How Cancel Culture Violates Intellectual Freedom

"An open society is a place that has a lot of intellectual pluralism," says Jonathan Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of the landmark 1993 book Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought.

"Canceling comes from the universe of propaganda…it's about making an idea or a person socially radioactive."

In this short video essay, Rauch explains why canceling is different from criticism. The open society "is the most successful social principle ever invented" because it allows individuals to make errors as they seek out the truth.

This video is excerpted from a recent podcast interview with Nick Gillespie.

Edited by Paul Detrick; interview by Nick Gillespie; graphics by Lex Villena and Detrick; music by Villena.

Man, blindfold, close: ID 88555518 © Lightfieldstudiosprod | Dreamstime.com, Building, ID 24052982 © Darwin Lopez | Dreamstime.com, Court building, ID 75259710 © Palinchak | Dreamstime.com, Walkup building, ID 5084245 © Typhoonski | Dreamstime.com, Empire state building, ID 49002437 © Lunamarina | Dreamstime.com, Galileo statue: ID 1977308 © Paul Van Eykelen | Dreamstime.com, Typewriter: ID 9786041 © Carroteater | Dreamstime.com, Apple computer: ID 16015038 © Hannu Viitanen | Dreamstime.com, Equation: ID 32998611 © Cienpies Design / Illustrations | Dreamstime.com, Man with microscope: ID 32595853 © Brad Calkins | Dreamstime.com, Error messages: ID 172070111 © Tartilastock | Dreamstime.com, Columbia University: ID 121436904 © Bumbleedee | Dreamstime.com, Microphone: ID 92421717 © Andrianocz | Dreamstime.com, Microphone: ID 92421780 © Andrianocz | Dreamstime.com, Microphone: ID 92920322 © Andrianocz | Dreamstime.com, Man screaming: ID 22650753 © Pixattitude | Dreamstime.com, UCLA Royce Hall: ID 7614737 © Ahdrum | Dreamstime.com, Woman with suitcase: ID 130537458 © Mimagephotography | Dreamstime.com, Woman with briefcase: ID 24865002 © Ljupco | Dreamstime.com, Man writing: ID 115719527 © Ljupco | Dreamstime.com, Woman with bag: ID 102935990 © Ljupco | Dreamstime.com, Man with phone: ID 120330171 © Mimagephotography | Dreamstime.com