Talking last night to my therapist about that feeling I have (& I think many other people share) that the Overton window of what it is acceptable to even try to think your way through aloud & still be credibly viewed as part of the left has shrunk to the tiniest of arrow slits. 1

I had to click on a link saying that I agree with the aims of Black Lives Matter yesterday, for a website that has nothing whatsoever specifically to do with politics. To disagree with a nebulous cluster of organisations whose exact aims no one really seems to know is taboo. 2/

The number of academics on here & on Facebook—some of whom I know in real life—no longer attempting to analyse the nuances of things, look at the detail, but not only sticking firmly to the most superficial sloganeering but demonising anyone who questions the received wisdom, 3/

Yes, I know that some contrarians have made a lot of money & that, for example, @jessesingal & @kittypurrzog's sensible new podcast is quite deservedly raking it in ( with envy, but I bet it's excellent). But most people aren't those few superstars. They're scared. 4/

Most of us who try to work outside of the academic structure are struggling. I worked full time on my projects (the magazine, the podcast, my writing) last year and earned considerably less than I would have received on welfare (unemployment benefits). 5/

This isn't financially rewarding. That's why people are fundamentally afraid (material circumstances matter & financial independence brings freedom). They don't want the career fall-out. But it's stultifying & dangerous for lots of reasons. 6/

There is a presumption that the only thing that matters are intentions. If a policy, slogan, campaign, etc. is intended to "dismantle white supremacy" or has some other vaguely defined goal, it's good. There's no interest in what the actual effects on people's lives might be. 7/

We seem to have collectively forgotten that undertakings begun with good intentions can have the most disastrous real-world results. If we can't stress test, if we can't even question our ideas, there is no way we can build a better society. 8/

The current bestselling book does not attempt to reform our societies & change the material circumstances of people's lives for the better: DiAngelo's "White Fragility" which is entirely about how white people can shore up their social status through virtue signalling & 9/

how companies can institute nonsensical & Orwellian sounding "anti-racism trainings" (whose actual likely effect—if any—is to make people less empathetic towards others & more racist, because it encourages us to focus on our differences & conflicts). 10/

But is probably more likely to simply allow companies to cover their arses & spread more boredom in the world. 11/

To combat all this foolish posturing, some formed a group called the Intellectual Dark Web, some of whose members have done sterling work—but it quickly, perhaps inevitably, became its own orthodoxy, placing certain topics out of bounds, making certain people untouchable. 12/

Something else is needed. I'm at almost rock bottom (nothing to lose); I'm not thought-policed by anyone; the people I do work with follow my Twitter & already know my thoughts; I'm a disagreeable, cantankerous extrovert who prefers unpopularity over self-censorship. 13/

Maybe there's something I can do to fight back. All these academics parroting the party line, tweeting out "bye Felicia" & "shut the fuck up" at people legitimately & politely wanting to explore ideas. It's embarrassing. We need some means of resistance. 14/

How can I help? How can I provide a voice to people who are suffocated & stifled? Not conservatives (yes, we need thoughtful conservatives but you should make your own forums). Not people who are gleeful about these developments because they see this as an opportunity 15/

Not the kind of people who see everything as what @shoe0nhead calls "lunch table politics" & who are thinking "ooh good, I can blame this on the left, which makes it a great opportunity for the right to gain adherents." For people who want a sane, thoughtful left back again. 16/

There's got to be people out there who want free-ranging, nuanced discussion, who want to think things through aloud without social stigma, who are heartily sick of meaningless slogans, who want people to lose the obsession with morally ranking each other & talk ideas. 17/

And, yes, on a personal level, I'd like to find a way of spearheading this because I know I can write & I can speak clearly & forcefully, I'm nobody's ally, my liberal beliefs & values are rock solid & you can't cancel me. How can I help? I'm looking for suggestions. 18/