1/
Deconstruction.
You've likely seen this word bouncing around the culture. If you want to understand wokeness and how it operates, you MUST understand deconstruction. It is the key method the woke use to attack our institutions and ideas.
So, Deconstruction...
A thread🧵
Deconstruction.
You've likely seen this word bouncing around the culture. If you want to understand wokeness and how it operates, you MUST understand deconstruction. It is the key method the woke use to attack our institutions and ideas.
So, Deconstruction...
A thread🧵
2/
In order to understand how we deal with attempts to deconstruct our concepts, ideas, thoughts, arguments, texts, words, and other meaningful bits of language, we need to understand that deconstruction **always makes its attack at the level of MEANING**
Please read that again!
In order to understand how we deal with attempts to deconstruct our concepts, ideas, thoughts, arguments, texts, words, and other meaningful bits of language, we need to understand that deconstruction **always makes its attack at the level of MEANING**
Please read that again!
3/
In other words, deconstruction does not engage with the substance of what you say, deconstruction tries to dissolve the MEANING of whatever it is you try to say.
Deconstruction doesn't seek to show you are wrong, it seeks to subvert the MEANING of you claim.
In other words, deconstruction does not engage with the substance of what you say, deconstruction tries to dissolve the MEANING of whatever it is you try to say.
Deconstruction doesn't seek to show you are wrong, it seeks to subvert the MEANING of you claim.
4/
The goal of deconstruction is find out how the meaning of something (text, book, argument, idea, concept, etc,) actually functions, and to then seek to find ways in which the meaning of that thing can be blurred, subverted and undermined. See how that works?
The goal of deconstruction is find out how the meaning of something (text, book, argument, idea, concept, etc,) actually functions, and to then seek to find ways in which the meaning of that thing can be blurred, subverted and undermined. See how that works?
5/
Deconstruction is not going to try to show that a claim is false. Deconstruction is going to try to undermine, undercut, subvert, and otherwise attack the MEANING of that claim.
Deconstructors want to take the wind of meaning out of the sails of whatever you say.
Deconstruction is not going to try to show that a claim is false. Deconstruction is going to try to undermine, undercut, subvert, and otherwise attack the MEANING of that claim.
Deconstructors want to take the wind of meaning out of the sails of whatever you say.
6/
As a result, when someone is attempting to deconstruct what you have communicated it very often looks like they are nitpicking the words you used to express your ideas with the goal of missing the point that you were trying to make.
It's very frustrating.
As a result, when someone is attempting to deconstruct what you have communicated it very often looks like they are nitpicking the words you used to express your ideas with the goal of missing the point that you were trying to make.
It's very frustrating.
7/
The great weakness of deconstruction is this: if you can make your point clear enough that the average person can understand what you mean perfectly well, deconstructive attempts to attack the meaning of what you said will be exposed for the nonsense they are.
Let me explain.
The great weakness of deconstruction is this: if you can make your point clear enough that the average person can understand what you mean perfectly well, deconstructive attempts to attack the meaning of what you said will be exposed for the nonsense they are.
Let me explain.
8/
Deconstruction can look clever when the meaning of a text is unclear. However, when the meaning of a text is clear then attempts by deconstructors to reinterpret the text with the goal of attacking the meaning will backfire and come across as bad faith pedantic nitpicking.
Deconstruction can look clever when the meaning of a text is unclear. However, when the meaning of a text is clear then attempts by deconstructors to reinterpret the text with the goal of attacking the meaning will backfire and come across as bad faith pedantic nitpicking.
9/
Here are some simple rules for making deconstruction backfire.
Be really clear about what you want to say before we say it. If we are not completely clear about what we want to say before we say it, then we will end up communicating vague ideas that can easily be attacked.
Here are some simple rules for making deconstruction backfire.
Be really clear about what you want to say before we say it. If we are not completely clear about what we want to say before we say it, then we will end up communicating vague ideas that can easily be attacked.
10/
Secondly, when we communicate we must avoid technical jargon that can be confusing.
Third, use examples and metaphors from every day life so that it makes them more difficult to misinterpret. Use simple examples drawn from things understood by the general public.
Secondly, when we communicate we must avoid technical jargon that can be confusing.
Third, use examples and metaphors from every day life so that it makes them more difficult to misinterpret. Use simple examples drawn from things understood by the general public.
11/
Finally avoid over explaining yourself. If we spend all our time trying to preempt every way in which we can be misinterpreted then we will end up saying so much that our communication can become unclear, or run the risk of dying the death of a thousand clarifications.
Finally avoid over explaining yourself. If we spend all our time trying to preempt every way in which we can be misinterpreted then we will end up saying so much that our communication can become unclear, or run the risk of dying the death of a thousand clarifications.
12/
By making ourselves very very clear we can make attempts to blur our meaning backfire, so they will be seen for what they are: attempts to subvert the meaning of what we communicate without engaging with the substance of our communication.
By making ourselves very very clear we can make attempts to blur our meaning backfire, so they will be seen for what they are: attempts to subvert the meaning of what we communicate without engaging with the substance of our communication.
13/
Thanks for reading!
For those interested in a more detailed examination of deconstruction I wrote more about this on my substack (link below). My substack essays are free, but there is a paid subscription option for those who want to support my work. wokaldistance.substack.com/p/understandin…
Thanks for reading!
For those interested in a more detailed examination of deconstruction I wrote more about this on my substack (link below). My substack essays are free, but there is a paid subscription option for those who want to support my work. wokaldistance.substack.com/p/understandin…
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
