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DECOLONIZING👏GENDER👏
This decolonizing gender event promoted by Billion Dollar brand Lulu Lemon says "resist capitalism."
What is decolonizing?
Why would I do it to my gender?
How do Billion Dollar brands resist capitalism?
All this explained in:
Decolonizing, A thread🧵
DECOLONIZING👏GENDER👏
This decolonizing gender event promoted by Billion Dollar brand Lulu Lemon says "resist capitalism."
What is decolonizing?
Why would I do it to my gender?
How do Billion Dollar brands resist capitalism?
All this explained in:
Decolonizing, A thread🧵
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More and more we're seeing the term "decolonize" come to the surface among the Woke. They want to decolonize everything from education to, well, gender.
The term "decolonize" is a well defined term-of-art which comes out of what is called "postcolonial theory."
I'll explain
More and more we're seeing the term "decolonize" come to the surface among the Woke. They want to decolonize everything from education to, well, gender.
The term "decolonize" is a well defined term-of-art which comes out of what is called "postcolonial theory."
I'll explain
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To understand postcolonial theory, we need to know what they mean by "colonial."
Colonialism is the practice of one country, nation or people group "colonizing" (invading and taking over) another country, nation, or people group; then subjugating and exploiting them...
To understand postcolonial theory, we need to know what they mean by "colonial."
Colonialism is the practice of one country, nation or people group "colonizing" (invading and taking over) another country, nation, or people group; then subjugating and exploiting them...
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Examples of this are:
Romans taking over Judea
China taking over Hong Kong
British control of India
All of those are considered to be examples of regional or global powers taking over other people groups and subjugating/exploiting them.
Colonialism is real phenomenon.
Examples of this are:
Romans taking over Judea
China taking over Hong Kong
British control of India
All of those are considered to be examples of regional or global powers taking over other people groups and subjugating/exploiting them.
Colonialism is real phenomenon.
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Postcolonial theory studies the cultural, economic, and political legacy of colonialism.
Since postcolonial theory studies important topics academically, it should be a careful, rigorous discipline. It isn't.
Instead, it uses postmodernism and critical theory almost entirely
Postcolonial theory studies the cultural, economic, and political legacy of colonialism.
Since postcolonial theory studies important topics academically, it should be a careful, rigorous discipline. It isn't.
Instead, it uses postmodernism and critical theory almost entirely
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As such, postcolonial theory turns out to be just another branch of wokeness.
Now, the forerunner to postcolonial theory was likely the writing of Franz Fanon. Fanon was writing before postmodernism got going, but most of the elements of postcolonial theory are still there...
As such, postcolonial theory turns out to be just another branch of wokeness.
Now, the forerunner to postcolonial theory was likely the writing of Franz Fanon. Fanon was writing before postmodernism got going, but most of the elements of postcolonial theory are still there...
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Fanon focused on the psychological effects colonialism. He said members of colonized groups in a colonized areas were dehumanized and thus suffered psychologically and the only way for the colonized to combat these psychological effects is resistance, by violence if necessary.
Fanon focused on the psychological effects colonialism. He said members of colonized groups in a colonized areas were dehumanized and thus suffered psychologically and the only way for the colonized to combat these psychological effects is resistance, by violence if necessary.
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Further Fanon said the colonialist mind-set has to be eradicated as much as possible within the minds of people who have been subjected to colonial rule. This means, colonized people need to remove from their thinking all the ideas that came from the colonizers...
Further Fanon said the colonialist mind-set has to be eradicated as much as possible within the minds of people who have been subjected to colonial rule. This means, colonized people need to remove from their thinking all the ideas that came from the colonizers...
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Fanon thought colonizing didn't just take the land and resources, it subjugated indigenous peoples' language, religion, and culture.
Notice that Fanon:
1. Is committed to resistance and
2. Thinks colonizing is about culture and psychology as much as land and resources.
Fanon thought colonizing didn't just take the land and resources, it subjugated indigenous peoples' language, religion, and culture.
Notice that Fanon:
1. Is committed to resistance and
2. Thinks colonizing is about culture and psychology as much as land and resources.
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This thinking works very well with both postmodernism and critical theory because if the focus of colonialism is on culture and psychology then attitudes, biases, and discourses are what need to be examined. This is what "woke" postmodern critical theorists are obsessed with.
This thinking works very well with both postmodernism and critical theory because if the focus of colonialism is on culture and psychology then attitudes, biases, and discourses are what need to be examined. This is what "woke" postmodern critical theorists are obsessed with.
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The result of this is that since Fanon Postcolonial Theory has been taken over almost entirely by theorists influenced by postmodernism.
This means that post colonial is concerned with removing anything from "the discourse" (how we talk about things) that could be....
The result of this is that since Fanon Postcolonial Theory has been taken over almost entirely by theorists influenced by postmodernism.
This means that post colonial is concerned with removing anything from "the discourse" (how we talk about things) that could be....
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seen as a "Colonial discourse."
This means any "discourse" which claims some colonial (read: western) idea, thought, concept, practice, or way of thinking is the true, right, correct, or default way must be disrupted, dismantled, and deconstructed.
why is that?
seen as a "Colonial discourse."
This means any "discourse" which claims some colonial (read: western) idea, thought, concept, practice, or way of thinking is the true, right, correct, or default way must be disrupted, dismantled, and deconstructed.
why is that?
13/
In the 80's Edward Said really kicked off postcolonial theory with his book Orientalism which makes heavy use of the work of postmodern thinker Michael Foucault
In fact in Orientalism Said says his work would not be possible without Foucault's work.
(h/t Cynical theories)
In the 80's Edward Said really kicked off postcolonial theory with his book Orientalism which makes heavy use of the work of postmodern thinker Michael Foucault
In fact in Orientalism Said says his work would not be possible without Foucault's work.
(h/t Cynical theories)
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In the late 80's another Gayatri Spivak began to write in postcolonial theory. Spivak had made a name for herself starting in 1976 when she published the first translation of, and wrote an introduction to "On Grammatology" by the postmodern philosopher Jacques Derrida.
In the late 80's another Gayatri Spivak began to write in postcolonial theory. Spivak had made a name for herself starting in 1976 when she published the first translation of, and wrote an introduction to "On Grammatology" by the postmodern philosopher Jacques Derrida.
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It should be no surprise then that Spivak's analysis is entirely postmodern in orientation. In her article "Can the Subaltern speak?" Spivak uses postmodern reasoning to argue the "subaltern" (colonized people) have no voice,
In fact, she says, they can't even speak at all.
It should be no surprise then that Spivak's analysis is entirely postmodern in orientation. In her article "Can the Subaltern speak?" Spivak uses postmodern reasoning to argue the "subaltern" (colonized people) have no voice,
In fact, she says, they can't even speak at all.
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Spivak said that colonizers create a discourse (way of talking about things) which embeds into the culture a way of thinking about things and communicating about things which simply leaves no room for the ideas thoughts and beliefs of the "Subaltern." Lets look at an example:
Spivak said that colonizers create a discourse (way of talking about things) which embeds into the culture a way of thinking about things and communicating about things which simply leaves no room for the ideas thoughts and beliefs of the "Subaltern." Lets look at an example:
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Suppose that the dominant way of talking about biology in a colonized country is the theory of evolution. Now, suppose indigenous tribes believe in a creation story that uses totally different ideas.
Spivak would say the creationist concepts of the indigenous "subaltern"...
Suppose that the dominant way of talking about biology in a colonized country is the theory of evolution. Now, suppose indigenous tribes believe in a creation story that uses totally different ideas.
Spivak would say the creationist concepts of the indigenous "subaltern"...
18/
are locked out of the dominant discourse. She would argue indigenous people can't even speak fourth their ideas because the concepts they use don't exist in the dominant discourse. So in colonized areas "subaltern" beliefs can't be communicated in a way that's understood.
are locked out of the dominant discourse. She would argue indigenous people can't even speak fourth their ideas because the concepts they use don't exist in the dominant discourse. So in colonized areas "subaltern" beliefs can't be communicated in a way that's understood.
19/
So Spivak would say the indigenous creationists can't even speak because the point of speaking is to be understood, and if nobody understand you because your concepts are not taught in the culture ( in schools, churches, media, etc) then no one can understand you.
So Spivak would say the indigenous creationists can't even speak because the point of speaking is to be understood, and if nobody understand you because your concepts are not taught in the culture ( in schools, churches, media, etc) then no one can understand you.
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And if no one can understand you, then you can't communicate, which is the same as being silenced.
So, Spivak came to the conclusion that the control of the discourse, getting to decide which concepts and ideas get taught, is the major way colonizers maintain power...
And if no one can understand you, then you can't communicate, which is the same as being silenced.
So, Spivak came to the conclusion that the control of the discourse, getting to decide which concepts and ideas get taught, is the major way colonizers maintain power...
21/
The postmodern line of thinking that came from Spivak and Edward Said continues today. Almost all the work done in Postcolonial theory is postmodern, focuses on power and language, and problematizes absolutely everything in sight in the manner prescribed by critical theory.
The postmodern line of thinking that came from Spivak and Edward Said continues today. Almost all the work done in Postcolonial theory is postmodern, focuses on power and language, and problematizes absolutely everything in sight in the manner prescribed by critical theory.
22/
In fact, Homi k. Bhaba was so postmodern he problematized Himself by asking if postmodern theorists (Foucault, Derrida, Spivak, Said, and Himself) were using their complicated theories to create their own dominant discourse to get power for themselves. Bhaba was so postmodern
In fact, Homi k. Bhaba was so postmodern he problematized Himself by asking if postmodern theorists (Foucault, Derrida, Spivak, Said, and Himself) were using their complicated theories to create their own dominant discourse to get power for themselves. Bhaba was so postmodern
23/
he analyzed the discourse he was helped create to see if his discipline was creating it's own dominant discourse. Bhaba never gave a clear answer. This episode was, at the time, considered to be very insightful.
Such is the extent of postmodernism in postcolonial theory.
he analyzed the discourse he was helped create to see if his discipline was creating it's own dominant discourse. Bhaba never gave a clear answer. This episode was, at the time, considered to be very insightful.
Such is the extent of postmodernism in postcolonial theory.
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What all of this means is that the postcolonial theorists want to take every idea, thought, concept, text, rule, law, or anything else that has meaning and analyze it for anything that was part of colonialism. Then they want to problematize anything seen to be part of....
What all of this means is that the postcolonial theorists want to take every idea, thought, concept, text, rule, law, or anything else that has meaning and analyze it for anything that was part of colonialism. Then they want to problematize anything seen to be part of....
25/
colonialism, or which might "complicit" in colonialism and get rid of.
In practice this means any idea, concept, belief, bit of culture Europe brought to the rest of the world when it colonized places like India, Africa, and America, needs to go back where it came from.
colonialism, or which might "complicit" in colonialism and get rid of.
In practice this means any idea, concept, belief, bit of culture Europe brought to the rest of the world when it colonized places like India, Africa, and America, needs to go back where it came from.
26/
So European democratic institutions (like parliament) need to be replaced with indigenous creations. European music and art theory need to be removed from school. European influence needs to be purged from fashion runways, movies, and books. European influenced laws must go
So European democratic institutions (like parliament) need to be replaced with indigenous creations. European music and art theory need to be removed from school. European influence needs to be purged from fashion runways, movies, and books. European influenced laws must go
27/
and Science, which is seen as a European cultural artifact, must be abolished and removed.
Finally, capitalism, which is seen as a European economic system, must be removed. (this is why the decolonize gender event has a "resist capitalism" bit).
There is one more point...
and Science, which is seen as a European cultural artifact, must be abolished and removed.
Finally, capitalism, which is seen as a European economic system, must be removed. (this is why the decolonize gender event has a "resist capitalism" bit).
There is one more point...
28/
In addition to the purging of anything European from non-European cultures, they have another point and it is this: any person from a non-european culture that likes European things is considered to have their mind and presences colonized. Such a person is considered...
In addition to the purging of anything European from non-European cultures, they have another point and it is this: any person from a non-european culture that likes European things is considered to have their mind and presences colonized. Such a person is considered...
29/
To not be speaking authentically from the perspective of whatever group they are in. For example, if an African decided they liked European culture they might get called a race traitor, or be told that they have a slave mentality, or be accused of having a type of....
To not be speaking authentically from the perspective of whatever group they are in. For example, if an African decided they liked European culture they might get called a race traitor, or be told that they have a slave mentality, or be accused of having a type of....
30/
Trauma caused by colonialism which causes them to like European culture. As such an African who genuinely preferred, say, French culture would not be considered to be expressing their true self as an African.
This sort of postcolonial thinking is, of course, nonsense.
Trauma caused by colonialism which causes them to like European culture. As such an African who genuinely preferred, say, French culture would not be considered to be expressing their true self as an African.
This sort of postcolonial thinking is, of course, nonsense.
31/
So, when the Lulu Lemon woman is wanting to "decolonize" gender, what she is saying is that she wants each person to remove from their self conception of themselves as their gender, any idea about their gender that can be traced back to European thinking.
So, when the Lulu Lemon woman is wanting to "decolonize" gender, what she is saying is that she wants each person to remove from their self conception of themselves as their gender, any idea about their gender that can be traced back to European thinking.
32/
to decolonize your gender means when you think of yourself as a man, or as a woman, your conception of yourself as contains no traces of any European way of thinking.
This is considered to be very important in post colonial theory.
to decolonize your gender means when you think of yourself as a man, or as a woman, your conception of yourself as contains no traces of any European way of thinking.
This is considered to be very important in post colonial theory.
33/
To conclude, post colonial theory is a branch of wokeness that seeks to remove any an all traces of European influence from the world in any way they can. This absolutely includes the institutions of Democracy, the epistemology of science, and the worldview of liberalism...
To conclude, post colonial theory is a branch of wokeness that seeks to remove any an all traces of European influence from the world in any way they can. This absolutely includes the institutions of Democracy, the epistemology of science, and the worldview of liberalism...
34/
All of which must be done away with as they are seen as relics of colonialism that oppress and marginalize indigenous people by enforcing European ways of being on indigenous cultures.
In other words, Postcolonial theory is, and I can't stress this enough, completely nuts.
All of which must be done away with as they are seen as relics of colonialism that oppress and marginalize indigenous people by enforcing European ways of being on indigenous cultures.
In other words, Postcolonial theory is, and I can't stress this enough, completely nuts.
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Thank you for reading I appreciate it.
/fin
h/t to Cynical Theories by @HPluckrose and @ConceptualJames for informing this thread.
Thank you for reading I appreciate it.
/fin
h/t to Cynical Theories by @HPluckrose and @ConceptualJames for informing this thread.
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