Person
Every book Rikki Schlott recommended on podcasts
Rikki Schlott's appearances on podcasts like Modern Wisdom portray a commentator deeply engaged in analyzing modern cultural phenomena, particularly cancel culture, free speech, and ideological conformity in academic spaces. Reflecting on her experiences as a university student at NYU, Schlott discusses the social pressures that led her to hide foundational heterodox texts under her bed, specifically naming Thomas Sowell's works and Jordan B. Peterson's '12 Rules for Life'. Exploring the psychological and sociological underpinnings of contemporary political behavior, she references John McWhorter's book 'Woke Racism', using it to illustrate how modern political ideologies can supplant traditional faith and occupy a similar psychological space in a post-faith world. Furthermore, Schlott connects cultural replication to evolutionary biology by invoking Richard Dawkins' concept of a meme from 'The Selfish Gene' to explain the viral and effective nature of online cancel culture. Lamenting gaps in her own formal education regarding foundational post-Enlightenment principles, she repeatedly emphasizes the vital importance of free speech by highlighting John Stuart Mill's classic 'On Liberty'. Through these varied references, Schlott illustrates the fragile state of intellectual freedom and the urgent need for a return to classical liberal values.
Books recommended by Rikki Schlott
-
12 Rules for Life
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B.
Discussed“When I got there, I was understandably, I think in retrospect, concerned for my social standing, so I was hiding Thomas Sowell books and Jordan Peterson books under my bed, which is really embarrassing in retrospect.”
Where to get it
-
On Liberty
On Liberty by John Stuart Mill is a seminal 19th-century political essay advocating for the absolute freedom of thought and expression.
Discussed“and you know for for example I I've never learned John Stewart Mills on Liberty I never learned the importance of free speech”
Where to get it
-
The Selfish Gene
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins is a widely influential popular science book that presents a gene-centric view of evolution and selection.
Discussed“We kind of refer to Richard Dawkins' idea of a meme because cancel culture is very effective.”
Where to get it
-
Woke Racism
Woke Racism by John McWhorter is a socio-political critique arguing that contemporary anti-racism activism functions similarly to a traditional religion and inadvertently harms the communities it aims to protect.
Discussed“I think of John McWhorter’s book 'Woke Racism' and the idea that this ideology is supplanting faith in a post-faith world, occupying that same part of the human psyche, I would say.”
Where to get it
Books Rikki Schlott wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| What They Don't Want You To Know About Cancel Culture - Rikki Schlott | Modern Wisdom | 2024-01-18 | 5 |
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“My co-author’s previous book, 'The Coddling of the American Mind', delved deeply into how parenting impacts politics and Gen Z.”