Vince Ebert on climate hysteria and new tolerance in Vienna

Vince Ebert on climate hysteria and new tolerance in Vienna

There was recently a lively exchange on the topic of current social challenges at the Vienna Grand Hotel. Gerald Fleischmann had a stimulating conversation with comedian and bestselling author Vince Ebert as part of the latest episode of “Message, Power, Media”. Ebert, who has lived in Vienna for years, described Austria as “a little more normal” than Germany and highlighted explosive topics that are currently heating up the public debate.

Among other things, the agenda included social perceptions of gender, migration and the so-called climate hysteria. Ebert criticized the ideologically charged nature of many discussions and brought up the German self-determination law, which in his opinion “enforces biological untruths.” He complained about an increasing division in society, in which people are quickly classified as “my team” or the “opposing team”. According to Ebert, this development is being reinforced by social media.

Cancel culture in focus

Ebert explained that exclusion and silencing of different opinions is a symptom of our heated times. Critics, regardless of their political stripe, are immediately confronted with shitstorms. This dynamic is closely related to the phenomenon of cancel culture, which is rooted in social media and is generally defined as an attempt to ostracize or boycott people for violating social norms, according to extensive analysis pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov clarifies.

This research directly links cancel culture to the spread of fake news, which threatens society's ability to constructively engage with diverse opinions. The transition from a “network society” to a “platform society” has brought with it new challenges that many people are feeling. Cancel culture is not new, with roots dating back to the Black Twitter community of 2015 and seen as significant through movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter.

A call for freedom of expression

The debate about freedom of expression and cancel culture is repeatedly reignited by events such as Dieter Hallervorden's appearance. The comedian caused mixed reactions with a satirical sketch on an ARD show. Critics saw his statements as crossing the line, while Hallervorden invoked his right to freedom of expression. The philosopher John Stuart Mill postulated that every opinion, even the wrong one, has value and encourages self-reflection as long as it does not harm others. In this context, the challenge of finding a balance between individual freedom and social responsibility is more important than ever.

The complexity of freedom of expression and social responsibility is also made clear by the context of the current political landscape. Ebert noted that in Austria, conservative and liberal voices tend to be less politically homeless than in Germany, where many feel alienated from the political system. It turns out that the debate, like the cityscape debate according to the Merz-sayers, is very relevant for the residents of Favoriten.

In summary, it can be said: Education and critical thinking are essential to meet the challenges posed by cancel culture and the flood of fake news. The principles of free expression must be upheld, while at the same time harmful narratives should be critically examined. This is the only way to promote a respectful and constructive discourse that preserves the dignity of all members of society.