Covi
d denialism is currently a global threat, but denialism has been around for years: Holocaust denial, Climate change denial, anti-vaxxers, 911 conspiracism, Creationism (in the sense of denying evolution) and more. Recently though Covid denialism and denial of Trump’s election loss have become mainstream.
Debunking denialist claims is essential – yet also rarely effective. In this talk, Dr Keith Kahn-Harris will argue that we are now seeing both the triumph of denialism and its end. He argues that denialism emerges when one’s deepest desires are ‘unspeakable’. Increasingly though, we are seeing denialism superseded by the open acknowledgement of desire. So in thinking about denialism, we also have to consider whether a world without it might not be a truth-filled utopia, but something even worse.
About Keith
Dr Keith Kahn-Harris is a sociologist and writer. Denial: The Unspeakable Truth was his fifth book. His badly-designed website can be found at kahn-harris.org and he tweets irregularly as @KeithKahnHarris.
When and Where?
Livestreaming on twitch.tv/sitp at 7:00 pm UK time on Thursday 11th March.
A collaborative enterprise as part of Skeptics In The Pub – Online.