Last night I attended a really thought-provoking event.
Claire Fox, Director of Institute of Ideas and regular panellist on BBC’s The Moral Maze and Question launched her new book “I Find That Offensive” last night. It might be small, cheap (hard back £7 on Amazon) and short (just 170 pages) but I think it’s a must read for everyone in communications.
Wednesday 11th May, 7pm, Marylebone High Street, Daunt Books, London.
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown(on the right) introduced Claire Fox(left) paraphrasing Rousseau: “I disagree with everything Claire thinks but I’m proud to have published her new book”.
To judge by the number of leading journalists and personalities at last night’s book launch I hope there will be many reviews of this book over the next few weeks (the first I can find is last night’s Evening Standard).
But here is one reason why people in communications should read it
Claire’s theme is that we live in censorious times and irrespective of your views (left, right, centre-grounder, feminist, bigot, environmentalist, libertarian etc.) this is a problem.
Today’s frequently heard retort“I find that offensive” restricts what can be said, discussed and of course communicated in numerous areas of our lives. The book is full of current examples of this censorious climate from Peter Tatchell and Germaine Greer being “no plat formed” to Benedict Cumberbatch having to apologies for his (unintended) incorrect use of the appropriate PC term.
You probably won’t agree with her views. But this book will help communications professionals navigate the challenges they face getting their story’s across and responding to public debates. It’s certainly a must for people who work in the education sector, internal comms and consumer & issues led communications. I’d be interested to know what you think of the book.