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EVERYTHING IS PROBLEMATIC!
Paw Patrol, Barbie, Dr. Seuss, and Christmas are all problematic, but why?
The Theory behind it is called "Critical Theory," and the woke use it to attack literally everything anyone does, so we need to understand it
Critical Theory: A thread🧵
EVERYTHING IS PROBLEMATIC!
Paw Patrol, Barbie, Dr. Seuss, and Christmas are all problematic, but why?
The Theory behind it is called "Critical Theory," and the woke use it to attack literally everything anyone does, so we need to understand it
Critical Theory: A thread🧵
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What is Critical Theory?
In 1937 Max Horkheimer defined Critical Theory in his paper "Traditional and Critical Theory."
He said Traditional Theories try to understand and give unbiased accounts of how the world, or society, works.
Traditional theories are purely descriptive!
What is Critical Theory?
In 1937 Max Horkheimer defined Critical Theory in his paper "Traditional and Critical Theory."
He said Traditional Theories try to understand and give unbiased accounts of how the world, or society, works.
Traditional theories are purely descriptive!
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According to Horkheimer, traditional theories don't tell us what's what is good or bad. The only thing a traditional theory provides is an explanation of how things in the world, or society, actually function.
For example: the theory of evolution is a traditional theory.
According to Horkheimer, traditional theories don't tell us what's what is good or bad. The only thing a traditional theory provides is an explanation of how things in the world, or society, actually function.
For example: the theory of evolution is a traditional theory.
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Critical theory is different.
Critical Theory is oriented toward critiquing and changing society. Critical Theorists have a moral vision for how society should be, and use the tools of critical theory to say whatever doesn't line up with their ideology is oppressive and evil.
Critical theory is different.
Critical Theory is oriented toward critiquing and changing society. Critical Theorists have a moral vision for how society should be, and use the tools of critical theory to say whatever doesn't line up with their ideology is oppressive and evil.
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The original Critical Theorists were neo-Marxists. Where Marx focused on economics, neo-marxists wanted to take Marx's views on economics and politics and extend them to all aspects of culture. That way they could attack, not just capitalism, but all of liberal democracy.
The original Critical Theorists were neo-Marxists. Where Marx focused on economics, neo-marxists wanted to take Marx's views on economics and politics and extend them to all aspects of culture. That way they could attack, not just capitalism, but all of liberal democracy.
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While The Institute for Social Research (sometimes called the Frankfurt School) where Horkheimer wrote his essay was ground zero for critical theory, we must also look at the influence of another neo-marxist: Antonio Gramsci (founder of the Italian Communist party)
While The Institute for Social Research (sometimes called the Frankfurt School) where Horkheimer wrote his essay was ground zero for critical theory, we must also look at the influence of another neo-marxist: Antonio Gramsci (founder of the Italian Communist party)
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Like the Frankfurt School, Gramsci focused on culture.
Gramsci believed politics must be reinforced by culture, he realized that even if communists grabbed power, if the popular culture says communism is bad the power grab won't last because the people will revolt.
Like the Frankfurt School, Gramsci focused on culture.
Gramsci believed politics must be reinforced by culture, he realized that even if communists grabbed power, if the popular culture says communism is bad the power grab won't last because the people will revolt.
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Gramsci said in order to get into power and stay there, the communists would need to have broad popular and cultural support. The only way to get that would be to have what he called "cultural hegemony."
Cultural Hegemony is a very important idea in Critical Theory. It says:
Gramsci said in order to get into power and stay there, the communists would need to have broad popular and cultural support. The only way to get that would be to have what he called "cultural hegemony."
Cultural Hegemony is a very important idea in Critical Theory. It says:
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Cultural Hegemony is cultural dominance. Gramsci thought those who make and control culture determine which beliefs and ideas are spread through society. So the worldview and ideology of the culturally dominant people becomes the dominant worldview in society.
Cultural Hegemony is cultural dominance. Gramsci thought those who make and control culture determine which beliefs and ideas are spread through society. So the worldview and ideology of the culturally dominant people becomes the dominant worldview in society.
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To recap:
Traditional Theories describe how the world works.
Critical Theories extend the neo-marxist critique to all of culture and society and say how it should change.
Critical Theorists almost always see cultural dominance as necessary to get and keep power.
To recap:
Traditional Theories describe how the world works.
Critical Theories extend the neo-marxist critique to all of culture and society and say how it should change.
Critical Theorists almost always see cultural dominance as necessary to get and keep power.
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So lets look at how this actually works among woke people.
Step 1. A woke person analyzes society to find anything which isn't woke. Literally anything will do: books, movies, shoes, food, sports; any element of culture a woke person thinks could be woke, but isn't woke.
So lets look at how this actually works among woke people.
Step 1. A woke person analyzes society to find anything which isn't woke. Literally anything will do: books, movies, shoes, food, sports; any element of culture a woke person thinks could be woke, but isn't woke.
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It's important to note there doesn't have to be anything wrong with the cultural item picked. A woke person might choose to analyze something which is fine: a book everyone loves, a bank that does it's job, good police which aren't abusive; It doesn't matter what's picked...
It's important to note there doesn't have to be anything wrong with the cultural item picked. A woke person might choose to analyze something which is fine: a book everyone loves, a bank that does it's job, good police which aren't abusive; It doesn't matter what's picked...
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Because step 2 is problematizing, and anything can be problematized.
This is when the Critical Theorist analyzes the thing that wasn't woke, which everyone was happy with, which no one was bothered by, and raises hell about it. Why do they do that? There are a two reasons:
Because step 2 is problematizing, and anything can be problematized.
This is when the Critical Theorist analyzes the thing that wasn't woke, which everyone was happy with, which no one was bothered by, and raises hell about it. Why do they do that? There are a two reasons:
14/ The first is that they think the only reason we are o.k. with non-woke things is because we have been socialized by our culture to accept them. If we were "woke" we would realize how oppressive and evil Paw Patrol and Christmas really are.
The second reason is because...
The second reason is because...
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We have been conditioned by our society to accept "problematic" things as normal so we let them slide. The solution then, is to "problematize the existential situation," and raise hell about it so the problematic nature of the thing in question (say Christmas) is made visible
We have been conditioned by our society to accept "problematic" things as normal so we let them slide. The solution then, is to "problematize the existential situation," and raise hell about it so the problematic nature of the thing in question (say Christmas) is made visible
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During the process of problematizing the woke will provide explanations for why the thing is problematic. For example, suppose they problematize math. They might say that claiming math is universal (and saying 2+2=4 is always true) upholds white supremacy. I'm not kidding:
During the process of problematizing the woke will provide explanations for why the thing is problematic. For example, suppose they problematize math. They might say that claiming math is universal (and saying 2+2=4 is always true) upholds white supremacy. I'm not kidding:
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Or take for example marriage:
We would take evidence from biology and say humans often fall in love and many humans have a biological desire to engage in reproductive behavior. Thus we invent marriage as a cultural support for people who fall in love or have children together
Or take for example marriage:
We would take evidence from biology and say humans often fall in love and many humans have a biological desire to engage in reproductive behavior. Thus we invent marriage as a cultural support for people who fall in love or have children together
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That is, one of us might use traditional theories to understand the biological reasons for humans falling in love (or reproducing), and the sociological reasons society would invent a thing like marriage. We may even study the psychology of humans who get married!
That is, one of us might use traditional theories to understand the biological reasons for humans falling in love (or reproducing), and the sociological reasons society would invent a thing like marriage. We may even study the psychology of humans who get married!
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Critical Theory might say marriage exists in order to establish a patriarchy. The family is created to socialize men to become wage slaves for capitalists and socialize women to be human incubators that produce offspring so the supply of wage slaves is maintained.
Critical Theory might say marriage exists in order to establish a patriarchy. The family is created to socialize men to become wage slaves for capitalists and socialize women to be human incubators that produce offspring so the supply of wage slaves is maintained.
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If a husband and wife were to push back at this and say that is not in fact why they got married, the critical theorist would tell them that they have a "false consciousness." They are not aware of the ways their thoughts and emotions are controlled by the cultural hegemony.
If a husband and wife were to push back at this and say that is not in fact why they got married, the critical theorist would tell them that they have a "false consciousness." They are not aware of the ways their thoughts and emotions are controlled by the cultural hegemony.
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And the power of cultural hegemony lies in its invisibility. Culture doesn’t seem political, it’s just the songs we sing, the books we read, and the language we use. But really culture is a politics that doesn’t look like politics, so their marriage is political!
And the power of cultural hegemony lies in its invisibility. Culture doesn’t seem political, it’s just the songs we sing, the books we read, and the language we use. But really culture is a politics that doesn’t look like politics, so their marriage is political!
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This is how critical theory proceeds in everything. They will take every little thing, from the totally innocuous, to the fantastically beautiful, and then claim that in actual fact that beautiful thing exists to support some kind of evil system that needs to be dismantled...
This is how critical theory proceeds in everything. They will take every little thing, from the totally innocuous, to the fantastically beautiful, and then claim that in actual fact that beautiful thing exists to support some kind of evil system that needs to be dismantled...
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because ThE SyStEm Of PoWer AnD thE SyStEmiC PoWeR of The DomInAnT StRucTUre Is...And on and on they'll go.
They start with their conclusions and ignore truth as they prescribe activism to grant themselves power while tearing down ideas, institutions, and cultural norms.
because ThE SyStEm Of PoWer AnD thE SyStEmiC PoWeR of The DomInAnT StRucTUre Is...And on and on they'll go.
They start with their conclusions and ignore truth as they prescribe activism to grant themselves power while tearing down ideas, institutions, and cultural norms.
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Critical Theory is cynicism masquerading as wisdom. It has cloaked itself in the legitimacy borrowed from more rigorous disciplines.
So show people that. Ask questions. Ask for proof. Demand evidence. When they offer more theories in lieu of evidence call it out....
Critical Theory is cynicism masquerading as wisdom. It has cloaked itself in the legitimacy borrowed from more rigorous disciplines.
So show people that. Ask questions. Ask for proof. Demand evidence. When they offer more theories in lieu of evidence call it out....
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When they assume what they claim they can prove call it out...
When they use one of their argumentative sleights of hand call them out...
Then demand evidence.
If they don't have any then you dismiss their claims and don't give in even if they raise hell.
When they assume what they claim they can prove call it out...
When they use one of their argumentative sleights of hand call them out...
Then demand evidence.
If they don't have any then you dismiss their claims and don't give in even if they raise hell.
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Critical Theory is nonsense, let's start saying so.
fin/
Critical Theory is nonsense, let's start saying so.
fin/
