No Safe Spaces: A Distorted Image of a Clear Problem

Abstract

This is a critical analysis of the documentary No Safe Spaces. The movie features comedian Adam Carolla and conservative talk show host Dennis Prager. Depending on the source, the movie is either the most necessary and prescient documentary ever or the most harmful. Unfortunately, the polarizing nature of the reviews largely fall along partisan political lines, with conservatives praising the movie and liberals criticizing it. This partisan result could have likely been minimized if the movie communicated a more bipartisan tone. To further complicate things, the movie does not provide a clear thesis of what it is trying to promote. Rather, it seems to schizophrenically jump from topic to topic, some of which are not even tangentially related to each other. Regardless, it does bring to light a serious issue in a relatively entertaining format.

Keywords: Adam Carolla, Dennis Prager, No Safe Spaces, Campus free speech, Censorship, Evergreen college, Viewpoint discrimination