So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast
News:Politics
Writer and academic Yascha Mounk argues that a new set of ideas about race, gender, and sexual orientation have overtaken society, giving rise to a rigid focus on identity in our national debate. In his new book, “The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time,” Yascha seeks to take these ideas seriously, understand their origin, dissect their merits and failings, and offer a path forward to avoid what he calls “the identity trap.”
On today’s show, Mounk previews his book and explains how the identity trap harms freedom of speech.
Mounk is known for his work on the rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy. He is a professor of the practice of international affairs at Johns Hopkins University and the author of five books. He is also the founder of the digital magazine Persuasion, a contributing editor at The Atlantic, and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
1:35 - Origins of “the identity trap”
8:48 - What is “identity synthesis?”
12:26 - Is “cultural Marxism” a thing? / The intellectual history of identity synthesis
27:47 - Critical race theory
32:30 - Free speech culture
40:22 - Speech and violence
47:58 - The Law of Group Polarization
52:27 - How to escape the identity trap
Discussed intellectuals:
Derrick Bell
Kimberlé Crenshaw
Jacques Derrida
Michel Foucault
Christopher Rufo (Rufo’s book, “America’s Cultural Revolution,” and Nico’s review, “Christopher Rufo Became the Thing He Claims to Hate”)
Edward Said
Jean-Paul Sartre
Gayatri Spivak
Cass Sunstein (article: “The Law of Group Polarization”)
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Email us: sotospeak@thefire.org
Ep. 216: Section 230 and online content moderation
Ep. 215: ‘Private Censorship’ with J.P. Messina
Ep. 214: The Antisemitism Awareness Act
Ep. 213: Campus unrest - live webinar
Ep. 212: Should the First Amendment protect hate speech?
Ep. 211: Generational differences and civil liberties with Neil Howe
Ep. 210: The First Amendment at the Supreme Court
Ep. 209: ‘Is money speech?’ with Robert Breedlove
Ep. 208: Dodging censorship in Russia
Ep. 207 Free speech news: NetChoice, Taylor Swift, October 7, and Satan
Ep. 206: CJ Hopkins compared modern Germany to Nazi Germany. Now he’s standing trial.
Ep. 205: An anarchist’s perspective with Michael Malice
Ep. 204: “Liar in a Crowded Theater” with Jeff Kosseff
Ep. 203: ‘Undefeated’ with Coach Bill Courtney
Ep. 202: The backpage.com saga
Ep. 201: Crisis on Campus - X Space recording
Ep. 200: The state of free speech
Ep. 199: Israel, Hamas, and censorship at home
Ep. 198: 2023-24 Supreme Court Preview
Ep. 197 ‘Are cakes speech?’ with Alliance Defending Freedom’s Kristen Waggoner
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