Cynical Theories

How Activist Scholarship Made Everything About Race, Gender, and Identity - and Why This Harms Everybody

By: Helen Pluckrose, James Lindsay

Narrated by: Helen Pluckrose

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly best seller!

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.

©2020 Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay (P)2020 Pitchstone Publishing

In-depth and balanced

I was skeptical in the beginning before I began listening to this book, however I have found great value in every word, in every scenario, and every fact-finding line of her book! I absolutely encourage anyone and everyone to listen, or read this book for yourself; read it so that you can engage authentically in the world that we live. I’m going to definitely read more by this author, she is thought-provoking, sincere, and profoundly intelligent

Excellent - empathic, insightful, witty

A clearly written, thoughtful, and incisive analysis of the intellectual roots of the current ultra-wokism (as I call it). The authors contrast this illiberal, religious-like movement -- obsessed with race, gender, and sexuality; attended by inquisitions, punishment of heretics, and muting of speech -- with liberalism, whose long history and track record has provided spectacular, undeniable, and ongoing progress; which eschews forcing of beliefs on others; insists on free speech; promotes equality; and fosters open debate in the marketplace of ideas.

Whereas the liberal says "May the best ideas win: let's discuss these things and debate" the illiberal woke-evangelist says "There's something morally wrong with you if you disagree with my ideas."

While liberalism has always underscored the unifying universality of humanity, this wokism advocates for a solidarity of tribe: that social unit responsible for much of the world's inhumanity, bloodshed, and misery.

This is a balanced and nuanced book written with precision. The narration is very good. Wit and dry humor make welcome cameo appearances.

The authors note positive aspects of the theories they criticize. They also point to the regressive, primitive, and religious-like notions -- such as racialism and tribalism -- that pockmark these intellectual ideas.

Toward the end of the book, the authors point to the tragic but expected pendulum/reactionary dynamic between the far-left and far-right. Both feature hateful intolerance and primitive thinking, but the former is cloaked in sophisticated "emperor's clothes," looks down its nose at its uncouth 'cousin,' and fails to see its own fascist and racist image reflected back.

I think this book is written mainly for an audience of people with university degrees. Most of the book gets a bit down in the weeds on theories, quoting from various academic papers and postmodern philosophers. It's mainly about tracing these ideas back to their sources: showing an overall arc of how and why the ideas developed. That history is convoluted and complicated. The authors have done a real sense-making service by tracing the arc. And the book delivers exactly what its title promises. It's definitely accessible to the non-academic.

That said, this book may not be for those who are not deeply interested in ideas.

Access to the book is blocked

Paid for the book and got only 2 minutes of the introduction, without access to over 9 hours of the main text. Sincerely hope that the censorship is not the reason behind the block and hope to gain access to the book the Audible advertised and charged me for.

Thorough and Fast Paced

They covered enormous ground quickly and efficiently to sketch a framework spanning a massive web of social philosophies that are having a real and harmful impact. It also had a great chapter that outlined a strong Liberal stance on what to do about it all that was very principled.

Excellent read and intelligible to the average reader

Having been concerned about the influence of critical race theory in STEM fields, I was looking for a helpful guide to understand it’s core tenants and how to address them from a position more in line with science. This was an excellent guide to the harmful theories underlying social justice (as currently being implemented) and provided some great starting points to address the influence of these harmful theories in society. I hope to implement them soon. My only contention was that the book did not offer more detailed examples of success in combating Theory, but perhaps it is too early in history for that.

Takes a while to get used to the voice

The narrator has two voice tones and it is sometimes strange when she switch between them. The work around like it is read in a hurry without emotion, but all words are pronounced clearly.

Some of the text doesn't lend itself to the speed she reads. I will not remember one name, but if the info was more important to me,I would have bought the text.

the main concepts are described very completely.

interesting facts to consider.

everyone needs to read this!

loved it.... very useful for those of us who seem to understand the "crazy" that had infected our
culture

Excellent material; recording has some technical glitches

Excellent, well presented material that has some technical drawbacks. Three separate sections of the recording have roughly ten seconds duplicated in what was likely an editing oversight. Easy to overlook given the technical merit of the underlying material.
L

Enriching

I will preface my review by saying that I am a graduate student in the field of social work and have been exposed to the theories addressed in this book, aside from disabled and fat studies with their specific intricacies.

This book allowed me to view critical race theory, postmodernism, and my field of study from a different, liberal perspective. Although I do not agree with all of the affirmations and arguments made, I think that an in-depth look such as this one adds much needed dissection of the social sciences— especially at a university level.

The particular attention to the idea of free discourse is attractive and very valuable in a period where many in higher education and other high profile careers are fearful to speak out against social justice reform and “cancel culture.”

On a more practical note, I thoroughly enjoyed the vocal performance of Helen Pluckrose. Her voice was very calm and easy to listen to, while her speech was clear and annunciation on point.
Overall very good book & experience.

enlightening...eye opening...detailed

Anyone who read, or was shamed into reading "White Fragility" or any other "Social Justice" doctrine, should listen to this work. Understanding the history and orgins of a theory that has been adopted by a major political party, is probably important. Especially, when most people have no idea what these theories entail, other than fleeting virtue.