False Assumption Registry

Culture Wars

49 entries in this category

• Groups Have Equal Innate Potential
  Races and the sexes have the same innate distribution of potential, making all group disparities the result of environmental forces.
  Mainstream still holds this assumption to be true despite evidence against it 26 sources
• Affirmative Action Causes No Reverse Discrimination
  Civil rights protections and affirmative action do not discriminate against white people.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 6 sources
• Race-IQ Inquiry Must Be Silenced
  Open discussion and research on race differences in IQ are so dangerous that they justify censorship, institutional bans, or self-imposed ignorance to prevent racism and stereotypes.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 4 sources
• Anti-Bias Trainings Work
  Diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings effectively reduce bias and discriminatory behavior.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 4 sources
• Gatsby Was Black in Whiteface
  Jay Gatsby's outsider status and ambiguous identity indicate he was a black man passing as white.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 4 sources
• Transgenderism Reveals True Inner Self
  Sudden transgender and nonbinary identifications among youth represent authentic innate gender identities finally freed for expression.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 3 sources
• Trans Women Reject Toxic Masculinity
  Transgender women, as former men, do not embody or represent masculinity at its most toxic.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 3 sources
• Capitalizing Black But Not White Shows Respect
  Capitalizing 'Black' honors shared history and identity of people of African origin, while lowercase 'white' is appropriate due to lack of comparable shared culture.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 2 sources
• Pretendians Are Authentic Natives
  Individuals claiming Native American or First Nations ancestry based on family stories qualify as indigenous for academic, publishing, and grant benefits.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 2 sources
• Watson Unfit Over Race Comments
  James D. Watson's comments on racial inequality disqualify him from leading genetics research despite his managerial success.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 2 sources
• Trans Skepticism Causes Suicide Genocide
  Skepticism of transgender ideology drives trans people to suicide and equates to genocide.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 2 sources
• Racial Reckoning Still Excites Culture Pages
  Cultural commentary remains engaging and relevant when dominated by racial reckoning narratives framing white icons as provocative and black icons as patriotic reclaimers.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 2 sources
• BLM Boosts Black Mental Health
  Black Lives Matter activism and the George Floyd Racial Reckoning would improve well-being and reduce despair among black Americans.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 2 sources
• DEI Nonprofits Avoid Fraudulent Waste
  Corporate and government funding to DEI nonprofits reliably supports effective diversity initiatives without significant embezzlement or self-dealing.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 2 sources
• Feminization Causes Wokism
  Wokism and cancel culture emerged in the 2010s because women achieved majority representation in elite institutions and imposed innate feminine behaviors like prioritizing empathy over rationality and...
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Multiculturalism Strengthens Western Societies
  Multiculturalism and diversity are inherently beneficial and strengthening for Western societies.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Society Imprisons Natural Goodness
  Civilization corrupts inherently good humans, imprisoning them in oppressive chains that require elite-led liberation.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Great-Because-Girl Stories Succeed Commercially
  Injecting 'great-because-girl' tropes and 'bad-because-boy' dynamics into male-centric franchises will maintain or expand audience appeal and box office success.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Trump Alliance Defeats Wokeness
  Supporting Donald Trump is a worthwhile Faustian bargain to kill wokeness without corrupting conservatism.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Academia Free of Ideological Corruption
  Academia suffers no significant left-wing ideological corruption affecting theory, methods, hiring, teaching, grant-making, and publishing.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Partisan Activism Safe for AAUP
  Academic organizations like the AAUP can engage in uncritical partisan politics using the cover of academic freedom without inviting harmful external interventions.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Left Speech Suppression Invites No Backlash
  Progressive cancellations of faculty speech from 2015-2023 would erode norms without provoking retaliatory government punishments from the right.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Classics Oppose White Nationalism
  Ancient Greece and Rome represent enlightened tolerance incompatible with white nationalist ideas, so their invocation by nationalists constitutes misuse.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Favoring Citizens in Policy is Immoral
  Immigration laws should not discriminate in favor of current American citizens over foreigners.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Most Oppressed Are Most Talented
  The most oppressed groups, especially black women due to intersecting racism and sexism, possess the most underexploited talent and merit promotion to leadership roles.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Robert E. Lee Was a Traitor
  Robert E. Lee devoted his best efforts to the destruction of the United States government.
  Mainstream still holds this assumption to be true despite evidence against it 1 sources
• Quantum Supremacy Evokes White Supremacy
  The scientific term 'quantum supremacy' irresponsibly evokes 'white supremacy' and risks sustaining divisions in race, gender, and class.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Feminists Suffer Distress from Sex Skepticism
  Suggesting innate sex differences in aptitude or physical standards for combat causes feminists severe emotional or physical distress.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Woke Remakes Portray Whites as Racist Villains
  Updating classic stories like West Side Story by portraying white characters as racist villains and minority characters as noble victims improves the story and appeals to modern audiences.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Immigration Concerns Are Far-Right Tropes
  Complaints about mass immigration overwhelming local culture and infrastructure qualify as far-right tropes unworthy of calm, nuanced discussion.
  Mainstream still holds this assumption to be true despite evidence against it 1 sources
• Angela Davis Innocent of Judge Murder
  Angela Davis bears no moral responsibility for the 1970 courtroom murder of Judge Harold Haley despite buying the murder weapon.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• White Actors Can't Play Robot Roles
  Replacing an Asian American actor with a white actor in a humanoid robot role constitutes a racial recasting misstep drawing justifiable backlash.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Hitler Snubbed Owens for Being Black
  Adolf Hitler refused to shake Jesse Owens' hand and left the stadium specifically because Owens was black, humiliating Nazi racial ideology.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Oppressed Have Superior Virtue
  Oppressed groups possess inherent moral superiority due to their subjection.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Victim Women Can't Be Fictional Villains
  Members of official victim groups like women cannot be portrayed doing bad things in modern novels or TV shows.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Gay Liberation Poses No Health Risks
  Promoting open homosexuality and gay liberation in San Francisco would not lead to catastrophic public health consequences from promiscuity.
  Mainstream now strongly agrees this assumption was false 1 sources
• Slave Ancestors Require Atonement
  Descendants of slave traders and owners must feel deep shame and seek atonement for their ancestors' involvement in slavery.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• White Diva Insults Are Racist Violence
  Insults from white Broadway performers toward black performers constitute racialized microaggressions, bullying, and violence requiring cancellation and anti-bias training.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Woke Debates Forever Settled
  Progressive stances on cultural issues like affirmative action and LGBTQ rights represent irreversible victories on the right side of history.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Biden Handlers Were Woke-Resistant Moderates
  Biden's senior advisors were seasoned moderate Democrats who would not push extreme leftwing policies on transgenderism, immigration, crime, and equity.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Majority of Britons Are Neurodivergent
  A majority of Britons have neurodivergent conditions such as autism, dyslexia, or dyspraxia.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Noticing NBA Racial Patterns Dangerous
  Curiosity about racial overrepresentation in NBA performance is unseemly, inappropriate, and leads to discrimination or worse.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Shakespeare Enables White Supremacy
  Celebrating Shakespeare as a universal genius promotes white supremacy and colonial ideologies.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Body Diversity Revolutionizes Fashion Modeling
  Featuring plus-size and midsize models on fashion runways advances body inclusivity and represents progressive values in the industry.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Starship Troopers Book Promotes Fascism
  Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers promotes fascist ideology warranting satire.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Black Genius Bears Racial Burden
  Black musical geniuses like Sly Stone fail under a unique 'burden of black genius' while white rock stars like Led Zeppelin succeed effortlessly and build generational wealth.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• DEI Advances Unqualified Black Women
  DEI programs legitimately provide jobs and promotions to qualified women and minorities, especially black women, as a top priority to combat discrimination.
  Growing recognition that this assumption was false, but not yet mainstream 1 sources
• Anti-Zionism Isn't Antisemitism
  Opposition to Zionism is separate from antisemitism and does not lead to harm against Jews who support a Jewish state.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources
• Don't Punch Down in Academia
  Those with more power or privilege should refrain from criticizing ideas held by those with less power or from marginalized groups.
  Experts are divided on whether this assumption was actually false 1 sources