4 ms·
The author seems to rest on "critical theory" and come to a stop. I feel like the author is using critical theory as a ten dollar word because claiming it is ce
by tomlock 9y ago
The author seems to rest on "critical theory" and come to a stop. I feel like the author is using critical theory as a ten dollar word because claiming it is central to social justice topics is a gross oversimplification. Additionally, references to it peaked in the 70s and have been declining since.
- stcredzero 9y agoreferences to it peaked in the 70s and have been declining since. But has it peaked as an ideological foundation of the ideologies of recent campus activists? It doesn't seem that way to me.
- tomlock 9y agoI can only speak as an ex-postgrad philosophy major and Australian left-wing political activist, but I haven't heard anyone mention critical theory in an activist context for years.
- stcredzero 9y agoI suspect your circles are ahead of trash academic circles here in the US, at places like Mizzou and Evergreen.
- tomlock 9y agoAustralia is, bluntly, seen as a bit of a philosophical backwater. Additionally some of the most recent en-vogue leftie thought has come from the US - particularly bell hooks, judith butler, etc.
- stcredzero 9y agoAustralia is, bluntly, seen as a bit of a philosophical backwater. One thing we've noted in traditional music: Sometimes something awesome gets preserved in the backwaters while progress devolves something in the hot-centers of rapid change. (Scottish music in Cape Breton.) most recent en-vogue leftie thought has come from the US - particularly bell hooks, judith butler, etc. Bell Hooks is a Marxist. She claims to be Marxist. She's a Marxist that likes some things from Postmodernist social construction.
- tomlock 9y agoThis is confusing. Now you're talking about "being ahead" as something negative, but just two comments you said you thought I was "ahead" of the "trash academic circles". Bell hooks may be a marxist but she's not just a marxist.
- stcredzero 9y agoThis is confusing. Now you're talking about "being ahead" as something negative, but just two comments you said you thought I was "ahead" of the "trash academic circles". Being behind could amount to being ahead. It all depends on your point of view. Yes, that is confusing/complex -- so be it! Also, didn't I say "perhaps?" I meant it if I didn't. Bell hooks may be a marxist but she's not just a marxist. True. I also respect her as an astute observer of the personal. My sister likes her. But still, the Marxian thing is a red flag for me.
- barrkel 9y agoDo you think that, say, "cultural appropriation", as a term owes anything to critical theory?
- tomlock 9y agoI think broadly, many movements on the left and right owe some of their language, some of their terminology - to critical theory. For example, media scepticism and the idea of education-as-propaganda were further developed by critical theorists. So do I think cultural appropriation as a term owes anything to critical theory? Yes. Do I think a broad swathe of terms used across the political spectrum owe anything to critical theory? Yes. Do I think a critique of critical theory necessarily undermines any of these other terms? No.
- andrewprock 9y agoI'm pretty sure that no one that might be labelled an SWJ knows, or cares, about "critical theory".