Impermissible Notions
August 22, 2022
Or, Things That Will Not Be Tolerated On Twitter.
The thing in question this time is a cartoon, an illustration of an idea. It was shared, briefly, yesterday by biologist and Quillette contributor Colin Wright, and was promptly censored by Twitter’s moderators. Mr Wright has apparently been suspended from said platform until a confession of hateful wrongdoing – as yet unspecified hateful wrongdoing - has been extracted. Given the cartoon’s scandalous properties, I’ll reproduce it below the fold. Do feel free to grip the arms of your chair.
This, apparently, is what’s verboten on Twitter. Note that no inflammatory commentary was added to the image. The image itself was deemed a basis for both indignation and speedy action. And so, the enormous list of things to which Twitter’s moderators take exception now includes the suggestion that strident activists often do harm to the cause they ostensibly champion. A phenomenon seen all but daily, and on many fronts.
The article that the illustration accompanies, by Eliza Mondegreen, can be found here. Readers are welcome to comb through it in search of seething hatred or some great urge to oppress.
Also, open thread. Share ye links and bicker.