48: Andrew Doyle: Social Justice Activism THREATENS Free Speech

Darren Grimes' guest today has a new book out next month, ‘Free Speech and Why It Matters’, which will be published on February 25th.



The book comes at a time when the democratically elected President of the US can be kicked off of social media platforms, when banks that used to provide loans to his businesses shut off access to their capital and the new social media Twitter alternative, Parler, loses access to its hosting platform via Amazon Web Services.



All of these things suggest there's a real problem when it comes to the new, de facto public square. In realising that we have a problem my guest argues that a new form of social justice activism, which perceives language as potentially violent, has prompted a national debate on where the limitations of acceptable speech should be drawn.



So where should they be drawn and how do we go about doing it? 

That guest is of course Andrew Doyle, the writer, comedian and good friend of Twitter legend Titania McGrath.



00:00 - Welcome from Darren Grimes

02:15 - Why we need a book on the importance of free speech

06:35 - Andrew Doyle's religious upbringing

09:45 - How religious are today's social justice movements?

14:51 - Why Andrew reads his Twitter replies

21:40 - The 'gaslighting' around Parler and 'far-right' accusations

33:08 - How do free speech advocates tackle 'disinformation'

37:55 - Does Andrew Doyle still identify as 'Left wing'?

40:44 - Being obsessed with identity politics isn't 'Left wing'

53:27 - Will Titania McGrath place us in the gulags soon?

57:57 - Why we all need to fix the bravery deficit

01:05:34 - Closing remarks



Buy Andrew's book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Speech-Why-Matters/dp/034913538X



Follow Andrew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewdoyle_com



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