The woke crusade against unconscious bias aims to make you conform to their outlook on the world. They aim to colonise your internal life! Almost imperceptibly the policing of language and of censorship has expanded into the domain of the unconscious. Public and private organisations do not merely seek to regulate words that you can and cannot say but also what goes on in your mind! Not even babies and toddlers are immune from being targeted by the thought police. The targeting of children is justified on the ground that babies as young as 6 months show racial preferences and therefore, they need to cured of their biases
Just for the record- I don't support any form of cancelling. I am a free-speech absolutist and oppose all forms of censorship - be it from the left or the right. I have consistently argued against taking a selective approach to people's right to freedom. You are welcome to state your opinion but should make an effort to get your facts right. Read my book What's Happened To The University to find out what I really believe and support.
You are not doing that in practice. For example, you have attended meetings with Orban and Fidesz party members, also you are a right-wing collectivist culture warrior and being a collectivist means being against freedom. And also, academic freedoms are under attack from right-wing politicians and intellectuals as well, as in Hungary, the regime that you support.
Furedi is not some freedom and democracy fighter. Complaining here about cancel culture and "censorship" but at the same time support right-wing collectivism and populism as in the case of his support for Viktor Orban in Hungary that is dismantling democratic institutions and values.
Thank you, a very good analysis of this. When I did an MA programme in the UK, this was a big part of the methodologies of qualitative research. I thought we needed just the opposite - to be clear and open about our 'biases' and preferences rather than squashing them. Or hiding them, which is what usually happens in this process. I also see this is as part of the drive to erase boundaries and borders - between countries, between the sexes, between 'you and me'. Between good and bad. Etc. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Hello Kate. I completely agree with you that what is at stake is the imperative of erasing borders. Not just between the conscious and the unconscious but also between the private and public sphere- the personal and the public. Ultimately it targets the making of distinctions and of judgment.
A superb read, thank you very much.
Thanks for what? Furedi is supporting right-wing cancel culture, he is only against when it is from the left.
Just for the record- I don't support any form of cancelling. I am a free-speech absolutist and oppose all forms of censorship - be it from the left or the right. I have consistently argued against taking a selective approach to people's right to freedom. You are welcome to state your opinion but should make an effort to get your facts right. Read my book What's Happened To The University to find out what I really believe and support.
You are not doing that in practice. For example, you have attended meetings with Orban and Fidesz party members, also you are a right-wing collectivist culture warrior and being a collectivist means being against freedom. And also, academic freedoms are under attack from right-wing politicians and intellectuals as well, as in Hungary, the regime that you support.
Furedi is not some freedom and democracy fighter. Complaining here about cancel culture and "censorship" but at the same time support right-wing collectivism and populism as in the case of his support for Viktor Orban in Hungary that is dismantling democratic institutions and values.
Thank you, a very good analysis of this. When I did an MA programme in the UK, this was a big part of the methodologies of qualitative research. I thought we needed just the opposite - to be clear and open about our 'biases' and preferences rather than squashing them. Or hiding them, which is what usually happens in this process. I also see this is as part of the drive to erase boundaries and borders - between countries, between the sexes, between 'you and me'. Between good and bad. Etc. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Hello Kate. I completely agree with you that what is at stake is the imperative of erasing borders. Not just between the conscious and the unconscious but also between the private and public sphere- the personal and the public. Ultimately it targets the making of distinctions and of judgment.
It is not a good analysis. It is a selective approach since he supports similar behaviours from the collectivist and authoritarian right.