Carlos is available for university lectures, conference keynotes, and panel discussions. To inquire about booking, email bookings@carlosmaza.com.
The Marketplace of Ideas Doesn't Work
The "marketplace of ideas" was supposed to protect democracy — the idea that in a free and open debate, truth would always win out over lies. It hasn't worked out that way. This talk explains how the marketplace of ideas has become a vehicle for laundering conspiracy theories and hate speech into mainstream discourse, why open debate isn't enough to fix it, and what we should do instead.
"Objectivity" Is Making Us Dumber
Journalists are trained to be "objective" — to present both sides, avoid taking stances, and let the audience decide. But what happens when one side is lying? Drawing on ten years of experience as a media watchdog and examples from Fox News, CNN, and beyond, this talk makes the case that journalistic objectivity isn't a virtue — and it's making us worse at understanding the world.
Cancel Culture Is Good, Actually
"Cancel culture" is one of the most misunderstood phenomena in American public life. This talk reframes the debate: rather than a threat to free expression, deplatforming and social accountability are tools with a long and legitimate history. Drawing on recent examples — including the Alex Jones lawsuit — this talk argues that speech has always had consequences, and that's a feature, not a bug.