Critical Theory’s War on Critical Thinking

The Stream ^ | October 14, 2020 | Clint Roberts

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Critical Theory’s War on Critical Thinking

A Virginia school district has decided that critical questions about Critical Theory “will not be tolerated.” Free speech is great and all, they say, but it is “outweighed” by the importance of dealing with social injustice and systemic racism. In other words, if taxpayers don’t like spending thousands of their dollars on foolish and destructive indoctrination for their kids, that is just too bad. They are, by default, in the wrong. 

What is “Critical Theory” Anyway?

Its roots actually go back to some of those dastardly dead, white European intellectuals. Specifically it originated among neo-Marxists, mostly German ones. Marx divided the world into classes. Class warfare is what drives history. “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles,” he wrote in The Communist Manifesto. It’s the haves and the have nots, oppressors and the oppressed.

Marx called for “the ruthless criticism of all that exists.” Because the privileged class holds the power, they design and control all of the systems. The oppressed are morally obligated to join together (“Workers of the world, unite!”) for change. Marxist critique is seen as the way to unmask the systems that justify oppression. It precedes and inaugurates activism that leads to the dismantling of those systems.

Later Marxist scholars, like those of the famed, “Frankfurt School,” applied this idea to all areas of culture and society. This is why some people call Critical Theory “cultural Marxism.” Their ideas lived on in particular academic circles. Writers borrowed from postmodern thinkers like Michel Foucault. From him they got the idea that everything is about power. Every norm, every shared truth about history or science, every moral precept — all of it is “constructed” as an exercise of power.

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[MikelTackNailer]

Thanks for posting this. Recently lost cable and internet to be shocked what propaganda passes for news without question. CBS Morning’s Gayle King obviously rules that roost seeing everything through her race-tinted sunglasses (is that really Oprah’s GF?), while the main news prattles about social justice, systemic racism and that Bad Orange Man. Florida as a state should sue everyone connecting “bad” and “orange”.

Seriously though, the NEA’s determined mission to create pod-Commies out of our children by replacing civics and factual history with Godless lies and forced guilt trips over the race one’s born with is psychological child abuse.