When advocating against free speech, factions on the political left are often operating under the theory of “repressive tolerance” developed by the philosopher Herbert Marcuse. In essence, a tiny capitalist class controls public dialogue through ownership of the media, and workers are too overwhelmed by daily life to meaningfully participate. This leads to a limited democracy that perpetuates the system. A group of rational actors, therefore, should suppress views that they interpret as harmful to a just and flourishing society.
How this theory holds up in the age of the internet and social media and declining mass media consumption is a question worth pondering. The book Critical Theory of Communication took on this topic in 2016, before tech censorship became more heavy-handed, leading to cries of “private companies can do whatever they want” that are seemingly dependent on who is helming the private company and what their stance on censorship is.
In a podcast interview with Jacob Siegel, Geoff Shullenberger puts forth the idea that the political right is using its own Marcusean logic in its battle against what it perceives as a kind of corporate dogma.
Are principles in the end just tactical maneuvers? Are the wealthy few still setting the agenda? And just how weird can 2022 get?
photo: Herbert Marcuse in Newton, Massachusetts 1955.jpeg/ Wikimedia commons
I like to look at what authors are invited to keynote at state or national professional conferences. The authors are usually supported by the publisher so the association mainly provides exposure to buy their books. So the tactical maneuver is the publisher in collaboration with the conference planners.
I like to look at what authors are invited to keynote at state or national professional conferences. The authors are usually supported by the publisher so the association mainly provides exposure to buy their books. So the tactical maneuver is the publisher in collaboration with the conference planners.
Zooming out on the mass scale I fear we have a confused populace caught in the crosshairs of feuding billionaires!