Over the weekend I watched a compelling new documentary about the downward spiral of social discourse in the Western world.
The movie, entitled, “Paradogma” asks the question: How liberal is the West?
Through a series of interviews with international newsmakers and thinkers, including Canada’s own Jordan Peterson, Dutch filmmaker Marijn Poels examines the new phenomenon of the moralization of political issues - the trend toward seeing our ideological adversaries as evil instead of just different.
Poels, a left-leaning Liberal himself, posits that the breakdown of discourse is leading to the end of the free and liberal exchange of ideas, something that has always been a point of pride in the West.
Joining me tonight from Germany to talk about the “new normal” of extreme polarization and the role the mainstream media plays in enforcing ideological homogeneity, is Dutch filmmaker Marijn Poels.
“A chilling effect on civil discourse” indeed.
“Free and liberal exchange of ideas”, where? We are either censored or censoring someone else. How can we talk about witch hunts after what went down in Toronto last week.
I hope Marijin Poels gets those Canadian screenings set up, and not just for Universities. Canada could use a little free speech. All the de platforming that goes in this country is making me question whether we aren’t all just a bunch of triggered hypocrites.