It’s important to zoom out before you explore a problem. That’s the purpose of the book analogy. Being born today without knowing any history is like trying to figure out what the coastline looks like from the beach. It’s much easier to do from a helicopter. It’s hard to know the exact arc of the narrative today. It’s will be much easier in 100 years with hindsight. But we need to figure it out now. We need to contextualize using history.

In 1958 4% is the country approved of interracial marriage. Today 94% approve.

”In order to maintain a tolerant society we must be intolerant of intolerance” // Popper Paradox. What he meant by this is that we should be intolerant of people who are trying to shut down all discourse, not of intolerant philosophies. Cancellation is the only true violation of Popper’s paradox.

Criticism culture attacks ideas and creates conversations that helps people learn. Cancel culture attacks people and shuts down the conversation altogether.

“When my opponents draw a circle to exclude me I’ll draw a bigger circle to include them.”

The answer isn’t to shun the people furthering these misguided political movements. It’s to welcome them in. Those are the most effective solutions to these types of problems. They’re not bad people.

The liberal democracy is an amazing thing. We created it. People get complacent and forget how amazing things are. This can lead to bad things. The cycle of times.

Forcing anyone to do anything is fundamentally illiberal. Even if it’s something that seems to be “good” (e.g. football players wearing rainbow jerseys for gay pride).