Key Takeaways

  • Rebecca Jones, initially hailed as a whistleblower, has been largely discredited due to numerous allegations of fraud and misconduct, with conservatives playing a significant role in exposing these issues.
  • The podcast discusses the extreme nature of DEI sensitivity reviews in academic publishing, highlighting how attempts at inclusivity can lead to absurd and impractical suggestions that hinder clear communication.
  • The Montreal Anarchist Book Fair’s cancellation and the emergence of the Constellation Anarchist Book Fair illustrate internal conflicts within anarchist communities, particularly regarding cultural appropriation and freedom of expression.
  • Clementine Morgan, a prominent anti-cancel culture figure in the anarchist scene, faces significant personal and public harassment for her stance, demonstrating the ongoing challenges of navigating cancel culture even within seemingly more open-minded communities.

Segments

DEI Sensitivity Reviews in Textbooks (~00:08:00)
  • Key Takeaway: DEI sensitivity reviews in academic publishing have reached absurd levels, suggesting changes that hinder clarity and practicality in an effort to be maximally inclusive.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss an email from an academic whose computer science textbook is undergoing a DEI sensitivity review. The review suggests eliminating terms like ‘see’ and ‘watch’ for visually impaired readers, replacing classic literature references with works by underrepresented authors, and avoiding gendered pronouns. The discussion critiques these suggestions as impractical and counterproductive to effective learning.
Montreal Anarchist Book Fair Disputes (~00:27:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The Montreal Anarchist Book Fair was canceled due to a dispute over non-Romani vendors selling tarot cards, leading to the creation of a new fair, Constellation, which aimed for less policing of vendors.
  • Summary: The segment explains the cancellation of the Montreal Anarchist Book Fair over accusations of cultural appropriation related to tarot card sales. It highlights the irony that tarot’s origins are not Romani and discusses the emergence of the Constellation Anarchist Book Fair as an alternative that did not enforce similar vendor restrictions.
Clementine Morgan’s Anti-Cancel Culture Stance (~00:30:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Clementine Morgan, a prominent anti-cancel culture figure in the anarchist community, faces severe harassment and ostracization for her views and associations, illustrating the personal cost of challenging cancel culture.
  • Summary: The discussion focuses on Clementine Morgan, a Montreal anarchist known for opposing cancel culture and language policing. It details her alleged cancellation for not posting about BLM and for defending her partner, Jay, who faced accusations of abuse and other problematic behaviors. The segment highlights the extreme measures taken against her, including public harassment and vandalism, for her stance.
Continued Harassment at Anarchist Book Fairs (~00:42:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite efforts to move beyond cancel culture, figures like Clementine Morgan continue to face public defamation and harassment at anarchist events, as evidenced by flyers posted at the Constellation Anarchist Book Fair.
  • Summary: The segment describes flyers posted at the Constellation Anarchist Book Fair targeting Clementine Morgan with accusations of her boyfriend being a serial rapist and her calling the cops on vulnerable black trans people. Morgan denies these claims, attributing them to a distortion of accusations against her partner. The hosts note that this demonstrates ongoing harassment within the anarchist scene.