Malcolm Gladwell questioned the New Yorker festival’s decision to dump Steve Bannon – our favourite 15 responses

The New Yorker magazine has reversed its decision to invite Steve Bannon to its annual festival after it caused a storm of controversy.

The prospect of the loathsome right-wing conspiracy theorist speaking at the event prompted other people who had been due to attend saying they would now boycott it. Like this chap.

If Steve Bannon is at the New Yorker festival I am out. I will not take part in an event that normalizes hate. I hope the @NewYorker will do the right thing and cancel the Steve Bannon event. Maybe they should read their own reporting about his ideology.

— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) September 3, 2018

Now the magazine has seen sense and revoked Bannon’s invite. But some people weren’t happy. People like author (and New Yorker writer) Malcolm Gladwell, for instance.

Huh. Call me old-fashioned. But I would have thought that the point of a festival of ideas was to expose the audience to ideas. If you only invite your friends over, it’s called a dinner party. https://t.co/VwkL4zOrbX

— Malcolm Gladwell (@Gladwell) September 4, 2018

Except, well, not everyone agreed with the analogy. Here are our favourite responses online.

1.

Hi Malcolm, we were exposed to this set of ideas in 1933 and they were in German. They aren't new or particularly well-hidden today. How about not exposing an audience to poorly-intellectualized hatred. How about not giving these "ideas" even an inch of room to metastasize again. https://t.co/617NSAJMUK

— STEVE HUFF (@SteveHuff) September 4, 2018

2.

Maybe they should have had an interview with Harvey Weinstein, or OJ, or Stephen Miller. Not all ideas deserve to be presented. Cosby isn’t in jail yet— maybe he can do a quick ten minutes. They did the right thing dumping him. Regardless, I love your podcast. https://t.co/ZLIA6zQJdE

— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) September 4, 2018

3.

You would have thought wrong if you think people need more exposure to fascism. Why would you tweet this terrible thinking under your given name?

— roxane gay (@rgay) September 4, 2018

4.

*Angrily putting dead rats back into Tupperware*

I guess nobody wants their concept of food challenged at this “FOOD FESTIVAL”. https://t.co/A1XGiX3qtB

— Tom Neenan (@TNeenan) September 4, 2018

5.

Ugh EXACTLY I hate dinner parties. Awkward conversation. Bad jazz music. No fascists being paid to speak their opinions. Disappointing soup courses. https://t.co/jMzYUb9E5S

— Seamas It Ever Was (@shockproofbeats) September 4, 2018

6.

"If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." -Karl Popper. https://t.co/Mbrhmo0OSH

— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) September 4, 2018

7.

Huh. Call me old fashioned, but I thought white nationalism was a hateful ideology that threatens the physical safety, personhood, and rights of racial minorities, not some harmless thought experiment that deserves any sort of time or consideration.

— Martha (@marthamatical) September 4, 2018

8.

This is so wrong. Malcolm seems to think people at dinner parties like each other. https://t.co/twMRabtmj7

— Hannah Jane Parkinson (@ladyhaja) September 4, 2018