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DECOLONIZATION!!!
Many woke "social justice" activists and academics are cheering on Hamas attack on Israel as an act of DECOLONIZATION, all while justifying, ignoring, and minimizing the rape and murder of women and children.
So, let's talk about Decolonization,
A Thread🧵
DECOLONIZATION!!!
Many woke "social justice" activists and academics are cheering on Hamas attack on Israel as an act of DECOLONIZATION, all while justifying, ignoring, and minimizing the rape and murder of women and children.
So, let's talk about Decolonization,
A Thread🧵
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To begin we must understand that"decolonize" is a well defined term-of-art that comes out of something called "postcolonial theory"
This means that even though the term has begun to pop up in mainstream discourse (see pic) it comes loaded with an entire worldview and ideology
To begin we must understand that"decolonize" is a well defined term-of-art that comes out of something called "postcolonial theory"
This means that even though the term has begun to pop up in mainstream discourse (see pic) it comes loaded with an entire worldview and ideology
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So what is the ideology behind post-colonial theory?
Post-Colonial Theory is one of the big-three sub-domains of Critical Social Justice (AKA, "woke") Scholarship along with "Critical Race Theory" and "Queer Theory"
As such it shares similar intellectual DNA with CRT and QT
So what is the ideology behind post-colonial theory?
Post-Colonial Theory is one of the big-three sub-domains of Critical Social Justice (AKA, "woke") Scholarship along with "Critical Race Theory" and "Queer Theory"
As such it shares similar intellectual DNA with CRT and QT
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Post-colonial theory, like all woke theories is built on a fusion of postmodernism and critical theory, and the goal of post-colonial theory is to do "critical theory" in a way that will dismantle, deconstruct, delegitimize, and otherwise invalidate Western Society and ideals.
Post-colonial theory, like all woke theories is built on a fusion of postmodernism and critical theory, and the goal of post-colonial theory is to do "critical theory" in a way that will dismantle, deconstruct, delegitimize, and otherwise invalidate Western Society and ideals.
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Post-colonial theory sees all of western civilization as a corrupt, racist, sexist, imperial, evil empire that must be dismantled and deconstructed.
The first Post-Colonial text is generally thought to be the 1961 book "The Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon.
Post-colonial theory sees all of western civilization as a corrupt, racist, sexist, imperial, evil empire that must be dismantled and deconstructed.
The first Post-Colonial text is generally thought to be the 1961 book "The Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon.
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Fanon focused on the psychological effects colonialism. He said colonized groups had been stripped of their humanity and thus suffered psychologically.
Now, the problem is not Fanon's observation that colonial wars created psychological scars...it's his SOLUTION that is scary.
Fanon focused on the psychological effects colonialism. He said colonized groups had been stripped of their humanity and thus suffered psychologically.
Now, the problem is not Fanon's observation that colonial wars created psychological scars...it's his SOLUTION that is scary.
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Fanon says the solution is "decolonization."
What's decolonization?
Fanon says it is a "violent phenomenon" that occurs at every level of society in which "One 'species' of men is replaced by another 'species' of men."
Fanon says the solution is "decolonization."
What's decolonization?
Fanon says it is a "violent phenomenon" that occurs at every level of society in which "One 'species' of men is replaced by another 'species' of men."
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The reason for this is that Fanon wanted to free colonized people from the rule by western powers, and this for him meant taking back power from anyone who was seen as a "settler" by using whatever was required to take that power back: including violence.
The reason for this is that Fanon wanted to free colonized people from the rule by western powers, and this for him meant taking back power from anyone who was seen as a "settler" by using whatever was required to take that power back: including violence.
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Fanon went even further claiming the colonialist mindset 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...
Fanon went even further claiming the colonialist mindset 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?
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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 Gayatri Spivak began to do 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.
I hope that...
In the late 80's Gayatri Spivak began to do 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.
I hope that...
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no one would be surprised 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!
no one would be surprised 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"...
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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.
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In other words, for Spivak "knowledge always carries with it the assumptions, values, norms, and INTERESTS" of it's producers.
This means that when all the "knowledge" that is legitimized and accepted in society is created by the west, then western interests are always...
In other words, for Spivak "knowledge always carries with it the assumptions, values, norms, and INTERESTS" of it's producers.
This means that when all the "knowledge" that is legitimized and accepted in society is created by the west, then western interests are always...
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assumed within the discourse. This means that it is almost impossible for the colonized person to express their own interests on their own terms using their own forms of knowledge.
In other words, she thinks that when westerners say that evolution is true, and...
assumed within the discourse. This means that it is almost impossible for the colonized person to express their own interests on their own terms using their own forms of knowledge.
In other words, she thinks that when westerners say that evolution is true, and...
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indigenous creation myths are false, this isn't merely a truth claim, it is a form of social control that advances the interests of the west at the expense of the colonized indigenous people.
Her solution is to use postmodernism to "deconstruct" all the western...
indigenous creation myths are false, this isn't merely a truth claim, it is a form of social control that advances the interests of the west at the expense of the colonized indigenous people.
Her solution is to use postmodernism to "deconstruct" all the western...
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discourses (in postmodern theory, discourses are ways of talking about things or communicating meaning), in order to problematize western knowledge by unmasking ti and showing it to be a set of self-interested claims masquerading as knowledge.
WE ARE ALMOST DONE!!!
discourses (in postmodern theory, discourses are ways of talking about things or communicating meaning), in order to problematize western knowledge by unmasking ti and showing it to be a set of self-interested claims masquerading as knowledge.
WE ARE ALMOST DONE!!!
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You will notice we started with Frantz Fanon calling for violent revolution, and ended with Gayatari Spivak trying to use postmodern philosophy to attack western ideas of knowledge.
These appear to be worlds apart. So let me give you the common thread...
You will notice we started with Frantz Fanon calling for violent revolution, and ended with Gayatari Spivak trying to use postmodern philosophy to attack western ideas of knowledge.
These appear to be worlds apart. So let me give you the common thread...
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Decolonization for Fanon was replacing all the colonizers with colonized people, using violence (or threats of violence) in order to free colonized people from the shackles of western influence.
Spivak also wants to get rid of western influence of third world peoples...
Decolonization for Fanon was replacing all the colonizers with colonized people, using violence (or threats of violence) in order to free colonized people from the shackles of western influence.
Spivak also wants to get rid of western influence of third world peoples...
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But her way of doing it is to deconstruct the ideas, norms, values, knowledge, and culture of the west and then use identity politics in order to gain that freedom.
So these are two people using different methods to try to reach what is basically the same goal.
But her way of doing it is to deconstruct the ideas, norms, values, knowledge, and culture of the west and then use identity politics in order to gain that freedom.
So these are two people using different methods to try to reach what is basically the same goal.
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Essentially decolonization in the west is a deconstructive and reconstructive project within Social Justice to remove “Western” influence from essentially any and everything. They want to reduce the liberal democratic project and the western rational tradition to rubble...
Essentially decolonization in the west is a deconstructive and reconstructive project within Social Justice to remove “Western” influence from essentially any and everything. They want to reduce the liberal democratic project and the western rational tradition to rubble...
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The preservation of any western ideal, or any attempts to try to "reform" the west is considered to be a half measure that is "complicit" in oppression.
Further, because the west is seen as evil, and because of it's roots in Fanon's work, decolonization wants revolution.
The preservation of any western ideal, or any attempts to try to "reform" the west is considered to be a half measure that is "complicit" in oppression.
Further, because the west is seen as evil, and because of it's roots in Fanon's work, decolonization wants revolution.
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This means that while they try to tear apart and dismantle the west and all it's ideals (liberalism, capitalism, western style democracy, the western rational tradition in philosophy, the western conception of science) they also side with any group that opposes the west...
This means that while they try to tear apart and dismantle the west and all it's ideals (liberalism, capitalism, western style democracy, the western rational tradition in philosophy, the western conception of science) they also side with any group that opposes the west...
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And this includes Hamas.
As such, these people say that Hamas is freedom fighting force that is freeing the palestinians from the clutches of Israel and their western allies.
Al the rape and murder that occurs is just "blowback" for years of oppression and anyone who...
And this includes Hamas.
As such, these people say that Hamas is freedom fighting force that is freeing the palestinians from the clutches of Israel and their western allies.
Al the rape and murder that occurs is just "blowback" for years of oppression and anyone who...
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condemns the Palestinian attack on the basis of the rapes and murders that occur is complicit is the continued oppression of Palestinian people.
In other words they think "First we destroy America and Israel, and then maybe we'll talk about all those rapes and murders."
condemns the Palestinian attack on the basis of the rapes and murders that occur is complicit is the continued oppression of Palestinian people.
In other words they think "First we destroy America and Israel, and then maybe we'll talk about all those rapes and murders."
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In practice what this actually means is that anything that harms the west is good, and anything that upholds the west is good
So, let's finish!
Decolonization is the systematic destruction of any and all western influence anywhere and everywhere by any means necessary.
In practice what this actually means is that anything that harms the west is good, and anything that upholds the west is good
So, let's finish!
Decolonization is the systematic destruction of any and all western influence anywhere and everywhere by any means necessary.
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Anyone who tries to rescue any western norms, morals, developments, ideologies, frameworks, ideas, or anything else that might become influential is guilty of being complicit in colonialism and is therefore an evil colonizer.
Decolonization does not condemn violence...
Anyone who tries to rescue any western norms, morals, developments, ideologies, frameworks, ideas, or anything else that might become influential is guilty of being complicit in colonialism and is therefore an evil colonizer.
Decolonization does not condemn violence...
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It sees violence as a necessary phenomena that accompanies all decolonization and so it thinks decolonization is always violent, (or is backed up by the threat of violence).
Decolonization is postmodern and denies that there are universal standards of morality.
It sees violence as a necessary phenomena that accompanies all decolonization and so it thinks decolonization is always violent, (or is backed up by the threat of violence).
Decolonization is postmodern and denies that there are universal standards of morality.
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So no group has the authority to judge the Palestinians choice of tactics in dealing with Israel, to do so is to impose western values on the Palestinians, and that would be (of course) colonialism.
We're Done!!!
So no group has the authority to judge the Palestinians choice of tactics in dealing with Israel, to do so is to impose western values on the Palestinians, and that would be (of course) colonialism.
We're Done!!!
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Thanks for reading.
please keep in mind when you see the term "decolonize" popping up that the people who developed this term want to destroy western liberal democracy and capitalism in the name of woke ideology. It is not just a word from sensitivity training...
Thanks for reading.
please keep in mind when you see the term "decolonize" popping up that the people who developed this term want to destroy western liberal democracy and capitalism in the name of woke ideology. It is not just a word from sensitivity training...
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it is, as we have seen, a name for a process of destroying our society.
/fin
it is, as we have seen, a name for a process of destroying our society.
/fin
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