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Get Full Access For $1 (30 days)* Or explore all membership plans → * Trial price for the first 30 days, then $20/month. Cancel or switch plans in 2 minutes at any time.Keith Witt and Corey DeVos delve into the complex and contentious issue of cancel culture, examining its implications for free speech, academic freedom, and social cohesion. They explore why understanding the nuances of cancel culture is crucial in today’s polarized environment, and how an Integral perspective can provide a more comprehensive view that embraces complexity, encourages growth, and seeks balance. This approach helps make sense of the divisive issues surrounding cancel culture by considering multiple dimensions of human experience and societal structures, aiming to find a path toward more inclusive and constructive discourse.
Dr. Keith brings to the conversation a deep analysis of the psychological and cultural dynamics at play within cancel culture, emphasizing the importance of embracing dialectic engagement — a method of conversation that seeks to integrate opposing views — to foster our personal and collective evolution. He also highlights the ways in which educational and professional institutions have become battlegrounds for ideological conflict, the detrimental effects of cancel culture on academic freedom, and the necessity for individuals to embody their most deeply-held principles courageously.
Meanwhile, Corey focuses on some of the core polarities at play in our cultural regression toward illiberalism, noting how the decentralization of information in the social media era inevitably fragments our sense of shared reality and amplifies perspectives that are as divisive as they are diverse. He describes how the democratization of information results in an overall diminishment of our collective discourse, allowing pre-rational views and narratives to flood into our informational terrains. This in turn provokes something like a collective defense mechanism from the rest of society, as our shared standards of inclusion and exclusion recalibrate to these new realities, often resulting in an unfortunate overcorrection toward censorship and other illiberal solutions.
This episode offers a rich and nuanced exploration of cancel culture through the lens of Integral Theory. Keith and Corey’s insights illuminate the complex interplay between individual beliefs, cultural dynamics, and systemic structures, underscoring the importance of fostering open dialogue, critical thinking, and empathy to navigate the challenges of the postmodern media era we find ourselves in.
Insight Map
- The Illusion of Moral Superiority: The belief in one’s moral superiority can blind individuals to the value of opposing viewpoints, hindering personal and societal evolution.
- The Paradox of Tolerance: Tolerance does not require acceptance of intolerance, as allowing intolerance can ultimately destroy the very foundation of tolerance itself.
- Transformation Through Openness: The willingness to be open to influence and to influence others is a crucial aspect of personal development. This openness facilitates a deeper exploration of truth and fosters a broader collective understanding and evolution of consciousness.
- The Integral Embrace of Complexity: Embracing complexity, integral thinking resists oversimplification. Fostering a rich tapestry of understanding that honors the multifaceted nature of reality.
- The Importance of Embodiment: Genuine transformation requires the embodiment of principles, not just intellectual understanding, to effect real change in individual and collective behavior.
- The Power of Dialectics: The dialectic emerges as a profound tool for human development, transcending simple conversation to become a mutual exploration of deeper truths. This engagement, characterized by mutual respect and the willingness to influence and be influenced, fosters a unique and transforming connection among individuals.
- Regressive Progressivism: Progressivism, aiming to be the cutting edge of cultural and political movements, ironically becomes regressive when it diverges from its foundational principles of openness and inclusivity.
- The Deterioration of Discourse: The widespread decentralization of media and information channels has led to an erosion in the quality of public discourse. As a consequence, the amplification of pre-rational and regressive narratives has become more prevalent.
- Inclusion and Exclusion: In the social media era, the necessity for inclusion to embrace a multitude of perspectives becomes intertwined with healthy exclusion as a defense mechanism against the deluge of pre-rational voices flooding into our discourse.
- The Chilling Effect: The increasing prevalence of investigations and disciplinary actions against professors since 2014 reveals a concerning trend towards stifling academic freedom.
- Technological Decentralization: Smartphones and the internet have ushered in an era of unprecedented information accessibility, transforming the landscape of how information is shared and consumed and reshaping the dynamics of communication, offering both opportunities and challenges in navigating the digital info ecosystem.
- Noise to Signal Ratio: Decentralization has caused a fragmentation of shared reality, leading to an overwhelming quantity of information but of significantly lower quality.
Core Polarities
Grow Up
Open Up
| Cognitive Intelligence: The ability to engage in complex thinking and understand diverse perspectives is crucial to navigating the challenges posed by cancel culture and illiberal tendencies. This line is central to developing a higher capacity for dialectic engagement and transcending polarized viewpoints. | Emotional Intelligence: Managing emotions, particularly in heated or controversial discussions, is key to maintaining constructive conversations. Emotional maturity allows for the regulation of reactions and responses, facilitating a more balanced dialogue. | Moral Intelligence: The evolution of moral reasoning, from a narrow, rigid ability to discern right from wrong plays a key role in developing the impacts of cancel culture. It influences how individuals and communities navigate the landscape of free speech and protecting against harm. |
Key Questions
Here are some questions you can contemplate while listening to this discussion. We suggest you take some time to use these as journaling prompts.
- Self-Reflection on Cancel Culture: How have I contributed to or been affected by cancel culture, and what steps can I take to foster a more inclusive and open-minded approach in my interactions?
- Navigating the Paradox of Tolerance: How do I personally resolve the paradox of tolerance, especially in situations where I encounter intolerance?
- Disarming the Weaponization of Tolerance: How can I better discern when tolerance is being weaponized in discussions I’m part of — either through falsely accusing perspectives of being intolerant to silence or discredit them, or by demanding that intolerant viewpoints be tolerated under the guise of promoting free speech — ensuring I contribute to a balanced and principled discourse?
- Practicing Dialectic Engagement: What practical steps can I take to engage more dialectically in conversations, aiming to understand and integrate opposing viewpoints?
- Confronting Personal Biases: What specific personal biases might be influencing my stance on cancel culture, and how can I work on acknowledging and addressing these biases?
- Evaluating DEI Initiatives: How can I contribute to the effectiveness of DEI initiatives in my organization or community, ensuring they foster true inclusivity without stifling diversity of thought?
- Exploring Controversial Ideas: How comfortable do I feel exploring and discussing controversial ideas, and what barriers do I face in doing so? Reflect on steps to overcome these barriers.
Previous Episodes of Witt & Wisdom
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About Keith Witt
Dr. Keith Witt is a Licensed Psychologist, teacher, and author who has lived and worked in Santa Barbara, CA. for over forty years. Dr. Witt is also the founder of The School of Love.
About Corey deVos
Corey W. deVos is editor and producer of Integral Life. He has worked for Integral Institute/Integal Life since Spring of 2003, and has been a student of integral theory and practice since 1996. Corey is also a professional woodworker, and many of his artworks can be found in his VisionLogix art gallery.