Feb 17, 2022·edited Feb 18, 2022Liked by Lesbians United
Postmodernism has a fair number of critics, and few vocal supporters. Not least because 'vocal supporters' of postmodernism are invariably incoherent. Yet as detailed in this essay, postmodernism is running rampant through our institutions, and its having a significant and negative impact on society. The term 'clownworld' is often associated with implementations of postmodernism, but perhaps its greatest impact has been in the march of anti-science sentiment, which has increased in pace during the covid-19 pandemic and the efforts to prevent women from debating and organising amongst themselves.
H. Sidky's paper The War on Science, Anti-Intellectualism, and ‘Alternative Ways of Knowing’ in 21st-Century America highlighted how postmodernism had introduced an anti-science movement, which has seen its 'True Believers' rail against climate-change science, homosexuality.
Sidky highlighted that postmodernists are most definitely not Left, or even vaguely Leftist. There's no socialism, let alone Marxism in postmodernism. We can see that it's proponents have no hesitation in practising homophobia, racism and rampant misogyny, not least because postmodernism demands that morality, truth, human nature, reason, language, and social progress be ignored or even destroyed. It's basically a template for sociopathic behaviour.
"For forty years, the postmodern savants in universities across the country indoctrinated students with their antiscience message (Otto 2016, 198). The substitute they offered was epistemological relativism as the avenue to establish a genuinely just and tolerant society open to diverse viewpoints. At the time, few of these scholars considered the actual implications of their effort to disqualify objective empirical evidence as the basis for evaluating claims to knowledge and public policy. Science-minded scholars, however, were not so oblivious. As Sokal and Bricmont (1998, 209) pointed out: “If all discourses are merely ‘stories’ or ‘narrations,’ and none is more objective or truthful than another, then one must concede that the worst sexist or racist prejudices and the most reactionary socio-economic theories are ‘equally valid.’”
Many of those indoctrinated in postmodern antiscience went on to become conservative political and religious leaders, policymakers, journalists, journal editors, judges, lawyers, and members of city councils and school boards. Sadly, they forgot the lofty ideals of their teachers, except that science is bogus (Otto 2016, 199). Thus, vast cadres of people with little interest in the message of multiculturalism and epistemological egalitarianism coopted the central lesson of postmodernism that truth is what one wants it to be to assert the legitimacy of their authoritarian dogmas, irrationalism, and bunkum.
...
The effects of all this on today’s media and politics are startling. Gonzo journalism has become widespread, and few in the profession consider speaking truth to power or even objectivity in reporting as part of their responsibilities (Otto 2016, 23, 129, 200). In this intellectual climate, pretentious and utterly unqualified politicians are flagrantly flaunting opinions on issues ranging from vaccines, human reproduction, stem cell research, the origins of the Earth, and human evolution, to the state of the biosphere, that are contrary to overwhelming historical and scientific evidence. In these cultural circumstances, institutions of higher learning have become beleaguered citadels in a vast ocean of irrationality expressed with bravado and pride, a blowback effect partly the creation of postmodern academics themselves. Emboldened xenophobia, scapegoating of ethnic minorities for social ills, and outright racism and bigotry have replaced political correctness, civility, and cultural sensitivity. In the same context, the nonacademic counterparts of postmodernism—pseudoscience, fortunetelling, astrology, and paranormal religions—are flourishing (see Sokal 2008, 263–370).
"It enabled anyone and everyone to call me by a homophobic slur more times than I could count. It enabled many of my heterosexual colleagues to openly compare homosexuality to perversion and pedophilia, and to justify their own worst impulses by falsely associating themselves with homosexuals."
Prompts me to add further.
I do not know how widespread is the knowledge that the conflation of "Sex" and "Gender" began with Dr. John Money, a sexologist and psychologist from New Zealand who practiced at Johns Hopkins but this article might be an enlightening read:-
"John Money: The Pro-Pedophile Pervert Who Invented "Gender""
When you consider that I, a nearly 70yo, strongly heterosexual, right wing, lump of gammon from the UK, is more than happy to cheer this to the rooftops, it speaks volumes about the madness of the Trans movement.
Yes, there will, no doubt be many other issues where we will fight cat & dog, but on THIS matter, I am more than happy to make common cause with you!
Gosh. Just shows what modern society is up against here !! It's a definition of HELL , that's for sure but truth will rise to the surface ,like a phoenix from the ashes. Keep fighting ,as most people are on your side ( those who are not brain dead at least , hopefully the majority of the population.)🙏 Hard to believe " educated " people believe in this nonsense ! These people are wired to the Moon 🌛🌜Good luck ♥️
2nd. In the 90's I studied A'level sociology (an old british qualification, pre university), as a mature student. Postmodernism as a tool of analysis seemed useful, a way of identifying the overarching, story/principals/messaging of institutions, ie.churches, marriage, governments, and political parties, across the ages. Almost similar to the idea of 'the hidden curriculum' in education. This metanarrative, became a statement of all institutions being built upon, 'he said, then he said, then he said, and she said, he said. Understanding this, while also being educated about all science being built on Dead White European Males, rendered many of the 'stories', almost irrelevant to the many that were learning about the subjects being taught. Much in science has been undermined by the boys club mentality, and the 'round robin citation' scams. I wonder if the book Invisible Women would have been written and, more importantly published, without a wide-spread idea of postmodern theory. The fact that the 'boys club' use it as a tool to destroy boundaries and the rights that women had begun, winning and asserting, is no shock, when isn't this the case. Thanks to science we have the nuclear warhead and an MRI machine.
I can't ever see postmodernism as a way to construct and build a society, but as a useful tool, to annalise what has already been constructed.
3rd. Thank you for making me think some. I look forward to catching up on your articles and youtube videos.
Postmodernism has a fair number of critics, and few vocal supporters. Not least because 'vocal supporters' of postmodernism are invariably incoherent. Yet as detailed in this essay, postmodernism is running rampant through our institutions, and its having a significant and negative impact on society. The term 'clownworld' is often associated with implementations of postmodernism, but perhaps its greatest impact has been in the march of anti-science sentiment, which has increased in pace during the covid-19 pandemic and the efforts to prevent women from debating and organising amongst themselves.
H. Sidky's paper The War on Science, Anti-Intellectualism, and ‘Alternative Ways of Knowing’ in 21st-Century America highlighted how postmodernism had introduced an anti-science movement, which has seen its 'True Believers' rail against climate-change science, homosexuality.
Sidky highlighted that postmodernists are most definitely not Left, or even vaguely Leftist. There's no socialism, let alone Marxism in postmodernism. We can see that it's proponents have no hesitation in practising homophobia, racism and rampant misogyny, not least because postmodernism demands that morality, truth, human nature, reason, language, and social progress be ignored or even destroyed. It's basically a template for sociopathic behaviour.
"For forty years, the postmodern savants in universities across the country indoctrinated students with their antiscience message (Otto 2016, 198). The substitute they offered was epistemological relativism as the avenue to establish a genuinely just and tolerant society open to diverse viewpoints. At the time, few of these scholars considered the actual implications of their effort to disqualify objective empirical evidence as the basis for evaluating claims to knowledge and public policy. Science-minded scholars, however, were not so oblivious. As Sokal and Bricmont (1998, 209) pointed out: “If all discourses are merely ‘stories’ or ‘narrations,’ and none is more objective or truthful than another, then one must concede that the worst sexist or racist prejudices and the most reactionary socio-economic theories are ‘equally valid.’”
Many of those indoctrinated in postmodern antiscience went on to become conservative political and religious leaders, policymakers, journalists, journal editors, judges, lawyers, and members of city councils and school boards. Sadly, they forgot the lofty ideals of their teachers, except that science is bogus (Otto 2016, 199). Thus, vast cadres of people with little interest in the message of multiculturalism and epistemological egalitarianism coopted the central lesson of postmodernism that truth is what one wants it to be to assert the legitimacy of their authoritarian dogmas, irrationalism, and bunkum.
...
The effects of all this on today’s media and politics are startling. Gonzo journalism has become widespread, and few in the profession consider speaking truth to power or even objectivity in reporting as part of their responsibilities (Otto 2016, 23, 129, 200). In this intellectual climate, pretentious and utterly unqualified politicians are flagrantly flaunting opinions on issues ranging from vaccines, human reproduction, stem cell research, the origins of the Earth, and human evolution, to the state of the biosphere, that are contrary to overwhelming historical and scientific evidence. In these cultural circumstances, institutions of higher learning have become beleaguered citadels in a vast ocean of irrationality expressed with bravado and pride, a blowback effect partly the creation of postmodern academics themselves. Emboldened xenophobia, scapegoating of ethnic minorities for social ills, and outright racism and bigotry have replaced political correctness, civility, and cultural sensitivity. In the same context, the nonacademic counterparts of postmodernism—pseudoscience, fortunetelling, astrology, and paranormal religions—are flourishing (see Sokal 2008, 263–370).
Your comment,
"It enabled anyone and everyone to call me by a homophobic slur more times than I could count. It enabled many of my heterosexual colleagues to openly compare homosexuality to perversion and pedophilia, and to justify their own worst impulses by falsely associating themselves with homosexuals."
Prompts me to add further.
I do not know how widespread is the knowledge that the conflation of "Sex" and "Gender" began with Dr. John Money, a sexologist and psychologist from New Zealand who practiced at Johns Hopkins but this article might be an enlightening read:-
"John Money: The Pro-Pedophile Pervert Who Invented "Gender""
https://www.reduxx.org/post/john-money-the-pervert-who-invented-gender
Well said that Woman!
When you consider that I, a nearly 70yo, strongly heterosexual, right wing, lump of gammon from the UK, is more than happy to cheer this to the rooftops, it speaks volumes about the madness of the Trans movement.
Yes, there will, no doubt be many other issues where we will fight cat & dog, but on THIS matter, I am more than happy to make common cause with you!
Truly is the world being turned upside down!
Gosh. Just shows what modern society is up against here !! It's a definition of HELL , that's for sure but truth will rise to the surface ,like a phoenix from the ashes. Keep fighting ,as most people are on your side ( those who are not brain dead at least , hopefully the majority of the population.)🙏 Hard to believe " educated " people believe in this nonsense ! These people are wired to the Moon 🌛🌜Good luck ♥️
This brought tears of hope to my eyes!! Thank you for your most noble struggle!
1st. Glad to have found you...
2nd. In the 90's I studied A'level sociology (an old british qualification, pre university), as a mature student. Postmodernism as a tool of analysis seemed useful, a way of identifying the overarching, story/principals/messaging of institutions, ie.churches, marriage, governments, and political parties, across the ages. Almost similar to the idea of 'the hidden curriculum' in education. This metanarrative, became a statement of all institutions being built upon, 'he said, then he said, then he said, and she said, he said. Understanding this, while also being educated about all science being built on Dead White European Males, rendered many of the 'stories', almost irrelevant to the many that were learning about the subjects being taught. Much in science has been undermined by the boys club mentality, and the 'round robin citation' scams. I wonder if the book Invisible Women would have been written and, more importantly published, without a wide-spread idea of postmodern theory. The fact that the 'boys club' use it as a tool to destroy boundaries and the rights that women had begun, winning and asserting, is no shock, when isn't this the case. Thanks to science we have the nuclear warhead and an MRI machine.
I can't ever see postmodernism as a way to construct and build a society, but as a useful tool, to annalise what has already been constructed.
3rd. Thank you for making me think some. I look forward to catching up on your articles and youtube videos.