Bureau of Lost Culture: Cancelled! The Counterculture of Ideas (04/07/2021)
Forbidden! Taboo! Shouldn’t be allowed!
Do you ever find yourself censoring yourself? Not saying what you think, feel or believe in case it is disapproved of?
Human rights lawyer Erick Berkowitz comes to the Bureau to talk about his epic new book ‘Dangerous Ideas: A History of Censorship from Ancient Times to Fake News’
It’s a thrilling read full of comical, thought-provoking and often alarming human stories including that of the ancient Chinese emperor who had any works slightly critical of him destroyed (apart from his own copy) to the current Chinese leader who attempted to have Winnie the Pooh banned (after his and the bear’s resemblance was pointed out).
The UK and the US don’t fare too well either.
We dig deep into the touchiness of tyrants, blame, shame, cancel culture – why Eric thinks that almost nothing should be censored and why countercultural ideas are so necessary – for the culture.