A 2020 Cato national survey found that self-censorship is on the rise in the United States. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of Americans say the political climate these days prevents them from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive.

Additionally, nearly a third (32%) of employed Americans say they are worried about missing out on career opportunities or losing their job if their political opinions became known. (These results are particularly notable since most personal campaign contributions to political candidates are public knowledge and can easily be found online.)

But when Armani Salado, the author of the fantasy book The Old Universe and co-founder of a multi-media company called Forbidden Origins, tweeted a question, asking everyone what radicalized them, many answered it and allowed the internet to have an honest discussion on a sensitive topic that’s becoming increasingly avoided.

• Read More: 30 People Share Experiences That Made Them Change Their Views Radically

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