Freddie deBoer

CulturePoliticsMedia Criticism

Writer, academic, and one of the most contrarian voices on the American left, known for criticizing progressive media, identity politics, and what he views as the abandonment of working-class interests by liberal institutions. DeBoer has a PhD in rhetoric and writing and previously worked in higher education before building his audience through his Substack, which mixes personal essays, political criticism, and deeply reported pieces on education policy and inequality. His willingness to criticize his own political camp — often forcefully — has made him a respected, if polarizing, figure among readers across the political spectrum.

Known for

Authored 'The Cult of Smart' (2020), a critique of meritocracy and educational inequality in America
Known for pointed criticism of progressive media, identity politics, and what he views as the left's abandonment of class politics
His Substack is one of the most widely read independent political newsletters, read by people across the political spectrum
Wrote influential essays on the failures of online activism and the limits of social justice discourse