On Scientific Fascism

This essay aims to describe a specific set of behaviors that I will label scientific fascism.

I am aware that the term fascist is overused in contemporary discourse, describing political administrations we don’t like or people we don’t like. It amounts to a slur, devoid of any connection to what fascism has meant politically and historically. I am aware of these concerns and do not take them lightly. I am attempting to describe a modern phenomenon. I do not imagine any goosestepping Nazis. It is also specific to a particular segment of society — individuals engaged in the culture wars. Nevertheless, to the extent that these attitudes and behaviors become more prevalent, this phenomenon has the political consequences of maintaining social inequalities and erasing the experiences of minority groups from public discourse. It is an attack on the modern consensus of multiculturalism.

I am using this label primarily as a descriptor of people’s actions. I may say people are scientific fascists occasionally for stylistic reasons, but I am ultimately arguing that people practice behaviors that produce scientific fascism. The distinction is important. We must not conflate the consequences of behavior with who someone is.

The scientific fascist adopts as their tools of choice science and reason. The purpose of using these tools is only ever to mount an attack on the ideas underpinning social justice activities. These ideas include “lived experiences”, “safe spaces”, “white fragility”, “heteronormativity”, “systemic racism”, “toxic…