Lumping leftist politics under postmodernism is kind of a stretch, and the characterization of leftist politics here is like what you get when you learn about i

Lumping leftist politics under postmodernism is kind of a stretch, and the characterization of leftist politics here is like what you get when you learn about it from David Brooks columns. There is a leftist politics out there that values objective truth, and also attempts to grapple with arrangements of power in the world (and within societies) that are heavily informed by imperialism, racism, patriarchy, and other forms of oppression. Often this means that historically repressed voices should and do get centered in the interest of seeking justice or attempting to right historic wrongs (and/or figuring out how they persist and have been systematized). What it boils down to for me (a straight, white, cisgendered man who was born into an upper-middle class family in the US) is that the kneejerk "I guess I should just shut up" reaction to being called out as being problematic/racist/sexist/whatever is self-serving and it's too easy. You are allowed to have an opinion and voice it, but some amount of self-reflection is valuable when you often aren't experienced or knowledgable in particular forms of oppression.