ir Salman Rushdie has stated that world is dealing with the “old enemy” of “authoritarianism” in a chat the place he mentioned the rise in anti-democratic political actions.

Author Sir Salman, 76, who was stabbed repeatedly final 12 months as he ready to present a chat in New York, additionally stated that we reside in “an age of offendedness” and “outrage identity” and spoke on the necessity to defend free speech.

Appearing by video in the course of the National Constitution Centre’s First Amendment Summit, the Booker-Prize winner stated: “I think there’s a real rise in authoritarian movements around the world.

“Populist authoritarian demagoguery and coupled with that a willingness amongst, at least some parts of the population to cease to value the democratic values enshrined in the first amendment.

“So I think the problem is, I would now say, political more than primarily religious.”

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Sir Salman spoke additional on America’s tendency in direction of authoritarianism and stated: “I find it (attitudes in America) bewildering, and I think it has to do with two kinds of attack that have been unleashed. Not unsuccessfully in recent years. One is on the idea of education itself.”

People are informed so usually that what every part they have been informed is a lie.

He added that the opposite assault has been on the reality and stated: “One of the preconditions for the rise of authoritarian strongmen is that people cease to believe in the truth.

“People are told so often that what everything they’ve been told is a lie that they begin to internalise that, and at that point, the demagogue, the authoritarians can rise to speak and can say, ‘I am the truth. Believe me, because I am the truth.’

“That’s how dictatorships start. That’s how tyrannies rise and we’re seeing phenomenon like that in this country, but around the world as well.

“Those two attacks on the value of education and on the absolute value of the truth. Unfortunately, have been to some degree successful.”