This is exactly what the article discusses and this is also the reason why it is relevant and why it applies.
The topic becomes too controversial for a vocal minority and an author "voluntarily" self-censored. I chuckled when you said she did it herself. She did, likely after she was told what would happen otherwise.
I chuckled, because I assume you think she is free the way Sartre suggested she is free?
"| She did, likely after she was told what would happen otherwise.
Do you have any evidence of this or are you just saying it? "
If you are asking if I have inside information and maybe personal email between author and medium. I do not. It would be odd if I did. What I do have, however, is rather vivid memories of the same kind of idiocy working in practice in the old country, the only difference being that it was done under barely hidden threat from the state. All I have is instinct and here it is flashing bright red, because there are people in US right now, who are happily accepting this not only acceptable, but necessary ( not completely unlike communism era writers writing morality plays about the importance of writing things that are not upsetting to the system ).
"I was responding to this:
| This is truly the dark age of the information era.
and this:
| popular platforms are pressured to not do business with you
Both implies greater forces at play than a small, small minority of voices on twitter making authors feel bad.
Social media gave everyone a voice, what I don't understand is why anyone is surprised that there are vocal micro-minorities like this.
Years ago, they wrote a letter to the editor or the television station. Now they write it on Twitter.
That's not a dark age, and the opportunity to publish is much, much better now than it has ever been in the modern era."
If dissenting voices are silenced, it absolutely bears comparison to a dark age of information. You cannot excuse it. Nor should you.
| This is truly the dark age of the information era.
I think statements like this are hysterical and ahistorical. The amount of actual censorship and the way moral panics occurred throughout history make twitter dogpiling look absolutely quaint in comparison.
I don't disagree with Kazuo Ishiguro one bit, but I think all it means is that authors need to get thicker skin, because unlike the past, they can read their readers opinions.
"I think statements like this are hysterical and ahistorical."
I find this line of defense interesting. Can you elaborate a little further, because I would want to avoid putting words in your mouth? Are suggesting that the overall volume of censorship is lower so it can be ignored and explained away? I find your perspective somewhat fascinating.
Chiming in from a country that had some classic show trials in the 50s (Czech Republic): the ultimate goal of the show trial was to get the indicted to self-confess and ask for a punishment themselves, in front of the public.
Cancel culture does not have the (physical) death penalty, only a possibly social one, but the impulse seems similar. Once you are put on the show trial, you are expected to grovel, beg, repudiate yourself etc. before being finally dispatched.
If they can get you ostracized socially (fired from a job, blacklisted in an industry), that is not a small punishment.
Plus, what interests me is the underlying mentality. It seems to be similar. It only does not have enough power right now, fortunately.
But the idea of destroying the heretic in maximal possible extent seems to be a fairly consistent common denominator. It is actually useful to know that it is still present in contemporary population; it means that if enough things go wrong and that faction gains power, you will see similar results once again.
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