The article revisits the landmark letter signed by 153 public intellectuals five years ago, which highlighted concerns over the threats to free expression from both political extremes. Noting the increasing suppression of controversial ideas in liberal cultural institutions, signatories like Reginald Dwayne Betts express dismay over high-profile cases, such as James Bennet's forced resignation. This incident exemplifies the rise of 'cancel culture,' suggesting a significant shift in intellectual discourse during the 'Great Awokening' period, prompting calls for a reevaluation of current cultural practices surrounding debate.
The free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted.
For running controversial pieces; books are withdrawn for alleged inauthenticity; journalists are barred from writing on certain topics.
The summer of 2020 defined by the George Floyd uprisings [...] Bennet's sacking was arguably the highest-profile example of what the signatories of the letter might call 'cancel culture.'
Wokeness had already gone too far, capturing the concern of a swath of mostly liberal writers who declared en masse that change was necessary.
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