View source for Mihail Pojarsky/Left-Right Cynical Theories

<blockquote>It's sobering when you stand up for equality and see that you're the only one, and all the "oppressed groups" are fighting only for their own dominance to suppress your group - it's sobering. When you see that all people are fighting for their own interests, and that all people are assigned to groups by the fact of birth, even if you do not do it yourself, and that other groups are fighting to have power over you specifically, to dominate over you.</blockquote> <ref> [https://t.me/jesuisravchan/9817 post in the russian-language channel "homeless in paris"] telegram</ref>

Well, this is the current leftist ideology in a nutshell. Approximately what is called postmodernism / poststructuralism and any "critical theory". Or, as the opponents called it, "cynical theories." That is, an approach that assumes that all relations between people are "relations of power." And all sorts of talk about the right, kind and fair is just dust in the eyes. Therefore, discourses need to be "deconstructed" by exposing the underlying power relations. State and society, church and family - everything is really based on the fact that some groups oppress each other. If it is not clear how exactly they are oppressed, then it means that they deconstructed badly, it is necessary to deconstruct better.

A few decades later, postmodern "cynical theories" reached the right. After looking at the leftists, the great right-wing minds gave rise to "neo-reaction", "dark enlightenment" and other pissed altright. Everything there is also built around revelations, as if the world is reduced to a struggle for a place in the food chain. This is especially noticeable in the example of all sorts of "male movements", which are literally indistinguishable from the most repulsed femos. Left and right postmodernists are united by such vibes: "Ururu, we understood how this cruel world works, now we ourselves will be evil and cruel, be afraid of us!"

Well, yes, very scary. However, this is not how the world works. In reality, of course, there is enough struggle for a place under the sun, but there is not only that. But what works this way is the reality of political activists, especially from all kinds of radical movements. Often (if not always) they are deeply traumatized people with very bad life experiences. It is not surprising that the "cynical theories" go with a bang - they themselves have been beaten with their heads against the battery all their lives. Often literally, still parents. Therefore, at the exit we have such a hypersensitive, frightened audience, which nervously snaps at everything around. And who do they bite? Capitalism? Patriarchy? Of course not. They gnaw on those who are easier to reach. Therefore, if you revolve in circles of "cynical theories", then you simply increase the chance by 10x that you will be canceled, accused of harassment and other arbusing. Well, simply because you are closer than the employees of The Tsargrad TV (ultra-conservative, pro-state, orthodox TV channel in russia), the cops and other bad people, and the oppressed citizens need to assert themselves on someone.

But what is the conclusion? Are they bad and all? Let's imagine a situation: you take a cat down from a tree, and it scratches you. Is this a bad, ungrateful cat? Or are you a fool that climbed to shoot a cat without putting on mittens? And so it is here. It is quite possible to speak out against bullying, oppression, discrimination and all other bad things. Well, you just don't have to go inside them. Don't join the ranks of "pro-feminists" and all sorts of LGBT allies, don't become friends with any oppressed ethnic groups, etc. and so on. You're not welcome there. And nothing good awaits you there. There's an artel of the injured.

[[Mihail Pojarsky]] 2023-08-27
[[ru:Михаил Пожарский/левые-правые циничные теории]]