Freeborn & Liberty

Episode 06 - Cancel Culture: The Instrument of Wokeness

Michael Rectenwald, the infamous former NYU professor and author of Thought Criminal, Google Archipelago and Beyond Woke (and more). He shares his unconventional journey to becoming a champion of free speech and embracing anti-authoritarianism. We cover safe spaces, bias hotlines, the implications of woke campus culture in society and his new book, Thought Criminal.

Books

- Thought Criminal
- Springtime for Snowflakes: 'Social Justice' and Its Postmodern Parentage

Resources:
- Michael Rectenwald Website

Twitter:
@TheAntiPCProf

THIS WEEK'S EXCLUSIVE BLOG CONTENT

Michael Brase, dental student in the University of Iowa's College of Dentistry, explains the dangers of mandated diversity trainings and administration's political posturing at public universities through his lived experience.

References:
Trump Administration Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping 

Related Articles:"
- The Daily Iowan: Email thread within the College of Dentistry community sparks debate
- FIRE: Iowa College of Dentistry controversy highlights impact of unnecessary investigations into student speech
- American Enterprise Institute: University of Iowa's woke bullies fold under scrutiny 

Listen to the Episode 05 here.

Dr. Dorian Abbot
- Associate Professor in the University of Chicago’s Department of Geophysical Science. 

Dorian details the events that took place in late 2020 after he posted a series of YouTube video (no longer published) critiquing  his department's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee regarding its hiring practices. His thoughts are outlined in this slide deck.

Abbot shares his perspective on cancel culture and the true purpose of education.

Helen Pluckrose

1. Co-author, Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity - and Why This Harms Everybody
2. Founder, Counterweight
3. Editor, Areo Magazine

Helen explains the origins of Critical Social Justice Theory by tracing it back to post-modernism of the 1960s. The four core principles of postmodern thought include:

1. Skepticism about objective reality

2. Perception of language as the constructor of knowledge

3. Making of the individual

4. The role of power in all of these are present today

Pluckrose explains how the current movement has transformed into applied postmodernism, or activist postmodernism that denies those that disagree with its theories the ability to counter. She dives deep into each of the four principles and explain how they're playing out in society today. 

Although Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity - and Why This Harms Everybody is not written from a Christian worldview, it lays a very solid foundation for understanding the origin and the tangled web that supports the current mainstream narrative. I highly recommend it.

Counterweight, the organization founded by Helen, has launched in the UK and Australia, is a resource for individuals that find themselves face-to-face with Critical Social Justice (CSJ) in their workplace and provides them with the tools to navigate that situation.

Visit freebornandliberty.com for show details and to get in touch.

Jodi Shaw
- Former Student Support Coordinator in the Department of Residence Life at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. 

Jodi's story is a significant part of the debate surrounding social culture and freedom of expression on college campuses in the U.S. After several incidents that created a hostile work environment, she posted a video on YouTube exposing what was going on at Smith College. As you can imagine, it wasn't received well and administration issued a statement condemning her opinion. In February, after months on leave during an internal investigation, Jodi was give the opportunity to return to her position in residence life at Smith. Two days after our conversation, she formally resigned. This is a developing story.

Learn more about Jodi's work and her involvement with Counterweight. She outlines her story in great detail through a series of videos on her YouTube channel. You can also follow her story on Twitter.

Dr. Samuel Abrams
- Visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
- Professor of politics and social science at Sarah Lawrence College
- Faculty fellow with NYUs Center for Advanced Social Science Research
- Advisory Council, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)

Dr. Abrams' op-ed published in the New York Times entitled "Think Professors are Liberal? Try School Administrators," outlines his research on the political leanings of administration compared to students and faculty and sparked outrage at Sarah Lawrence College where he teaches.

Sam details findings in his research, describes the attempted cancellation attempt and how FIRE is advocating for professionals and students in higher education that find themselves in the crosshairs of campus stifling freedom of expression.

 You can contact Sam directly at: [email protected]

Here's what this show is:

1. It’s a critique of Critical Theory and it’s pervasiveness in higher education. We’re going to do this in two ways:
   
   a. First, through interviews with scholars, theologians and thought leaders
   
   b. Secondly, through interviews with professionals and students in higher education that have experienced cancel culture for voicing views that do not align with the claims of Critical Theory. 
   
   
2. Designed to educate and provide a deeper understanding of the implications of the theory 
   
   
3. I hold a Christian conservative worldview. I believe the ideology of Critical Theory is antithetical to the gospel. Logic, scientific facts and philosophy are key pieces to exploring this fully. Many guests will share my worldview, some will not. We are united in realizing the dangers of this narrative and are working to counter it and provide insight into how we can become informed contributors in the dialogue.
   
   
4. Higher Ed professionals shouldn’t have to decide between their livelihood and voicing an opinion (or in many cases, standing firm in their religious beliefs). Students shouldn’t have to play the game to make the grade. And we, as Americans, should not accept that this radical ideology is something that we must subscribe to. 

Here’s what this show is not:

1. Freeborn & Liberty is not anti-higher ed. 
   
   
2. This Is not a Christian Nationalist podcast. America, or any political party for that matter, is not the means through which God’s Kingdom is realized. Jesus Christ is the one way to eternal life in God’s Kingdom. 
   
   
3. We aren’t trying to silence anyone. This is not about the humans that are championing the movement or those that are advocates. We simply reject that this radical ideology is being imposed on society, largely through means of the academe.

Go to freebornandliberty.com to subscribe to the show and sign up for our weekly e-newsletter, The NonConformist. 

Episode one drops on March 2.