The War on Children & the Language of Deception | Logan Lancing | EP 473
20 Aug 2024 (1 month ago)
Logan Lancing and the Woke War Path
- Logan Lancing is the author of two books: The Woke War Path and The Querying of the American Child (co-authored with James Lindsay). (00:00:47)
- Lancing believes that terms like "diversity," "equity," and "inclusion" have been deceptively redefined by the left and are used to control language and, by extension, thought.
- Lancing has encountered anti-Semitism from both the right and the left but believes that left-wing anti-Semitism is more dangerous due to its prevalence and insidious nature.
- Logan Lancing has spent the last five years studying leftist literature and sharing his findings to inform people of the contents of these writings.
- Dr. James Lindsay, co-author of "The Queering of the American Child," is affiliated with "New Discourses," a platform where Lancing's article was published.
- Lancing suggests that curiosity is a powerful tool for combating harmful ideologies, referencing a recent article titled "Curiosity is a Cult Killer."
Marxism and its Influence on Education
- Peter McLaren, a leftist academic, wrote in the 1980s that the critical Marxist tradition was taking postmodern principles and applying them to identity politics and education. (00:14:13)
- Marxism is a theology, not an economic theory, that posits humans are creative and social beings who can shape the world in their vision and arrest and direct history.
- Karl Marx believed that humans can achieve a state of unity with nature, where they see themselves reflected in the world around them.
- Marxism is characterized as a post-Christian, anti-Christian theology centered on the idea that the god of power rules.
- Marxism is further described as a philosophy of resentment, echoing Nietzsche's critiques, where history and relationships are viewed as a battleground between the oppressed and the oppressor, an idea that is particularly appealing in cultures corrupted by power dynamics.
- Marxism is easy to teach to children because it simplifies the world into a binary system of good and evil.
- Critical Race Theory applies the Marxist framework to race, arguing that white people created a system of oppression by inventing the concept of whiteness.
- Queer Theory also mirrors the Marxist structure, positing that societal norms around gender and sexuality are a form of social control imposed by a dominant group. (00:29:25)
- Marxism is a philosophy of resentment based on the unequal distribution of wealth, but this is present in all economic systems.
- Critical Race Theory (CRT) combines the critical Marxist tradition with postmodern tactics, according to Kimberly Khaw, considered the mother of CRT.
- Critical construcivism is the technical term for “woke,” and it represents the merging of critical Marxist tradition and postmodernism.
- Isaac Goddman, a Marxist educational scholar, wrote a book called "The Critical Turn in Education" that explains how Marxists infiltrated the education system starting in the 1960s.
The Postmodern Influence
- Michel Foucault is the world's most cited intellectual. (00:38:27)
- Kimberly Kenshaw is a professor of law.
- The postmodernists believe that people experience the world through stories.
- Michel Foucault and Judith Butler argue that humans are born into a society with a "social, cultural, and political soul" that influences individuals to conform to societal expectations.
- This societal influence is described as a form of "possession" where individuals are compelled to align their actions, behaviors, and desires with societal norms.
- The speaker suggests that Foucault and Butler's perspective views the "soul" as a restrictive force that limits individual expression and autonomy.
Queer Theory and its Impact on Children
- Queer Theory is defined as "whatever is at odds with the normal, the legitimate, the dominant". (01:17:11)
- Queer theory posits that children naturally desire normalcy and societal integration, hindering their ability to experience the fluidity of "queerness."
- To disrupt this desire for normalcy, children are told they may unknowingly hold racist or homophobic beliefs, instilling a sense of crisis and reliance on the specialized knowledge of the theorist.
- This process, termed "trauma bonding," aims to make children question their inherent beliefs and seek resolution through the guidance of the theorist, ultimately leading them to embrace their "true selves" and fluid identities.
The State of Education and Conservative Response
- The speaker became interested in education after becoming a father in 2016.
- The speaker's interest was further piqued by a series of events, including the Canadian Bill C-16, the Evergreen State College protests, and the firing of James Damore from Google.
- The speaker, who previously identified as classically liberal and a Democrat, felt that these events represented a suppression of free speech and challenged their political beliefs. (00:44:47)
- The speaker expresses concern about the state of the education system, citing instances of schools segregating students based on race and drag queen performances in schools.
- The speaker highlights that education consumes 50% of a typical state's budget, excluding federal funding, and that teacher unions predominantly support Democrats.
- The speaker criticizes faculties of education, asserting that they are incompetent, radical, and attract low-quality students, and argues that educational psychology research is often scientifically invalid and harmful.
- People are blaming the state of education on conservatives, but conservatives have lost the culture war and Marxists have taken over the education system.
- Chris Rufo has been effective in opposing the political left, particularly regarding education in Florida.
- The Florida government, along with Rufo, are working to have some political influence on the content taught in at least one university in Florida. (00:07:51)
- Conservatives have failed to adequately address the infiltration of radical ideology, particularly within scientific and academic spheres.
- The tactics employed by the political left over the past six decades have effectively utilized social and emotional leverage to advance their agenda, often rendering rational and reasonable discourse ineffective.
The Spread of Ideology and its Impact
- This Marxist ideology has spread beyond education to law, medicine, and even STEM fields, as evidenced by the ideological takeover of science journals like "Science" and "Nature".
- The reputation of Nature, a prestigious scientific journal with a 150-year history, has been impacted by its editors' adoption of a specific political viewpoint.
- Real scientists and mathematicians are not political because they are completely focused on their work. (01:08:41)
- The current climate is a war between resentful, hedonistic, and power-hungry individuals and everyone else.
- Creative young people are easily swayed by radical ideologies because they often feel at odds with societal norms.
- Normal society does not incorporate the creative because it uses a one-size-fits-all model.
- Children are easier targets for this because they do not have a model of the world and are still developing.
Parental Advice
- Parents are advised to prioritize a strong and open relationship with their children, engaging in conversations about current events and fostering a sense of trust.
Financial Security
- Many Americans are concerned about security, including financial security, and gold and silver are presented as a way to diversify savings and hedge against inflation. (00:19:38)