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-Critical Theory
-Critical Pedagogy
-Critical Race Theory
-Feminist Critical pedagogy
If any word summed up the thinking behind wokeness it's ‘critical.’ Understanding what the woke mean by "critical" is key to understanding woke ideology.
Let's talk about that.
A thread🧵
-Critical Theory
-Critical Pedagogy
-Critical Race Theory
-Feminist Critical pedagogy
If any word summed up the thinking behind wokeness it's ‘critical.’ Understanding what the woke mean by "critical" is key to understanding woke ideology.
Let's talk about that.
A thread🧵
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Woke Theorists have come up with a great number of theories which they call critical: Critical Pedagogy, Critical Race Theory, Critical Queer Theory, Critical Race Pedagogy, Critical Dietetics, Critical Legal Studies, and so on. All of these are "Critical Theories."
Woke Theorists have come up with a great number of theories which they call critical: Critical Pedagogy, Critical Race Theory, Critical Queer Theory, Critical Race Pedagogy, Critical Dietetics, Critical Legal Studies, and so on. All of these are "Critical Theories."
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What is to be made of all this criticism, and why is there such an emphasis on being critical? Why is it that the term “critical” takes such a central place Social Justice oriented literature, and what is going on when woke academics say they are being “critical?”
What is to be made of all this criticism, and why is there such an emphasis on being critical? Why is it that the term “critical” takes such a central place Social Justice oriented literature, and what is going on when woke academics say they are being “critical?”
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The idea of “critical” the woke use is a cheap knockoff of the enlightenment liberal idea of critical thinking. By contrasting these two traditions we'll see "Critical Theory" is little more then cheap cynicism and subjective interpretation dressed up as intellectual rigor.
The idea of “critical” the woke use is a cheap knockoff of the enlightenment liberal idea of critical thinking. By contrasting these two traditions we'll see "Critical Theory" is little more then cheap cynicism and subjective interpretation dressed up as intellectual rigor.
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The fact is, that there are two different meanings of the term “critical” in play. There is the enlightenment liberal version of the term (as in “critical thinking”), and there is the way woke academic activists use the term “critical” (as in “critical theory”).
The fact is, that there are two different meanings of the term “critical” in play. There is the enlightenment liberal version of the term (as in “critical thinking”), and there is the way woke academic activists use the term “critical” (as in “critical theory”).
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A nice description of the differences between the two “critical” traditions comes to us from Philosophy Professor Alison Bailey, director of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at Illinois State University. I will quote her at length in this thread.
Lets begin.
A nice description of the differences between the two “critical” traditions comes to us from Philosophy Professor Alison Bailey, director of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at Illinois State University. I will quote her at length in this thread.
Lets begin.
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As you can see, she begins by telling us that there are two different definitions of Critical in play: The definition of “critical” from the enlightenment liberal tradition, and the definition of “critical” from the woke social justice tradition. (emphasis is mine)
As you can see, she begins by telling us that there are two different definitions of Critical in play: The definition of “critical” from the enlightenment liberal tradition, and the definition of “critical” from the woke social justice tradition. (emphasis is mine)
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Bailey, correctly identifies key elements of the enlightenment liberal tradition of Critical Thinking. Namely, the critical thinker looks to verify claims and assertions are *TRUE* rather than false, and does so using the tools of reason, logic, evidence, and rationality.
Bailey, correctly identifies key elements of the enlightenment liberal tradition of Critical Thinking. Namely, the critical thinker looks to verify claims and assertions are *TRUE* rather than false, and does so using the tools of reason, logic, evidence, and rationality.
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This is the tradition that I seek to defend.
Now that we have a description of the enlightenment liberal tradition of critical thinking, let’s contrast it with Allison Bailey’s description of the “Critical Social Justice” (AKA woke) tradition of “critical theory.”
This is the tradition that I seek to defend.
Now that we have a description of the enlightenment liberal tradition of critical thinking, let’s contrast it with Allison Bailey’s description of the “Critical Social Justice” (AKA woke) tradition of “critical theory.”
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This is as clear and concise a description of the woke critical tradition as one could hope to find, but we will have to do some work to unpack everything she said so we can really get a good picture of all that she has packed into this paragraph.
This is as clear and concise a description of the woke critical tradition as one could hope to find, but we will have to do some work to unpack everything she said so we can really get a good picture of all that she has packed into this paragraph.
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First, she admits that Critical Pedagogy comes loaded with a set of assumptions that are rooted in the neo-marxian literature on Critical Theory. This is a point that has been made at great length by @ConceptualJames @jordanbpeterson @realchrisrufo and myself.
First, she admits that Critical Pedagogy comes loaded with a set of assumptions that are rooted in the neo-marxian literature on Critical Theory. This is a point that has been made at great length by @ConceptualJames @jordanbpeterson @realchrisrufo and myself.
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In 1937 Max Horkheimer wrote an essay called “Traditional and Critical Theory” in which lays out his vision for Critical Theory. Horkheimer said the goal of Traditional Theory was purely descriptive it sought to give us a correct description of the way the world actually is.
In 1937 Max Horkheimer wrote an essay called “Traditional and Critical Theory” in which lays out his vision for Critical Theory. Horkheimer said the goal of Traditional Theory was purely descriptive it sought to give us a correct description of the way the world actually is.
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On the other hand, Critical Theory is not concerned primarily with describing the world, Critical Theory is concerned with liberation from oppression. The goal of the Critical Theorist is to create theories that will aid in achieving the moral vision of wokeness.
On the other hand, Critical Theory is not concerned primarily with describing the world, Critical Theory is concerned with liberation from oppression. The goal of the Critical Theorist is to create theories that will aid in achieving the moral vision of wokeness.
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This means critical theories begin with a moral vision for how society ought to be, and critique various ideas, concepts, policies, and other social phenomenon to show how they fail to conform to the Critical Social Justice moral vision for how society ought to operate.
This means critical theories begin with a moral vision for how society ought to be, and critique various ideas, concepts, policies, and other social phenomenon to show how they fail to conform to the Critical Social Justice moral vision for how society ought to operate.
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At this point the Critical Theorist will attempt to describe what sort of actions can be taken to dismantle, disrupt, deconstruct, call into question, subvert, the thing they think fails to align with their moral vision. They can do critical theory about literally anything.
At this point the Critical Theorist will attempt to describe what sort of actions can be taken to dismantle, disrupt, deconstruct, call into question, subvert, the thing they think fails to align with their moral vision. They can do critical theory about literally anything.
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Everything from football games to the rules of mathematics can be analyzed by critical theory to see where it might interfere with the woke moral vision.
Critical Theory analyzes and examines ideas in terms of power and politics, not truth.
Read that again.
Everything from football games to the rules of mathematics can be analyzed by critical theory to see where it might interfere with the woke moral vision.
Critical Theory analyzes and examines ideas in terms of power and politics, not truth.
Read that again.
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This is why Bailey says: “Critical pedagogy regards the claims that students make in response to social-justice issues not as propositions to be assessed for their truth value, but as expressions of power that function to re-inscribe and perpetuate social inequalities.”
This is why Bailey says: “Critical pedagogy regards the claims that students make in response to social-justice issues not as propositions to be assessed for their truth value, but as expressions of power that function to re-inscribe and perpetuate social inequalities.”
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And this is where we can really dig in to the inadequacy of Critical Theory. However, to understand what is going on we first need to have an understanding of the woke doctrine of constructivism. I will do this briefly here, but a full essay will be available on substack.
And this is where we can really dig in to the inadequacy of Critical Theory. However, to understand what is going on we first need to have an understanding of the woke doctrine of constructivism. I will do this briefly here, but a full essay will be available on substack.
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Wokeness holds to the doctrine of constructivism with respect to knowledge and truth. They do not believe that truth is a matter of making sure that our claims about the world correctly describe the world.
That's not how they view the world.
Wokeness holds to the doctrine of constructivism with respect to knowledge and truth. They do not believe that truth is a matter of making sure that our claims about the world correctly describe the world.
That's not how they view the world.
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The woke do not think we can have objective facts about the world which are objectively true according to objective standards.
The woke believe is not possible for anyone to get outside of their cultural upbringing and the way they were socialized. As such the biases...
The woke do not think we can have objective facts about the world which are objectively true according to objective standards.
The woke believe is not possible for anyone to get outside of their cultural upbringing and the way they were socialized. As such the biases...
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interests, and prejudices that everyone must have inevitably make their way into every judgement, decision, appraisal, analysis, observation or evaluation that occurs. This means no one can never arrive at a truly objective account of anything.
interests, and prejudices that everyone must have inevitably make their way into every judgement, decision, appraisal, analysis, observation or evaluation that occurs. This means no one can never arrive at a truly objective account of anything.
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Further, the woke believe there are no objective interpretations of either language or the world. Everything can be interpreted and understood in a nearly infinite number of ways, and there is no objective way to decide which interpretation is correct.
Further, the woke believe there are no objective interpretations of either language or the world. Everything can be interpreted and understood in a nearly infinite number of ways, and there is no objective way to decide which interpretation is correct.
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Wokeness believes that what is true is matter of who gets to decide what is true, and how they decide what is true. On this view, a statement becomes “true” because the people in society with the power to decide what is true have said a thing is true, and people accept this.
Wokeness believes that what is true is matter of who gets to decide what is true, and how they decide what is true. On this view, a statement becomes “true” because the people in society with the power to decide what is true have said a thing is true, and people accept this.
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Wokeness thinks that the people who have the power to decide what is true use that position to increase their power, to benefit themselves, to serve their own interests, to maintain their social position, and to increase their social status, social prestige, and clout.
Wokeness thinks that the people who have the power to decide what is true use that position to increase their power, to benefit themselves, to serve their own interests, to maintain their social position, and to increase their social status, social prestige, and clout.
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What all this means is that the woke simply do not accept the idea that knowledge, truth, or “facts” are objective in any meaningful way. They are all subjectively constructed. And here is where Critical Theory comes in.
What all this means is that the woke simply do not accept the idea that knowledge, truth, or “facts” are objective in any meaningful way. They are all subjectively constructed. And here is where Critical Theory comes in.
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Woke activists do not thing that knowledge truth and facts are objective things discovered by neutral observers using neutral tools to try to find the truth about the world. They think that Truth, knowledge, and facts are constructed by people, and as such all the truth....
Woke activists do not thing that knowledge truth and facts are objective things discovered by neutral observers using neutral tools to try to find the truth about the world. They think that Truth, knowledge, and facts are constructed by people, and as such all the truth....
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knowledge, and facts that are constructed are warped by the perspectives, biases, and self-interests of the people who construct them.
This leaves us in a world where what matters is not truth, but interests, agendas, biases, and power.
knowledge, and facts that are constructed are warped by the perspectives, biases, and self-interests of the people who construct them.
This leaves us in a world where what matters is not truth, but interests, agendas, biases, and power.
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The Critical Theorist takes a look at any fact that is used to push back against wokeness and thinks that when they examine is that find the grubby little fingerprints of the people who constructed that fact and seek to use those “facts” for their own selfish ends.
The Critical Theorist takes a look at any fact that is used to push back against wokeness and thinks that when they examine is that find the grubby little fingerprints of the people who constructed that fact and seek to use those “facts” for their own selfish ends.
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The Critical Theorist looks at claims to knowledge, truth, and facts and does not see propositions that need to be assessed on the basis of truth, but rather they see a series of claims that need to be assessed as the expressions of power of those who want to oppress others.
The Critical Theorist looks at claims to knowledge, truth, and facts and does not see propositions that need to be assessed on the basis of truth, but rather they see a series of claims that need to be assessed as the expressions of power of those who want to oppress others.
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What the Critical Theorist thinks about truth, knowledge, and facts is then extended to everything that exists in society. All of the laws, rules, standards, moral norms, legislation, economic systems, transportation systems, and everything else in society all...
What the Critical Theorist thinks about truth, knowledge, and facts is then extended to everything that exists in society. All of the laws, rules, standards, moral norms, legislation, economic systems, transportation systems, and everything else in society all...
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contain the grubby little fingerprints of self-interested people who designed and built all those things according to their own biases, prejudices, and self-interests.
And THIS is the problem with Critical Theory.
contain the grubby little fingerprints of self-interested people who designed and built all those things according to their own biases, prejudices, and self-interests.
And THIS is the problem with Critical Theory.
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Critical Theory does not ask if facts, truth, knowledge institutions, legislation, rules, or anything else are justified according to objectively rational criteria. Rather, it says that rationality itself is a social construct that contains the grubby little finger prints...
Critical Theory does not ask if facts, truth, knowledge institutions, legislation, rules, or anything else are justified according to objectively rational criteria. Rather, it says that rationality itself is a social construct that contains the grubby little finger prints...
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of the biased, prejudices, self-interested people who constructed it. As such, even the objective standards of analysis or not , in fact, objective, and rather are the expressions of power of the people who created those standards.
of the biased, prejudices, self-interested people who constructed it. As such, even the objective standards of analysis or not , in fact, objective, and rather are the expressions of power of the people who created those standards.
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Wokeness thinks the people who construct standards of rationality, truth, facts, knowledge, rules, laws, institutions, and everything else have baked their biases, prejudices, and interests into the structure of everything to ensure everything serves their own self-interest.
Wokeness thinks the people who construct standards of rationality, truth, facts, knowledge, rules, laws, institutions, and everything else have baked their biases, prejudices, and interests into the structure of everything to ensure everything serves their own self-interest.
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Wokeness analyzes things to see if they advance the cause of wokeness. If it concludes that a thing does not advance the cause of wokeness the woke activist does a cynical analysis of that thing in order to undercut, subvert and otherwise overthrow the thing it is analyzing.
Wokeness analyzes things to see if they advance the cause of wokeness. If it concludes that a thing does not advance the cause of wokeness the woke activist does a cynical analysis of that thing in order to undercut, subvert and otherwise overthrow the thing it is analyzing.
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As such, the woke activist does not ask “is this fact true?” They ask “Who constructed the fact, what biases and prejudices did those people have? What agenda did they have when they constructed the fact? Whose interests are served by us believing the fact, and who benefits?”
As such, the woke activist does not ask “is this fact true?” They ask “Who constructed the fact, what biases and prejudices did those people have? What agenda did they have when they constructed the fact? Whose interests are served by us believing the fact, and who benefits?”
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Critical theory does not analyze things according to the standards of truth and rational justification. Instead it makes it the moral vision of the woke the standard by which everything in society is judged, and then it proceeds cynically analyze everything that...
Critical theory does not analyze things according to the standards of truth and rational justification. Instead it makes it the moral vision of the woke the standard by which everything in society is judged, and then it proceeds cynically analyze everything that...
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doesn’t align with the woke moral agenda using it’s own moral vision as the ultimate standard. It then attacks whatever does not meet it standards by claiming the people who constructed it were motivated by biases, prejudice, self-interest,racism, homophobia and so fourth.
doesn’t align with the woke moral agenda using it’s own moral vision as the ultimate standard. It then attacks whatever does not meet it standards by claiming the people who constructed it were motivated by biases, prejudice, self-interest,racism, homophobia and so fourth.
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Put simply, critical theory is the art of attributing bad motives, biases, and prejudice people who construct anything that doesn’t advance the cause of wokeness, and then claiming those bad motives corrupt what those people constructed.
Put simply, critical theory is the art of attributing bad motives, biases, and prejudice people who construct anything that doesn’t advance the cause of wokeness, and then claiming those bad motives corrupt what those people constructed.
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The notion of “Critical” that the woke use is means to critically examining a thing to determine which interests are served by the thing. The woke activist want to know if a thing advances wokeness and gives social power the the people the woke want to have social power...
The notion of “Critical” that the woke use is means to critically examining a thing to determine which interests are served by the thing. The woke activist want to know if a thing advances wokeness and gives social power the the people the woke want to have social power...
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and THAT, my friends, is what the woke mean by “Critical.”
In the next essay/ thread I will provide a thorough refutation of critical theory, and I will provide a set of tools and strategies for dealing with critical theorists when they attack using woke "critical" methods.
and THAT, my friends, is what the woke mean by “Critical.”
In the next essay/ thread I will provide a thorough refutation of critical theory, and I will provide a set of tools and strategies for dealing with critical theorists when they attack using woke "critical" methods.
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I have written a long form essay about Critical Theory over at substack.
The essay is free, but if you find my work helpful please consider supporting me with either a free or paid subscription.
Thank you for reading 🙂🙂🙂🙂
wokaldistance.substack.com/p/what-makes-a…
I have written a long form essay about Critical Theory over at substack.
The essay is free, but if you find my work helpful please consider supporting me with either a free or paid subscription.
Thank you for reading 🙂🙂🙂🙂
wokaldistance.substack.com/p/what-makes-a…
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