What is Wrongthink?
Crackdowns on wrongthink throughout the last decade have harmed freedom of expression in North America by proscribing discussion of controversial issues, inhibiting ideas from being explored.
It was a New York Times headline that made an impact.
“America Has a Free Speech Problem.”
The New York Times Editorial Board proclaimed in March that Americans are losing the right to speak their minds without fear of being punished.
“This social silencing, this depluralizing of America, has been evident for years, but dealing with it stirs yet more fear,” said the New York Times Editorial Board. “It feels like a third rail, dangerous.”
The New York Times Editorial Board said Americans are concerned about freedom of expression, worrying about what they can say and where they can make these comments. They added that people should be able to share their opinions, ask questions, and make mistakes while not having to think about their livelihoods being ruined.
While professors, pundits, and politicians had been making this observation for the last decade, it was great to see a paper of record recognize there was a problem.
Recognize it is unacceptable that students have become reticent when it comes to sharing controversial opinions at North American universities. A study done by Heterodox Academy showed in 2020, 62% of sampled American university students agree the climate on their campus prevents people from saying what they believe.
Recognize it is unacceptable that journalists are being chased out of news outlets across North America for daring to express unpopular opinions. Journalists such as Danielle Smith, Bari Weiss, and Paul Wells left mainstream media because they were unsatisfied with the direction it was going.
Recognize it is unacceptable that North American governments are proposing laws designed to crack down on edgy ideas. North American governments have passed laws such as Bill C-16 that threaten freedom of expression, and similar terrible laws such as Bill C-11 are in the works.
All of these issues revolve around the idea of wrongthink. Wrongthink consists of beliefs and opinions running contrary to the prevailing zeitgeist.
Wrongthink is thoughtcrime, a word coined in “1984” by George Orwell. Thoughtcrime are unorthodox thoughts contradicting the tenets of Ingsoc, the dominant ideology of Oceania.
“Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever,” wrote Orwell. “You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you.”
Wrongthink are ideas that people want to share but keep to themselves because they could be labelled offensive. It includes opinions that people have been expelled, fired, and deplatformed for.
Wrongthink are beliefs that are provocative but have merit. They are notions on the left, centre, and right that deserve to be heard but are shut down because they challenge the status quo.
Wrongthink does not consist of shouting fire in a crowded theatre, calling for direct violence against people, and defamation.
While freedom of expression is a social contract between governments and citizens through constitutions, people fail to recognize there is a social contract between themselves when it comes to freedom of expression. People are free to discuss ideas with each other and learn about divergent arguments.
This social contract allows people to be free to criticize and call out viewpoints they disagree with. However, it is put at risk when one group demands another faces punishment for their opinions.
Most people who engage in this cancelling posit that it is intended to reduce harm to feelings. What they fail to realize is by confronting this so-called harm, they hurt open debate, which is unintellectual.
I am working on my master’s degree in media production at Toronto Metropolitan University, and I wanted my master’s thesis to examine a prominent issue of my time. Freedom of expression seemed like an ideal fit.
The research question for my master’s thesis is how are crackdowns on wrongthink in the modern era threatening freedom of expression in North America. Crackdowns on wrongthink throughout the last decade have harmed freedom of expression in North America by proscribing discussion of controversial issues, inhibiting ideas from being explored.
While I am producing a research paper for my master’s thesis, this Substack will complement it. It will contain written articles and podcast interviews examining wrongthink while touching on other related issues, such as political polarization and civil liberties.
My Substack will be divided into five parts. These five parts will examine known case studies about freedom of expression, and I will be adding my own perspective to them.
The first part you are reading right now, which is the introduction.
The second part will be stories about how crackdowns on wrongthink have harmed universities.
I will examine the current media sphere and how it can be toxic for freedom of expression.
I will cover what crackdowns on wrongthink mean for politics, before and after the ballot box.
This Substack will conclude with me offering solutions about what can be done to fight back.
Freedom of expression is the bedrock of North American democracies. People need to debate issues to expand their thinking.
Former British prime minister Winston Churchill said, “A state of society where men may not speak their minds cannot long endure.” If North America loses freedom of expression, it loses itself.
Welcome to Wrongthink.
Biennial means once every two years. Semi-annually means twice a year. So there! :)