In 2006, some random journalist coined the term "New Atheism" to describe the positions, platforms and popularization of numerous Atheist advocates and movements that were arising in the late 90's and 2000's. Their platform, beyond just advocating atheism, was also that religion was irrational, superstitious and should be exposed, criticized, caricatured, and countered, especially if they influence the government, education or much of the public or political sphere. New Atheists advanced their platform by purporting to advance arguments based on science, rationality, logic and so forth. This 'New Atheism' was sometimes termed as 'antitheism', secular humanism, or 'fundamentalist atheism, especially by their adversaries.
This movement membership included the so-called 'Four Horseman of the Non-Apocalypse' which were critic and journalist Christoper Hitchens, philosopher Daniel Dennett, biologist Richard Dawkins and neurologist Sam Harris. Also there was an entire movement with other prominent figures that populated the movement including organizations such as the 'Freedom From Religion Foundation, and notable individuals such as magicians James Randi & Penn Jillette, whiny failed father Michael Newdow writer Michael Shermer, commentator Ayaan Hirsi Ali and biologist PZ Myers as well as folks on the internet such as 'The Amazing Atheist.'
What seems apparent now is that the New Atheism movement doesn't seem to have nearly as much impact on the cultural landscape anymore. There was a cultural shift that seemed to leave the public tired out with New Atheism as the culture shifted. A main foil of New Atheism was both radical Islam and Western Evangelical Christianity. New Atheists were often unapologetic about criticizing Islam alongside Christianity as well as the various authoritarian cults of personality such as those of the Clintons, or more exceptionally the Kim Dynasty of North Korea. Some New Atheists like Christopher Hitchens even advocated for things such as the Iraq War (though other New Atheists disagreed with those military adventures abroad) and schisms developed between the New Atheists and their fellows on the Left/Liberal side of the political spectrum.
At present Christopher Hitchens passed away from cancer in 2011. Sam Harris and Ayaan Hirsi Ali have been excoriated both as right wingers as well as Islamophobes by the Southern Poverty Law Center among others. PZ Myers accused many of the New Atheist community, Michael Shermer in particular, of being sexual predators and later in 2017 accused the entire New Atheist movement as being alt right, anti-feminist and libertarian cults of personality. Many present day individuals who might be considered 'New Atheists' are often considered members of the 'Skeptic' community at best such as Carl Benjamin/Sargon of Akkad. Even Penn Jillette seems downright friendly now.
So I obviously have my ideas on why New Atheism dramatically declined in the past decade, but what do you all think of that movement and why it faded so rapidly. Was it just a good PR move with prominent voices who could sell books or was a shift in the cultural and religious landscape of America? Did it effect any change in America or the West? Was it a movement for better or worse? Was it a net positive or negative? How much of an asshole is PZ Myers? And what led to New Atheisms demise? Was is preventable?
Unmistakably a Right Wing Group
This movement membership included the so-called 'Four Horseman of the Non-Apocalypse' which were critic and journalist Christoper Hitchens, philosopher Daniel Dennett, biologist Richard Dawkins and neurologist Sam Harris. Also there was an entire movement with other prominent figures that populated the movement including organizations such as the 'Freedom From Religion Foundation, and notable individuals such as magicians James Randi & Penn Jillette, whiny failed father Michael Newdow writer Michael Shermer, commentator Ayaan Hirsi Ali and biologist PZ Myers as well as folks on the internet such as 'The Amazing Atheist.'
What seems apparent now is that the New Atheism movement doesn't seem to have nearly as much impact on the cultural landscape anymore. There was a cultural shift that seemed to leave the public tired out with New Atheism as the culture shifted. A main foil of New Atheism was both radical Islam and Western Evangelical Christianity. New Atheists were often unapologetic about criticizing Islam alongside Christianity as well as the various authoritarian cults of personality such as those of the Clintons, or more exceptionally the Kim Dynasty of North Korea. Some New Atheists like Christopher Hitchens even advocated for things such as the Iraq War (though other New Atheists disagreed with those military adventures abroad) and schisms developed between the New Atheists and their fellows on the Left/Liberal side of the political spectrum.
At present Christopher Hitchens passed away from cancer in 2011. Sam Harris and Ayaan Hirsi Ali have been excoriated both as right wingers as well as Islamophobes by the Southern Poverty Law Center among others. PZ Myers accused many of the New Atheist community, Michael Shermer in particular, of being sexual predators and later in 2017 accused the entire New Atheist movement as being alt right, anti-feminist and libertarian cults of personality. Many present day individuals who might be considered 'New Atheists' are often considered members of the 'Skeptic' community at best such as Carl Benjamin/Sargon of Akkad. Even Penn Jillette seems downright friendly now.
So I obviously have my ideas on why New Atheism dramatically declined in the past decade, but what do you all think of that movement and why it faded so rapidly. Was it just a good PR move with prominent voices who could sell books or was a shift in the cultural and religious landscape of America? Did it effect any change in America or the West? Was it a movement for better or worse? Was it a net positive or negative? How much of an asshole is PZ Myers? And what led to New Atheisms demise? Was is preventable?
Unmistakably a Right Wing Group