Cancel culture

Cancel culture is dangerous because it is censorship, regardless of whichever political direction it comes. When it happens in institutions of higher education it is even more dangerous and should be resisted by the governing bodies of all universities, because by bowing to demands to “non platform” those voices which are perceived not to hold permitted views on a certain topic, we are destroying the entire concept of free speech. Of all places, universities should and must be places of debate, where young people are exposed the fullest spectrum of views, including any which may to the majority appear abhorrent. It is only by hearing all arguments on a subject that we can be fully able to form an opinion. This applies equally to the published word, although there is a line over which one should not cross, where any sensible journalist will in fact self censor rather than find themselves the victim of censorship, as there are certainly ways of expressing one’s point of view which are palatable and others which are incendiary and calculated to offend.