Rikki Schlott18 January 2024

Is Cancel Culture Actually Getting Worse? - Rikki Schlott - #733

0Frameworks

12Insights

Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 2

Myth Buster12:30

Bias Response Hotlines Create Campus Snitch Culture

Schlott criticizes the institutionalization of bias reporting systems, which she says foster a culture of surveillance. Posters in bathrooms and ID cards listing hotlines normalize reporting peers for offensive speech, creating an atmosphere of distrust.

Bias response hotlines are listed on student ID cards and bathroom stalls.
Encourages students to report peers for potentially offensive remarks.
Creates a panopticon-like environment of self-censorship.

“It's literally an institutionalized snitch culture on these campuses.”
Rikki Schlott · 13:15

#campus-culture#free-speech#surveillance#administrative-overreach

Myth Buster34:30

Free Speech Laws Don’t Guarantee Free Speech Culture

Schlott points out that countries like Russia and Turkey have strong free speech laws on paper but suppress dissent in practice. True free speech depends on cultural norms, not legal text—citing the French Enlightenment as proof.

Robust free speech laws exist in authoritarian states like Russia.
The French Enlightenment thrived without legal protections.
Culture, not law, determines whether free speech flourishes.

“Having a free speech law on the books means absolutely nothing if your culture doesn't abide by it.”
Rikki Schlott · 35:10

#free-speech#culture#legal-systems#history

Explainer· 5

Explainer01:00

Cancel Culture Now Worse Than McCarthyism

Rikki Schlott explains that cancel culture has reached a level twice as severe as McCarthyism in the 1950s, with over 1,000 attempts to get professors fired since 2014—200 of which succeeded. This rate surpasses historical precedents, suggesting a troubling shift in free speech norms on elite campuses.

Cancel culture incidents now occur at twice the rate of McCarthy-era purges.
Since 2014, FIRE has documented over 1,000 attempts to fire professors, 200 successful.
Historians may look back on this era similarly to how we view the 1950s.

“We are now outstripping [McCarthyism] at roughly twice the pace.”
Rikki Schlott · 01:45

#free-speech#cancel-culture#higher-education#history

Explainer02:00

Social Media Fuels Cancel Culture Like a Virus

Schlott compares cancel culture to a meme that spreads rapidly through social media, allowing people to attack others ad hominem without engaging arguments. The frictionless, global reach of platforms amplifies outrage and enables mass scrutiny, creating a climate of fear.

Social media acts as the delivery mechanism for cancel culture.
Canceling someone becomes a performative act that deters dissent.
The speed and scale of online shaming have no historical precedent.

“Cancel culture is very effective... you don't have to engage with someone's argument, you just attack them ad hominem.”
Rikki Schlott · 02:20

#social-media#cancel-culture#digital-age#meme-dynamics

Explainer05:00

From 'Sticks and Stones' to 'Words Can Wound'

Schlott contrasts her upbringing with that of older generations, noting a cultural shift from resilience to fragility. Where past values emphasized toughness, today’s youth are taught that words can cause deep harm, fostering a protective mindset that undermines open discourse.

Older generations grew up with 'sticks and stones' and 'to each his own'.
Gen Z was raised with 'words can wound' and a duty to protect the offended.
This shift promotes ideological protectionism over intellectual resilience.

“I was raised with words can wound... oppressed people need to be protected.”
Rikki Schlott · 05:20

#generational-differences#free-speech#cultural-shift#education

Explainer14:00

Banning Accounts Pushes Extremism Underground

Schlott argues that mass deplatforming doesn’t eliminate harmful ideas—it drives them into isolated echo chambers. Data from Gab shows that bans on Twitter directly correlate with surges in users migrating to fringe platforms.

Mass bans on Twitter led to spikes in Gab registrations.
Censorship creates deeper, more entrenched echo chambers.
Ideas don’t disappear—they become more extreme in isolation.

“Censorship does not make these ideas go away—it just puts them into more obscure crevices of the internet.”
Rikki Schlott · 15:15

#social-media#censorship#echo-chamber#online-extremism

Explainer20:00

Subtle Ways Cancel Culture Enforces Conformity

Beyond public shaming, Schlott describes 'soft' cancellation tactics: social exclusion, whisper campaigns, and ideological litmus tests. These culpably deniable methods isolate dissenters without overt confrontation.

Students are quietly quarantined in classrooms for heterodox views.
Questions like 'What do you think of Jordan Peterson?' serve as loyalty tests.
These tactics allow plausible deniability while enforcing conformity.

“It's not just people calling for removal... it's a softer kind of alienation.”
Rikki Schlott · 20:20

#cancel-culture#social-dynamics#ideological-purity#peer-pressure

Story· 2

Story08:30

Hiding Jordan Peterson Books at NYU

Schlott recounts her experience at NYU, where she hid books by Jordan Peterson and Thomas Sowell out of fear of social ostracism. Despite a 4.0 GPA, she dropped out, feeling the environment was ideologically oppressive and hostile to dissent.

Felt pressured to hide heterodox books during freshman year.
Dropped out despite academic success due to ideological homogeneity.
Peers privately agreed but remained silent due to fear.

“I was hiding Thomas Sowell books and Jordan Peterson books under my bed.”
Rikki Schlott · 09:15

#university#ideological-conformity#personal-story#nyu

Story40:30

Harvard Professor Pushed Out for Acknowledging Biological Sex

Carol Hoegen, a Harvard professor, faced professional ruin for stating that biological sex is real. Though she didn’t lose her job outright, teaching assistants refused to work with her, effectively sidelining her—despite her empathetic demeanor and scholarly rigor.

Hoegen was ostracized for affirming biological sex while respecting gender identity.
No formal punishment, but teaching assistants refused to assist her.
Experienced suicidal ideation due to the campaign against her.

“She was actually suicidal for the first time in her life.”
Rikki Schlott · 41:15

#free-speech#higher-education#gender-ideology#case-study

Tool· 1

Tool06:30

Two-Thirds of Students Self-Censor on Campus

Citing FIRE’s research, Schlott reveals that 66% of college students and 90% of professors engage in self-censorship due to fear of backlash. This chilling effect stifles debate, especially on the most pressing issues of the day.

66% of students self-censor; 90% of professors do too.
1 in 10 professors has been investigated for protected speech.
Most sensitive topics include race, gender, and Israel-Palestine.

“Roughly two-thirds of students on college campuses say that they're self-censoring.”
Rikki Schlott · 06:45

#free-speech#higher-education#survey-data#self-censorship

Takeaway· 2

Takeaway31:30

Gen Z Hates Cancel Culture More Than Boomers

Contrary to stereotypes, Gen Z has the most negative view of cancel culture—more so than Millennials or Boomers. Having grown up under its shadow, they understand its dangers firsthand, even if a vocal minority drives it.

Gen Z is most negative toward cancel culture despite being its face.
Young people fear permanent digital records defining them.
They lack the classical liberal values to resist it effectively.

“Jen Z has the most negative view even more negative than Boomers because we grew up with it.”
Rikki Schlott · 31:50

#generational-differences#cancel-culture#free-speech#youth

Takeaway53:00

Fixing Cancel Culture Starts with Parenting

Schlott believes helicopter parenting and overprotection have bred a generation afraid of ideas. Solutions include teaching anti-fragility, diversifying education pathways, and corporate leaders modeling free expression.

Overprotective parenting fosters fragility and fear of speech.
Elite universities perpetuate ideological homogeneity.
Corporations like Netflix and Coinbase have set positive examples.

“Jen Z was very coddled and protected and made to be anxious.”
Rikki Schlott · 53:40

#parenting#education#solutions#culture-change