The Canceling of the American Mind

How Cancel Culture Undermines Trust, Destroys Institutions, and Threatens Us All

By: Greg Lukianoff, Rikki Schlott

Narrated by: Rikki Schlott

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

A new way of thinking about cancel culture and the much-needed antidote for our dangerous and divisive times

Cancel culture isn't just a moral panic: it erodes our ability to argue productively, listen generously and to be civil when we disagree. Whether on university campuses, in the workplace or on social media, it is a dysfunctional part of how individuals battle for power, status, and dominance. It's just one symptom of a much larger problem: why bother refuting your opponents, when you can just take away their platform or career?

In this book, Lukianoff and Shlott analyze the pervasive effects of cancel culture, drawing on original research and data, along with hundreds of new examples showing how the left and the right both work to silence their enemies in different ways.

Eye-opening, urgent and transformative, The Canceling of the American Mind offers concrete steps towards reclaiming a culture of free speech, with materials specifically tailored for parents, teachers, business leaders and all those who use social media. It shows how we can all harness intellectual humility to become more resilient and open minded.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

'Cancel Culture is one of the worst scourges of modern woke-ravaged society. This important and very timely book explains what it is, how it works, and how best to deal with it.' (Piers Morgan)

'The growing regime of censorship, slander, and punishment against anyone who questions establishment orthodoxy is locking us into error and corroding the credibility of our institutions. No one has documented the facts and causes of this alarming trend more thoroughly than Greg Lukianoff, joined here by a collaborator, Rikki Schlott.' (Steven Pinker)

'Cancel Culture is very real and very dangerous - and this book is the most comprehensive look at the rot threatening our institutions and freedoms.' (Ben Shapiro)

Comprehensive diagnosis

This should certainly persuade anyone who still doesn’t believe cancel culture is real.

I would have liked the authors to provide more solutions, or examples from history of how similar issues where addressed somewhere else (other countries, other times). Formerly communist countries are a treasure trove of experience. The authors did offer some advice, but it seems to be only a small part of the book.

Worth listening to

Appreciated the general approach and many good points made. In parts I found the logic didn’t hold up or over-reached. I initially found the authors intonation grating as I do most Americans of her generation, but I moved past it and I’m glad I did because she had several great points to make.