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A review by bristoni74
Cynical Theories: How Universities Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity - And Why This Harms Everybody by James Lindsay, Helen Pluckrose
3.0
Fascinating book and I learnt a lot, but I think I was wanting more social commentary (if the whole book had expanded on Chapter 9 Social Justice in Action I would have rated this book higher). It is very academic in parts, although having said that it was interesting to learn about postmodernism, it’s history and how it has influenced theory about race, gender, disability, etc. particularly in American colleges and universities and its flow on effect into Western society.
I find it disheartening (and it’s why I’m not on twitter, tick-tock and have recently deactivated my FB account) because my feeds are increasingly filled with those with very little or no knowledge about a subject questioning every subject matter expert there is and accusing them of being “sell-outs”, unethical, corrupt or evil. Even trying to step outside of the echo chambers that the algorithm feeds (by following those who don’t have the same political beliefs as me (centrist – although more centre left) has left me disheartened and at times quite down.
Not only have the right been hi-jacked by ultra-conservatives, but I feel the left has been hi-jacked by increasingly zealous activists who reject critical thinking, or objective facts if it doesn’t fit a particular political or social justice position. Science and health has become increasingly politicised (and we see that with Covid-19) and its sad to think academics who put forward alternative views can have their careers destroyed and are now afraid to publish for fear “of offending people”.
I particularly liked and highlighted the section below from the book as I agree that “moderates” and those from the centre-left or right don’t speak-up for fear of being the target of a witch-hunt and so increasingly the extremes of both sides hi-jack social media feeds and sell opinions as “news” and "facts" because of the 24/7 click-bait news cycle.
"Social justice has taken such pains to establish absolute hegemony over the discourses relevant to these issues – especially in the left and in the centre – other reasonable and moderate voices are least likely to enter the conversation with reasonable and moderate alternatives. This leaves only those with the most extreme voices to speak up against Social Justice……."
If anyone has in interest in this area, I would definitely recommend this book, but I would like to see a book published that is more accessible with a focus on the social implications of critical theory.
I find it disheartening (and it’s why I’m not on twitter, tick-tock and have recently deactivated my FB account) because my feeds are increasingly filled with those with very little or no knowledge about a subject questioning every subject matter expert there is and accusing them of being “sell-outs”, unethical, corrupt or evil. Even trying to step outside of the echo chambers that the algorithm feeds (by following those who don’t have the same political beliefs as me (centrist – although more centre left) has left me disheartened and at times quite down.
Not only have the right been hi-jacked by ultra-conservatives, but I feel the left has been hi-jacked by increasingly zealous activists who reject critical thinking, or objective facts if it doesn’t fit a particular political or social justice position. Science and health has become increasingly politicised (and we see that with Covid-19) and its sad to think academics who put forward alternative views can have their careers destroyed and are now afraid to publish for fear “of offending people”.
I particularly liked and highlighted the section below from the book as I agree that “moderates” and those from the centre-left or right don’t speak-up for fear of being the target of a witch-hunt and so increasingly the extremes of both sides hi-jack social media feeds and sell opinions as “news” and "facts" because of the 24/7 click-bait news cycle.
"Social justice has taken such pains to establish absolute hegemony over the discourses relevant to these issues – especially in the left and in the centre – other reasonable and moderate voices are least likely to enter the conversation with reasonable and moderate alternatives. This leaves only those with the most extreme voices to speak up against Social Justice……."
If anyone has in interest in this area, I would definitely recommend this book, but I would like to see a book published that is more accessible with a focus on the social implications of critical theory.