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    Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody
    Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody
    Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody
    Audiobook9 hours

    Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody

    Written by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay

    Narrated by Helen Pluckrose

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly Bestseller!

    Have you heard that language is violence and that science is sexist? Have you read that certain people shouldn’t practice yoga or cook Chinese food? Or been told that being obese is healthy, that there is no such thing as biological sex, or that only white people can be racist? Are you confused by these ideas, and do you wonder how they have managed so quickly to challenge the very logic of Western society?

    In this probing and intrepid volume, Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay document the evolution of the dogma that informs these ideas, from its coarse origins in French postmodernism to its refinement within activist academic fields. Today this dogma is recognizable as much by its effects, such as cancel culture and social-media dogpiles, as by its tenets, which are all too often embraced as axiomatic in mainstream media: knowledge is a social construct; science and reason are tools of oppression; all human interactions are sites of oppressive power play; and language is dangerous. As Pluckrose and Lindsay warn, the unchecked proliferation of these anti-Enlightenment beliefs present a threat not only to liberal democracy but also to modernity itself.

    While acknowledging the need to challenge the complacency of those who think a just society has been fully achieved, Pluckrose and Lindsay break down how this often-radical activist scholarship does far more harm than good, not least to those marginalized communities it claims to champion. They also detail its alarmingly inconsistent and illiberal ethics. Only through a proper understanding of the evolution of these ideas, they conclude, can those who value science, reason, and consistently liberal ethics successfully challenge this harmful and authoritarian orthodoxy—in the academy, in culture, and beyond.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPitchstone Publishing
    Release dateSep 11, 2020
    ISBN9781664909885

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    Reviews for Cynical Theories

    4.5/5

    221 ratings25 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I understand why it's a best seller; it's provocative. But that doesn't mean it's good. I do think it's relevant to break out of one's usual academic and thinking patterns/circles, but I found parts of this book nothing less than deceiving. The first part in which the authors summarize cultural theories, has facts wrong, and a very sneering tone to it. I disliked the rhetorics, and I think one should stick to pure facts, even when ethically/personally disagreeing with the theory/issue.
      I don't think this is the best book on the topic, I much rather recommend "Problem with Everything: My Journey Through the New Culture Wars" by Meghan Daum.

      10 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Excellent. A clear exposition on the origins of Theory, the concepts engendered by Post Modernism and how they threaten liberal democratic society. How to understand the various “Theories” race, gender, fat queer etc) and the destructive discourses of BLM and Antifa. How to understand and counter Social Justice Warriors. Essential Reading / listening.

      4 people found this helpful

    • 2/5
      Self serving argument posited by the authors. Found it a frustrating read.

      4 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Highly recommended. As a liberal progressive, I agree with basically all that they wrote. Very well written. It's dry and theoretical, but keep in mind that these cynical theories are quite abstracr and divorced from reality, so...

      3 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Excellent.... should be required reading for any student of history, philosophy, education or current events...... very succinct , approachable overview of the issues and problems of postmodern critical theory

      3 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book was like music to my ears. For the first time I was enabled to get a grip on the systemic injustice to which I was exposed in Australia in 2014-16. I was hauled up before a civil law tribunal because a professional LGBT activist did not like a reasonable and rational 1-paragraph comment I made on Facebook about same-sex marriage. It cost me over $10,000 in legal fees to robustly defend my comment on the grounds of scientific truth and freedom of speech. I now understand the theory behind how those activist functionaries in the anti-discrimination industry can justify their existence and equate opposition to the idea of same-sex marriage as discrimination against the marginalized minority of those who, for whatever reason, believe homosexual acts are not in anyway wrong or unnatural, when viewed through the eyes of traditional Christian attitudes relating to marriage and family. Thank you so much Helen Pluckrose and James Irving. You have done a great service to humanity in explaining the intellectual roots behind post-modern political correctness and cancel-culture, and the attempts by Social Justice to dismantle and destroy “oppressive” mainstream liberal Western culture based on individual rights for freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of expression . That aside, the book is beautifully read with a clear and feminine diction of Helen Pluckrose. Finally a thank-you to Scribd for adding this watershed book to your great collection of other philosophical audiobooks.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 2/5
      I think this book actually shoved me further left.

      I went in with an open mind, as I usually do. And I usually walk away from books challenging my perspective with some new ideas. This was not the case with this one.

      It's an opinion piece void of any facts, but appeals to what they consider authorities on the matter. It is a book for those who want to get angry at the wokist, those who seek new one-liners to sing the wokist in, without actually getting any examples the research the "woke academia" is leaning upon. It does not properly lift examples of when the wokists has hindered research either.

      If your goal is to have your opinions agreed on. This is a book for you. If you wish to challenge your left leaning views, this is certainly not the book you're looking for.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Essential reading if you want to arm yourself against the authoritarian and intentionally incomprehensible tsunami of wokeness coming to us all.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 3/5
      An interesting and informative book that describes the history and thought behind modern Critical Theories. However, I think that the authors are willing to concede certain moral ground that they don’t need to as well as their willingness to attribute certain negative elements as apparently existing ONLY on the political right rather than recognize that those elements exist on both extremes of the political spectrum. Aside from that, it was a good read.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A pivotal work, clearly written and beautifully read. At long last someone has had courage and analytical depth to confront the New Wave drowning the Academy and posturing/performing in wider culture and media.

      The result requires careful reading/listening several times over, because you or someone close to you is going to need your help while Woke fundamentalists do them over in the quest for power.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Web browser version works, but the app version has a Choppy recording , must fix, important book.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A very good explanation of CRT and other woke stuff

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Wer ohne Vorbereitung auf den zynischen Gedankenapparat postmoderner Theorien in eine öffentliche Diskussion geht, wird im Zeitalter von Shitstorms und SJW wohl kaum mit seiner öffentlichen Haut davonkommen.

      Danke für das Buch, das hoffentlich hilft, gewaltiges gesellschaftliches Leid durch die Resignation der Freiheitsliebenden abzuwenden.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Wow! A philosophical history and analysis critical theories from a liberal perspective. Most important for our time! Feel like your head spinning from critical theories? Get you bearings back with this book.

      My own criticism: author would benefit from reading Dietrich and Alice Von Hildebrand and conversing with Franciscan university of Steubenville.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This is everything I've been suspecting for 15 years, but could never articulate. Thank you!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A clear overview of post-modern shadows and their current manifestations. This is a gift of discernment.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A well written and engaging history of the various stages of postmodern philosophy and activism leading to its current expression in woke culture. The authors' contend that this philosophical/activist trend is destructive to the culture of philosophical liberalism that fostered it and should be heavily critiqued to bring about a healthier dialogue on our current divisive political issues. The authors also contend that the radicalization of the far left is inadvertently bringing about the radicalization of the far right, which will have far worse consequences than what woke culture has brought thus far. This book is well worth a listen and I hope brings a future of healthy dialogue as it's fruit.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this. (There were a few bugs with the audio production but nothing crazy.)Pluckrose and Lindsay did their homework and I've always appreciated their thinking on the issue.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      This might deserve a five-star review, but I'm hesitant, so I always try to leave time to see if the merit of the text I've read or listened to deserves the five starts. Without agreeing with every single conclusion the authors come to, Pluckrose and Lindsay both make a compelling case for the danger of the postmodern idea that all knowledge is subjective and the activist ideology that has surrepetitiously infiltrated not only the academy and college campuses but research as well.

      Speaking as someone who is center-left, some of the viewpoints espoused by advocates of different social justice movements (that science and reason are 'western' ways of knowing that are inherently racist, that folklore and a person's 'lived experience' is equivalent to peer-reviewed, double-blind research are positively Orwellian and horrifying that they have gained as much traction as they have. I wholly agree with the authors that the advances of rights of women and other minority groups has been the result of embracing empirical knowledge, not its rejection.

      Most of my career has involved serving mentally and physically disabled people in care, and the idea that the disadvantages of disabilities and obesity are simply the result of society's prejudices would be laughable if it wasn't so tone-deaf to the struggles of the actual people these 'activists' think they are advocating for. Take away all prejudice in the world and a person in a wheelchair will still struggle because of their disability. As for obesity, I see mostly young twenty-somethings who prance around on social media taking photos of themselves while their skin is tight and their joints are still good; I can't think of a single fat activist over fifty-five, and that should tell you everything about the legitimacy of the Health At Every Size movement.

      Solid scholarship, reasoned, and clearly argued without any of the fluff, all while giving the lay person a clear explanation and mini historical lecture of highly esoteric and pedantic concepts like postmodernism, and Social Justice vs social justice. I genuinely recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the current culture wars plaguing the US and much of the West.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The authors explore how a handful of thinkers, especially Foucault, Derrida, and the Frankfurt school of critical theorests have disproportionately impacted the modern way of thinking about issues in the humanities. They explain how the overemphasis on their ideas have lead to erroneous beliefs that knowledge is nothing but power struggle, a way for the powerful to control and oppress the minority. Such thinking is especially widespread among the very liberal and vocal group that dominates the social media and also is gaining much media support. A very important read, especially considering the current political atmosphere.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Great book, good information, I will be going through it again.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Very scholarly and professional. Debunks the Radical Left’s ideologies. Explains the differences between classical liberalism and identity politics. You learn what post modernism is, and how it gave birth to Critical Race Theory and other extremist views.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Its easier to politicize queer theory, destroying categories. End racism by seeing it everywhere. Characterizing people as inferior because they disagree. These are not Liberal principles and the book journeys thru, rolls us back in time and reminds us to stay true to the definition.
    • 5/5
      Incredibly valuable scholarly analysis of those offspring of postmodern theory that are troubling and confusing us at the moment. We all want to advance social justice but is Social Justice a help or a hindrance? Find out here.
    • 5/5
      A must read for anyone trying to understand this stuff