The Price of Denying Human Nature
We built a world on the belief that human nature didn’t exist. The result has been repeated catastrophe.
In Originalsprache
We were always Cyborgs
There was no moment when humans met technology. No crossing of a line. No before and after. Only a continuous process of offloading and coevolving.
Hate Speech is Useful Speech
Hate has always existed, progress only when free speech did. By allowing the expression of hate we get useful information.
In Praise of Dissenters
Freedom of speech is a precondition for intellectual progress. Yet it has itself become an ideological weapon in today’s arena of political conflict.
“If you’re not at least a little afraid of what you’re saying, you’re probably not saying anything that really matters”
Michael Shellenberger helped to publish the “Twitter Files”, which exposed the U.S. government’s large-scale efforts to censor social media. However, he’s more worried about the growing hostility to free speech in the EU.
The Language Police Do Not Help Minorities – On the Contrary
Restrictions on freedom of speech are often justified by invoking the sensitivities of certain groups. This narrows public debate and ultimately harms
The Last Judgment Is Poorly Entrusted to the State
History shows that when religion and state power form an alliance, freedom of speech is in danger. It is worth remembering this today, as «errors» are once again being fought with legal means.
Freedom of Speech Is the Citizens’ Shield Against the Powerful, Yet the Powerful Are Becoming Increasingly Thin-Skinned
In Germany, anyone can say whatever they like, until the police ring the doorbell at six in the morning. Politicians intimidate citizens who speak their minds and enlist entire armies of NGOs for their purposes.
Free speech is not for wimps
It is far easier to remain silent and avoid standing out in the sea of conformists shaped by the prevailing spirit of the age. Courage always dies first, and then freedom.
The Night of the White Paper Sheets
In China, freedom of expression formally exists – but only as long as it does not challenge the regime. Criticism should primarily signal to the leadership where action is needed.
We Don’t Need to Silence Speech to Counter Hate
Hate speech is a real problem. But takedowns and deplatforming are ineffective and carry damaging side effects. A better and more liberal response is to confront hateful speech directly.
Trust is a Law of Nature
Before trust became a civic virtue, it was a biological need. Every living thing survives by betting that the world will behave in intelligible ways.
A Wave of Digital Distrust Is Sweeping Representative Democracy
Elites have lost the trust of the public. To regain it, they need to change their operating model.
Large Lying Models: How Digitalization Weakens Trust
Artificial intelligence is harming our mental health and is eroding the foundations of our societies. These outcomes are not inevitable – they are shaped by incentives. It’s time to change them.
“To say that liberalism eats at tradition is a fairy tale”
Anti-liberal movements are gaining strength, including within open societies. Cass Sunstein explains why liberalism must be more than an ideology, why freedom requires “freedom from fear,” and where its greatest dangers now lie.
Adam Smith’s “Wealth of Nations” turns 250: Why It Still Matters
Adam Smith still sets the terms of our economic quarrels: when should markets coordinate, when must the state steer, and who keeps power in check?