Alright, clearly that tweet was open to misinterpretation.
Let me explain a few things about what the article by James Gibson and Joseph Sutherland is arguing, and what I meant.
Let me explain a few things about what the article by James Gibson and Joseph Sutherland is arguing, and what I meant.
First, it is simply absurd to impute to me the view that things were, on the whole, better in the 1950s.
In fact, just last week, a bunch of people were upset when I emphasized just how much things have improved over the past fifty years.
In fact, just last week, a bunch of people were upset when I emphasized just how much things have improved over the past fifty years.
Second, neither I nor the authors said that America was more free in the 1950s than it is now.
The repression of the McCarthy era was far worse than anything going on today, and many Americans had no standing to speak in public debate.
Obviously, things were much worse.
The repression of the McCarthy era was far worse than anything going on today, and many Americans had no standing to speak in public debate.
Obviously, things were much worse.
And yet it is striking that the one data source we have shows that Americans report self-censoring much more now than they did then.
You can dismiss or ridicule that. But it's a real finding from representative surveys that stands in need of explanation.
So what's going on?
You can dismiss or ridicule that. But it's a real finding from representative surveys that stands in need of explanation.
So what's going on?
Nobody has a neat or clear answer to that.
But we should take that as a genuine puzzle rather than simply dismissing the obvious trend in the data because it doesn't fit with our priors.
But we should take that as a genuine puzzle rather than simply dismissing the obvious trend in the data because it doesn't fit with our priors.
Also, note that the one explanation that some people seem to assume doesn't hold water:
They believe that the 40% (!) of Americans who self-censor must all be racist.
The data doesn't seem to bear that out.
They believe that the 40% (!) of Americans who self-censor must all be racist.
The data doesn't seem to bear that out.
The people who self-censor are more educated, more urban, and all over the ideological map.
That doesn't fit the stereotype that the people who feel uncomfortable sharing their political opinions are all itching to say deeply offensive things or go on bigoted rants.
That doesn't fit the stereotype that the people who feel uncomfortable sharing their political opinions are all itching to say deeply offensive things or go on bigoted rants.
So the most plausible interpretation of the data is that we have a problem.
40% of Americans say they self-censor. This didn't use to be the case. We don't have reason to think they're just bigots.
👉 We should worry even if, all considered, today is far better than the past.
40% of Americans say they self-censor. This didn't use to be the case. We don't have reason to think they're just bigots.
👉 We should worry even if, all considered, today is far better than the past.
Do you have an explanation for why so many more Americans say they have to self-censor now? One that is consistent with the fact that this mainly appears to be a phenomenon of urban, educated circles?
I'm all ears. 👇
But just dismissing the stat won't cut it.
[End]
I'm all ears. 👇
But just dismissing the stat won't cut it.
[End]
