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The reaction from the left wing media outlets, other pop culture icons, and liberals in general seems to be leading a lot of conservative critics to simplistically conclude, "See? It's actually the left wing that are the racists!"
I disagree. That's not what this is revealing. What this circus event is revealing is something much deeper and more interesting and important, which is that the left wing is feeling that one of its most cherished ideological foundations is being existentially threatened by Kanye West. That ideological foundation, whether people are even aware of it or not, is essentially Critical Race Theory. Critical Race Theory is used to control people's thought the way religion is used to control people's thought. It imposes itself on people by accusing non-believers in a way that attempts to reinforce the theory, and its believers are trained to defend it from any and all rational criticism or questioning.
Imagine a well-known public figure within the Christian Right came out and said "This is actually a bunch of B.S., everybody. There is no god. These are just ancient myths. And we've been using them to control your thought and keep you 1) giving money to your church for the enrichment of a few and 2) thinking, acting and voting the way we want." Could you imagine what the religious right's reaction to this would be? Shock, outrage, and swift ad hominem backlash. It would be an existential threat to foundations of their entire organization and power structure. "He's temporarily lost his way, God's way, the Devil got to him, he can be healed, we must pray for him!!!"
Kanye West might not even realize he is rejecting Critical Race Theory and its associated themes, or that the backlash he is facing is from people is because they have fully bought into it and are essentially controlled by it. But Critical Race Theory is at the core of traditionally progressive American thought. It is a central and pervasive theme in higher education social sciences, and it's a core aspect of the way liberal political leaders and their allies talk about race and inequality in society.
Even people widely regarded as dumb or uneducated can stumble on some profound insights sometimes. Maybe Kanye is actually not dumb at all, or maybe he is, but whatever the case, the recent antics shine a bright light on a topic that I think is very important. And what's fascinating is not just whatever Kanye is ranting about as he rejects these themes but, perhaps more so, the desperate way his critics are reacting to him.
I disagree. That's not what this is revealing. What this circus event is revealing is something much deeper and more interesting and important, which is that the left wing is feeling that one of its most cherished ideological foundations is being existentially threatened by Kanye West. That ideological foundation, whether people are even aware of it or not, is essentially Critical Race Theory. Critical Race Theory is used to control people's thought the way religion is used to control people's thought. It imposes itself on people by accusing non-believers in a way that attempts to reinforce the theory, and its believers are trained to defend it from any and all rational criticism or questioning.
Imagine a well-known public figure within the Christian Right came out and said "This is actually a bunch of B.S., everybody. There is no god. These are just ancient myths. And we've been using them to control your thought and keep you 1) giving money to your church for the enrichment of a few and 2) thinking, acting and voting the way we want." Could you imagine what the religious right's reaction to this would be? Shock, outrage, and swift ad hominem backlash. It would be an existential threat to foundations of their entire organization and power structure. "He's temporarily lost his way, God's way, the Devil got to him, he can be healed, we must pray for him!!!"
Kanye West might not even realize he is rejecting Critical Race Theory and its associated themes, or that the backlash he is facing is from people is because they have fully bought into it and are essentially controlled by it. But Critical Race Theory is at the core of traditionally progressive American thought. It is a central and pervasive theme in higher education social sciences, and it's a core aspect of the way liberal political leaders and their allies talk about race and inequality in society.
Even people widely regarded as dumb or uneducated can stumble on some profound insights sometimes. Maybe Kanye is actually not dumb at all, or maybe he is, but whatever the case, the recent antics shine a bright light on a topic that I think is very important. And what's fascinating is not just whatever Kanye is ranting about as he rejects these themes but, perhaps more so, the desperate way his critics are reacting to him.