The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
AD
The Epoch Times
Support Us
Social Issues

America’s Powerful Intellectual Class Finds ‘Joy in Making Us Obey and Be Compliant,’ Warns Scholar

The so-called experts ‘infantilizes’ the American public through deciding what gets to be seen and what’s censored

America’s Powerful Intellectual Class Finds ‘Joy in Making Us Obey and Be Compliant,’ Warns Scholar
Logos of U.S. online news and social networking service Twitter displayed on computers' screens on Nov. 20, 2017. Loic Venance/AFP/Getty Images
Jan Jekielek
Jan Jekielek
Senior Editor
&
Naveen Athrappully
Naveen Athrappully
Reporter
5/15/2023|Updated: 5/15/2023
0:00

America’s intellectual class has been given so much power by the public that their misuse of such power is threatening the fundamental freedom of speech in the country, says scholar and author Tom Harrington.

“It’s absolutely remarkable how easily we’ve gone from free speech to asking, ‘How can I make my way around the censorship that’s here?’” Harrington said in a recent interview with Jan Jekielek on “American Thought Leaders” that premiered on May 11. “Sometimes, there’s this idea that reality just is. That’s partially true but in the cultural realm, there’s always someone developing it and distributing it who has more access to power.
Jan Jekielek is a senior editor with The Epoch Times, host of the show “American Thought Leaders.” Jan’s career has spanned academia, international human rights work, and now for almost two decades, media. He has interviewed nearly a thousand thought leaders on camera, and specializes in long-form discussions challenging the grand narratives of our time. He’s also an award-winning documentary filmmaker, producing “The Unseen Crisis,” “DeSantis: Florida vs. Lockdowns,” and “Finding Manny.”
twitter
website
Author’s Selected Articles

Against the Grain: The NBA Player Who Refused to Kneel or Get the Shot | Jonathan Isaac

Oct 21, 2025
Against the Grain: The NBA Player Who Refused to Kneel or Get the Shot | Jonathan Isaac

He Cofounded Wikipedia, Now He Says the Site Needs a Radical Change

Oct 20, 2025
He Cofounded Wikipedia, Now He Says the Site Needs a Radical Change

The CCP’s Gloves Are Off in Trade War—What’s Next? | Lee Smith

Oct 18, 2025
The CCP’s Gloves Are Off in Trade War—What’s Next? | Lee Smith

Andy Ngo: I Was Nearly Killed by Antifa. This is What I Learned.

Oct 16, 2025
Andy Ngo: I Was Nearly Killed by Antifa. This is What I Learned.
Related Topics
freedom of speech
censorship industry
Add to My List
Save
The Epoch Times
Copyright © 2000 - 2025 The Epoch Times Association Inc. All Rights Reserved.