This is a recap of the 6-part correspondence conversation between writers Freddie deBoer and Parker Molloy. My entries were originally published here, at The Present Age; Freddie’s were published at his Substack.
Letters 1, 3, and 5 are by me; letters 2, 4, and 6 are by Freddie.
The letters
My thoughts
This was an interesting project, and I’m glad that I took part in it. I liked this format, as it gave both Freddie and me the opportunity to express our own positions while also addressing the other’s points. One of the keys to this being successful was finding someone with views that are just different enough that you’ll get pushback on ideas that aren’t argued as well as they could have been, but not so different that the other person responds by trying to “win” the conversation… if that makes sense?
Anyway, thanks again for reading. Thanks to those of you who signed up for the newsletter because of this series. And thanks to everyone else for sticking around.
Really appreciated this back and forth, kudos Parker and Freddie. As you pointed out, you both have differences of opinion that nevertheless live in the same world inverse, so you were able to have a substantive conversation. Here in RI we had a run in recently with billboard Chris, who touts his desire for “conversation” around GC drivel, but when actually pressed moves the goal posts and retreats into “well you’re just being conned” and whatever. Apart from the hatemongering, it’s intellectually dishonest and aggravating. Refreshing to read this true discussion without someone trying to win. Thanks!
Throughout this correspondence, I appreciate how you underscored the ways handwringing over "cancel culture" and free speech has changed over time. I also think the point about complaints from the left and right not being equal is a salient one.
Pundits seem to love to lavish praise on conservatives for hijacking the conversation on this and other issues, but I don't think what they're doing is particularly artful. This is to say fishing at the bottom of the barrel for discourse topics says more negatively about the people using their platforms to silence others than the listeners/viewers who ingest it all.