Intellectual Dark Web
21/5/19
The Intellectual Dark web is a term coined by Eric Weinstein. He is the managing director of entrepreneur Peter Thiel’s investment firm. The term refers to a group of podcast hosts and academics who have overreacted to what they perceive as limits on free speech. They rage about the snowflakes and the social justice warriors. Some of them are people that some would consider to be part of the skeptical community, such as Sam Harris and Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Those part of this community are fervent about their right to free speech but don’t seem to understand that their free speech can be challenged. They often take an attack of what they say as an attack on their right to say it when in reality they are just being asked to justify their speech and not to stop speaking. Much of this group espouse hateful views on race, religion, LGBT issues and women.
Some of the opinions that expressed by the Intellectual Dark Web provide talking points for notable racists like Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon. They dress up racism and misogyny with rationality and academic language giving it more legitimacy. This makes it more insidious than other forms of prejudice. Some of you reading this might have enjoyed the work of some of those named. This shouldn’t impact that, but just be cautious when listening/reading them that you don’t fall foul of the same prejudices many of them display.