"I think what we have in this country is a little more dangerous in a way because it can't be seen fully. It's sorta internal censorship. We censor each other"

Kathy Acker is pointing toward a phenomenon that permeates societies where freedom of expression is theoretically protected, but conformity and self-regulation shape the boundaries of what can be spoken or even considered. Rather than overt governmental censorship, where an external authority dictates permissible speech, she identifies a subtler, internalized form of censorship. The danger she alludes to arises because this kind of self- or peer-imposed restriction is harder to recognize and harder to resist.

When censorship is formal, its parameters are clear: banned books lists, blocked websites, explicit governmental decrees. People aware of the restrictions may choose resistance, subversion, or compliance, but the contours of oppression can be traced and challenged. In contrast, internal censorship arises when people absorb social norms to such an extent that they police their own thoughts, language, and art before any outside authority needs to intervene. The rules are unwritten but deeply enforced, not by law, but through cultural pressure, fear of ostracism, desire for acceptance, or anxiety over offending group sensibilities.

Acker suggests that Americans have developed mechanisms for limiting discourse and creativity that are not obvious, that operate beneath the surface. People become wary of expressing unconventional or unpopular views, not just because they fear formal consequences, but because they anticipate social pushback, ridicule, professional damage, or personal isolation. The boundaries of what is sayable shift subtly as individuals collectively draw lines, reinforcing shared beliefs while marginalizing dissent.

The insidious nature of such censorship is that it can pass as ordinary politeness, consensus, or civility, but in fact inhibits genuine dialogue, dissent, and artistic experimentation. When everyone polices each other, the culture maintains a façade of freedom and openness, yet underlying possibilities for thought and expression are quietly narrowed. Acker’s warning encourages awareness of these dynamics, asking people to question not only which ideas are forbidden from above, but which are eliminated from within.