censorship and all the ways in which cancel culture is damaging to everyone, not just those who are cancelled. It examines cancel culture across many fields including politics, higher education and among adolescents. I learned a ton while listening to this and found that I've been guilty of the mob-mentality of cancel culture more than once.
Through out the book the authors give many, many examples of real people who were canceled for things they said, wrote or did, and while at first some of the examples felt outrageous, I had to remind myself that these people are real, and these things actually happened. Entire lives and careers have been ruined. There's even an entire section about authors (Jeanine Cummins and her book are discussed at length!), who in an attempt to get ahead of being canceled by the public, cancelled themselves.
They also offer a ton of remedies for cancel culture specific to different circumstances, but the recurring advice is to attack the argument, not the person. They often reference their first book, The Coddling of America, and the idea that we've stopped teaching our children how to deal with feeling uncomfortable, and how to develop the skills necessary to question and challenge ideas before immediately jumping to outrage. As an educator I found the section about professors who have been cancelled in the last few years, and the behavior of college students at top universities like Yale and Harvard especially disturbing.
I can tell I'll be thinking about this book for a long time, and plan on recommending it to many friends of mine. Anyone who is concerned about the censorship of free speech and the rise of authoritarianism should read this.
The Canceling of the American Mind became available as soon as I finished American Dirt, and it couldn't have been delivered at a better time.
This is a well structured and researched book about free speech, censorship and all the ways in which cancel culture is damaging to everyone, not just those who are cancelled. It examines cancel culture across many fields including politics, higher education and among adolescents. I learned a ton while listening to this and found that I've been guilty of the mob-mentality of cancel culture more than once.
Through out the book the authors give many, many examples of real people who were canceled for things they said, wrote or did, and while at first some of the examples felt outrageous, I had to remind myself that these people are real, and these things actually happened. Entire lives and careers have been ruined. There's even an entire section about authors (Jeanine Cummins and her book are discussed at length!), who in an attempt to get ahead of being canceled by the public, cancelled themselves.
They also offer a ton of remedies for cancel culture specific to different circumstances, but the recurring advice is to attack the argument, not the person. They often reference their first book, The Coddling of America, and the idea that we've stopped teaching our children how to deal with feeling uncomfortable, and how to develop the skills necessary to question and challenge ideas before immediately jumping to outrage. As an educator I found the section about professors who have been cancelled in the last few years, and the behavior of college students at top universities like Yale and Harvard especially disturbing.
I can tell I'll be thinking about this book for a long time, and plan on recommending it to many friends of mine. Anyone who is concerned about the censorship of free speech and the rise of authoritarianism should read this.
Debate between 4 and 5 stars.
8/10
This book was very good for introspection. Through each case study I was able to ask myself how I would respond. Hopefully it will help me allow other people more space.
It seemed pretty balanced to me calling out the left as much as the right.
A great book.
8/10
This book was very good for introspection. Through each case study I was able to ask myself how I would respond. Hopefully it will help me allow other people more space.
It seemed pretty balanced to me calling out the left as much as the right.
A great book.
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Long story short—the left doesn’t want you to dissent because of who you are and the right doesn’t want you to dissent because of who you listen to. It’s much easier for everyone if you never express any opinion other than the two bad options they present you with. In fact, just keep quiet and let the rich get richer.
What’s that great Reagan line?
What’s that great Reagan line?
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced