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Is Free Speech Evil? w/ Dr. Chloe Carmichael

February 8, 2026 · 1 h 7 min

Show notes

If you’re deeply committed to ideological purity or easily offended by nuance, this episode may be uncomfortable. And honestly, that might be the point. But if you’re a freethinker; someone who values truth over trend and curiosity over conformity, you’re going to have a great time.

Dr. Chloe Carmichael is a clinical psychologist and the bestselling author of Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety. Her new book, “Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly”, dives deep into the psychological impact of censorship, not just on public discourse, but on our internal lives, relationships, and mental health.

In this conversation, we explore the emotional toll of self-censorship and how it quietly erodes authentic connection. We talk about the confusion between emotional discomfort and actual harm, and how that confusion is being used to justify silence. Dr. Chloe sheds light on how universities became epicenters of groupthink, and why we’re seeing a generation increasingly afraid of free thought. We discuss impression management, fragile egos, and the false selves people construct just to survive in today’s ideological climate. And yes, we even ask whether what we’re witnessing amounts to a kind of mass psychological regression.

Nothing is off the table, and that’s exactly the point.

CONNECT WITH DR. CHLOE
https://www.drchloe.com
https://www.freespeechtoday.com
Can I Say That? – Available wherever books are sold

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The views and opinions expressed by guests on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

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