Marxism vs Postmodernism | The philosophy of Marxism

Postmodernism is a trend in philosophy that has become mainstream, and heavily influences identity politics. But when we ask the question 'what is postmodernism?', we are often told that it is indefinable. Indeed it can be summed up as a philosophy that rejects theory, science and the idea of progress.

In the second talk of Socialist Appeal's philosophy day school, Hamid Alizadeh of In Defence of Marxism will explain why this philosophy is wrong and reactionary; and how the 'old' ideas of Marxism are far more relevant.

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[poexania]

This video is like a full semester class of post-modernism deconstruction and its very useful because in the most cases post - modernism deconstruction is no part of any class in universities... especially in social sciences. On the contrary, universities noways are -especially in the western world- trying to promote post modernistic values in science. According to Marxism, they tend to focus on Marx as a philosopher, focusing on specific aspects of its works. Lenin for most of the academics is ignored, or mocked, or presented like Hitler, and they compare "orthodox marxism"(sic) to religion. And then there is their beloved Frankfurt school, always there in the service of a "left wing" anti - sovietism.... sry for my bad english

[PunksForProgress]

This was very helpful. I have had a hell of a time getting my head around Derrida. And, this helped to clarify some things. I can see now where I misunderstood him. Thanks for that!

[TheSymonak]

Seriously, that helped. I knew that people like Jordan Peterson sounded qeong when they amalgameted postmodernism and maxism, but it's nice to hear it from someone who embrases communism.

[tenholindberg]

It has also baffled me, that the post modernism, wich is clrearly inherently anti materialist worldview, wich positions are the extreme version of bourgoise idealism, that it is seen as leftit ideology. This video was, so enlighting, about the huge contradictions and inconsistencies, of this pomo worldview .

When we return to material arguments, the reason abd logic will do their jobs, by convincing the working class, about the nessecity of class concious actions, and policies.


Second issue wich i think US needs, is to articulate accordinly, about the marxisms and christianitys common values, in order to Make a christian case, about the marxism.

[angelaseise]

Thank you for this. We need more content emphasizing this because unfortunately, Jordan Peterson has convinced many that postmodernism is simply an updated version of Marxism.

[sahakmargossian]

Very well explained! Great to throw off the progressive cover of postmodernism and show it's reactionary character.

[LuceroLucifer]

i really recommend "The Unravelling the Post Modern Mind" by Cristopher Nash

[MetamodernPostexCult]

Great talk. Comrade Hamid is very articulate :)

[mavrospanayiotis]

When i got closer to marxism i got this feeling that most "category" fights against the system where illusory: in capitalism rights are allowed, not achieved. Gays, natives, women etc. and so on are ways of being but are not related per se to class fight. If you're a rich gay you can rent a woman to have children, if you're poor you can die old and alone without basic aids; you can be a bangladesh worker living with 90$ per month, you can be a rich indian renteer governing England. Both will be still divided by their class, rights are just nominal. That's the great deceit, calling freedom what isn't because there is no real structural change wich allows real liberty, unbound from specific, divisive, identities.

[HypeBeast]

I feel like I'm watching the marxist version of Jordan Peterson talking about post-modernism.

[conjugatemethod]

Daniel Zamora's book on Foucalt is well worth a read.

[splashwellington]

I dont really agree with most postmodern ideas, however, Foucalt point about LSD is very true in my experience. During my LSD induced experiences i have had many “awakenings” to the realization that nothing really matters. Its all bullshit and to jusy enjoy life as it is. Thats not to say the objective reality that we actually do know such as a table being a table dont exist, but more so that the realization came to me more so as stories that we attach to things, places, people, animals, and especially ourselves. So i definitely agree (probably out of bias tbh) with Foucalt on this point. Maybe someone else who has a differing viewpoint on that could respond and help me see it from their perspective though. Great video btw!! Thank you

[B]

Have always wanted to seek clarity on this topic... Near as I can tell, a semantically inflated load of crap... ultimately reflecting the fear, those who "theorized" it, have regarding the collective consciousness and its rapidly expanding state.

[mitscientifica]

How I read it ( literally too) Postmodernism calls into question the powers of reason, asserts the importance of nonrational forces such as sensations and emotions, rejects humanism and the traditional philosophical notion of the human being as the central subject of knowledge, champions heterogeneity and difference.



“The Postmodernists' tyranny wears people down by boredom and semi-literate prose.”
—Christopher Hitchens

“Hell hath no fury like a coolly received postmodernist.”
—David Foster Wallace, Girl With Curious Hair

[guerillagardener]

Everything has ism at the end of it, I call ismism.

[Debord]

There is no post-modernism, the philosofer you enumerated have very little in common and very little in common with Foucault. Foucault did not reject progress, he said that it was possible, but we see very little off it (if look clear on the reality). That we had so much progress is actually a liberal position. Foucault was also not so interested in if ideas had developed historically, but instead if people life hade been liberated and if they live better life, what a marxist actually also should focus on. You sound like right wingers.

[sarahb]

i feel like this guy is misrepresenting postmodernism

[carlocastellanelli]

This guy is so wrong about poststructuralism ideas

I wish senior comrades were more open minded about other ways of thinking about the material world. I am terribly upset to say that, but the way Hamid talks on that topic has similar patterns to how Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan speaks. Pick up a complicated topic, reduce the entire system of ideas to couple of sentences which would sound silly to the audience, then attack as you like.
If the aim of this talk was to explain how much some Marxist hate Postmodernism, then there is no point of spending 40 minutes on that. I was expecting a speech a bit more calmer, and less conservative.

[koekjestrommol]

wow he completely misunderstood post-modernists...