When Courage Meets Censorship: Ryan Holiday’s Naval Academy Talk Cancellation Becomes National News
Ryan Holiday, a VaynerSpeakers exclusive client, was invited back to the U.S. Naval Academy to speak to students about wisdom—continuing a series of past lectures he’s given on Stoicism, leadership, and moral courage to future military officers. But just one hour before he was set to take the stage on April 14, the event was abruptly canceled. As covered by CNN and ABC News, Ryan Holiday’s Naval Academy talk cancellation drew national attention after he declined to remove slides from his talk referencing recently banned books—many of which address race, gender, and major historical events. “I couldn’t have spoken about courage and doing the right thing while also censoring what I believe is a very reasonable objection to a very troubling decision,” Ryan told CNN. The educational content of his lecture was rooted in leadership principles: intellectual freedom, curiosity, and moral strength. Read Ryan’s Op Ed about the situation in the New York Times: The Naval Academy Canceled My Lecture on Wisdom. Book Ryan Holiday for Your Next Event Whether you’re leading a team, a classroom, or a company, Ryan Holiday challenges audiences to think deeper and lead better. Contact VaynerSpeakers to book him to speak at your next event.
