I know this is blasphemy and defeatism, and it won't stop me enjoying the exploration of ideas so kindly furnished, but I sometimes wonder whether the intellectual demolition of fashionable attitudes is no more than an interesting exercise and diversion for those of us with enquiring minds and a respect for truth. For it is - as we all well know - all but impossible to win an argument on its merits. No matter how logical, how amply provided with evidence, how orderly the thought, people with no understanding, no respect and no desire for truth will mob together and continue to behave badly, overcome by their emotions and sense of false righteousness, ad infinitum eternitamque
"Farming was first developed by women, as they dominated the gathering of plants. Unless and until societies shifted to using ploughs, women dominated farming labour."
It is so interesting what different things we all gather from what we know as history. I take a more anthropological view. Women were as important as men in farming but it is short sighted to make this statement. There is no evidence that women "dominated the gathering of plants" or that they did not "man" ploughs. There is evidence however of the warlike dominance of European Anatolian farmers. The constant need for more land and ownership of land meant the extinction of the hunter gatherers in Europe. Interesting is the role of modern Mitochondrial DNA to the European hunter gatherers. Here is just a bit of my view of history.
I have no idea if engaging across the divide can be useful, but just in case anyone is interested:
When you begin your essay series talking like a Hollywood villain... you're actually being a villain. This whole "political polarisation" thing that people love to complain about? You're doing it right here. When you say that the woke can't be compromised with, and assume that they are all being insincere, that's you being part of the problem.
Perhaps you just want to play to an audience that already agrees with you, in which case, I will wander off and mind my own business. But if you're ever interested in persuading those who don't agree... this is not the way to go about it.
I don't think complaining does anything. Complaining has been going on across multiple continents for multiple decades - or even centuries, depending how you define Wokeness.
I will say that I'm skeptical that Marxism plays a major role in the origin of Wokeness, but I can't argue with the fact that Marxism has been around, and in one form or another, it clearly does influence politics even today.
These are the 3 legs the Woke Empire stool sits on.
One leg can be attacked.
The others not approached.
Its Not power or money.
The answer is war.
I’d like to say it’s a good thing we didn’t try to argue our way out with Hitler, except I have come to doubt that. For all their crimes they were not this, this is Jonestown at scale and we’re marching towards the nuclear war Kool Aide bowl.
You have no action plan, you have some new arguments.
I know this is blasphemy and defeatism, and it won't stop me enjoying the exploration of ideas so kindly furnished, but I sometimes wonder whether the intellectual demolition of fashionable attitudes is no more than an interesting exercise and diversion for those of us with enquiring minds and a respect for truth. For it is - as we all well know - all but impossible to win an argument on its merits. No matter how logical, how amply provided with evidence, how orderly the thought, people with no understanding, no respect and no desire for truth will mob together and continue to behave badly, overcome by their emotions and sense of false righteousness, ad infinitum eternitamque
¡Por Dios, chico!
Let me carve a month out of my schedule to devote to this monster of a thesis ;-)
I look forward to every sentence.
The thesis captured nicely by HWFO 5GW https://hwfo.substack.com/p/dilemma-actions-in-fifth-generation
short version : wokism is a set of excuses developed within modern institutions to be used in office warfare and for expanding the institutions
right?
Great article. You write:
"Farming was first developed by women, as they dominated the gathering of plants. Unless and until societies shifted to using ploughs, women dominated farming labour."
It is so interesting what different things we all gather from what we know as history. I take a more anthropological view. Women were as important as men in farming but it is short sighted to make this statement. There is no evidence that women "dominated the gathering of plants" or that they did not "man" ploughs. There is evidence however of the warlike dominance of European Anatolian farmers. The constant need for more land and ownership of land meant the extinction of the hunter gatherers in Europe. Interesting is the role of modern Mitochondrial DNA to the European hunter gatherers. Here is just a bit of my view of history.
https://open.substack.com/pub/kwnorton/p/the-fears-of-the-ancestors-are-contagious?r=boqs0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I have no idea if engaging across the divide can be useful, but just in case anyone is interested:
When you begin your essay series talking like a Hollywood villain... you're actually being a villain. This whole "political polarisation" thing that people love to complain about? You're doing it right here. When you say that the woke can't be compromised with, and assume that they are all being insincere, that's you being part of the problem.
Perhaps you just want to play to an audience that already agrees with you, in which case, I will wander off and mind my own business. But if you're ever interested in persuading those who don't agree... this is not the way to go about it.
> What is, again and again, lacking in critical explorations... is any serious sense of what we should do in response.
Yes, I agree! The last time I commented about this... https://societystandpoint.substack.com/p/the-irony-of-american-assimilation/comment/13163558 ...the response was essentially: Just complain! Complaining means doing something!
I don't think complaining does anything. Complaining has been going on across multiple continents for multiple decades - or even centuries, depending how you define Wokeness.
I will say that I'm skeptical that Marxism plays a major role in the origin of Wokeness, but I can't argue with the fact that Marxism has been around, and in one form or another, it clearly does influence politics even today.
I love the series. Are you going to publish it as a book?
Power
Money
Cowardice
These are the 3 legs the Woke Empire stool sits on.
One leg can be attacked.
The others not approached.
Its Not power or money.
The answer is war.
I’d like to say it’s a good thing we didn’t try to argue our way out with Hitler, except I have come to doubt that. For all their crimes they were not this, this is Jonestown at scale and we’re marching towards the nuclear war Kool Aide bowl.
You have no action plan, you have some new arguments.
Power
Money
Cowardice
You can “action” only one.
This whole series needs to be an actual book, whether a physical book or a digital one.
Can’t open essays 42 onwards. They’re not underlined / linked. My iPad, or a glitch?