Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything About Race, Gender, and Identity—and Why This Harms Everybody
Overview
Cynical Theories explores the origins, evolution, and influence of critical theories—especially those embedded in contemporary social justice activism and academia. While acknowledging their good intentions, the authors argue that these theories have become rigid, divisive, and ultimately counterproductive.
Introduction
The book opens by examining the rise of postmodernism in the late 20th century. Postmodern thought challenged ideas of objective truth and universal values, emphasising that knowledge is shaped by power structures and subjective experience.
Pluckrose and Lindsay contend that this skepticism, though initially academic and niche, laid the foundation for modern critical theories now prominent in activism, education, and public discourse.
From Postmodernism to Applied Postmodernism
The authors trace how early postmodern ideas evolved into what they call applied postmodernism. This shift saw abstract theory take on practical activist forms in disciplines such as:
- Critical Race Theory
- Gender Studies
- Queer Theory
- Disability Studies
- Fat Studies
Once confined to academia, these fields now exert influence on broader cultural and institutional norms.
Core Concepts of Critical Theory
Pluckrose and Lindsay identify several key concepts common across critical theories:
- Social Constructivism
The belief that knowledge, truth, and identity are socially constructed rather than discovered or objective. - Power and Knowledge
The idea that knowledge serves those in power and is used to maintain oppressive systems. - Lived Experience
The prioritisation of personal experience—especially from marginalised groups—as a legitimate or superior form of knowledge. - Intersectionality
The view that various forms of oppression (e.g. race, gender, class) are interconnected and must be examined together.
A Critique of Critical Theory
The authors argue that, taken together, these theories exhibit several troubling tendencies:
1. Rejection of Enlightenment Values
Critical theories are seen to undermine rationality, objectivity, and individual rights in favour of relativism and collectivist ideology.
2. Identity Politics
Group identity becomes central, which, they argue, discourages individual responsibility and promotes social division.
3. Dogmatism and Intolerance
Pluckrose and Lindsay describe critical theory as resistant to dissent, often shutting down debate and fuelling “cancel culture.”
4. Wider Societal Impact
The influence of these ideas on education, corporate training, and public institutions is portrayed as ideologically driven and often counterproductive.
A Call for a Return to Liberalism
The authors conclude by advocating a return to classical liberal values, which they believe can better uphold justice and equality without ideological excess. Their vision includes:
- Prioritising individual rights over group identity
- Emphasising reason, debate, and evidence-based thinking
- Adopting a universalist, humanist approach to social progress
In summary, Cynical Theories offers a rigorous and controversial examination of the rise of applied postmodernism in culture and institutions. It champions liberal humanism and rational discourse as better foundations for justice than the ideologically rigid frameworks it critiques.
