From my new Taki’s Magazine column:

The study of the workings (and failures) of the Megaphone is one of the central subjects of our time, but we lack even a word for the subject. Perhaps Megaphonics will do? …

Another Megaphonics phenomenon is currently happening in online comments sections. In the name of “having a conversation” about race or rape, actual conversations are being silenced.

For example, back on November 29th, the editorial board of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch confidently proclaimed:

Let’s have this conversation.

Let’s talk about race. We know it’s going to be awkward, no matter how well-intentioned. We know it makes both blacks and whites uncomfortable.