Gainesville, FL – Professor Brandon Warmke, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Florida's Hamilton School, recently critiqued a specific style of online academic discourse, describing it as "a kind of 2016-2022 era crude and moralistic juvenilia posting." Warmke's observation, shared on social media, highlighted a trend where "grad students" popularized this style, which was then "for some reason many faculty started emulating it because they wanted to fit in with and be admired by first year grad student activists."
Warmke, known for his work on moral philosophy and public discourse, including co-authoring "Grandstanding: The Use and Abuse of Moral Talk," has consistently examined the ethics of online communication. His tweet points to a perceived shift in academic online behavior during a specific period. This era, roughly corresponding to the mid-to-late 2010s and early 2020s, saw increased social media engagement within academic circles, often driven by younger scholars and students.
The phenomenon described by Warmke aligns with broader discussions about "moral grandstanding" in public discourse, a concept he and co-author Justin Tosi have extensively explored. Their research suggests that individuals sometimes use moral talk not primarily to advance moral causes, but to enhance their own social status or moral reputation. This can manifest as "piling on," "ramping up" moral claims, or "trumpeting up" minor transgressions, often accompanied by strong emotional displays and dismissiveness of differing views.
Warmke's perspective also resonates with his broader views on higher education, where he has previously criticized what he perceives as an overemphasis on activism and social experimentation in some academic corners. He teaches courses on civil discourse at the Hamilton School, advocating for a return to rigorous inquiry and respectful debate. His tweet suggests a concern that the desire for peer approval among faculty may have inadvertently fostered a less mature or constructive form of online engagement within academia.
