Is cultural marxism just a myth or conspiracy theory created by right wing conservatives?

[SuperLuigi]

The problem with a lot of these labels is that you’re shoving like 20 things under one definition, and then counting anything that fits.

It’s not a label, it’s a legitmate defintion.

---

It is actually LIBERALS and even 1st and 2nd wave feminists who are fighting cultural marxism in the trenches WAY more so than the Catholic Church is!

 

[DarkLight]

Point I was making is the definitions I see involve a bunch of different things, many of which are beliefs that have very little actual logical relation to each other at all, and certainly that don’t imply each other in any sort of manner.

For example, I’ll bet a lot of people here would agree that there isn’t a significant biological reality to race (beyond the basic physical characteristics), but would say there is a biological reality to sex.

 

[Edmundus1581]

It is actually LIBERALS and even 1st and 2nd wave feminists who are fighting cultural marxism in the trenches WAY more so than the Catholic Church is!

Interesting observation. I can name a few (Camille Paglia, Germain Greer), but I didn’t realize it was widespread. Good on 'em! And a shame that they are more clued in that the Catholic Church.

 

[Rhubarb]

Virtue signalling is when a person tries to impress others by acting virtuous - usually in the deriding way it’s used here they mean acting progressive to try and impress other progressively minded people.

You’re trying to signal (ie. Communicate) your attitudes to others.

 

[Usagi]

Yeah, but it seems to be used any time someone expresses a progressive opinion, as though no one has ever really held such principles instead of just using them to impress people.

 

[Rhubarb]

That’s the problem with political buzzwords, memes and slogans.

 

[Xantippe]

Yeah, but it seems to be used any time someone expresses a progressive opinion, as though no one has ever really held such principles instead of just using them to impress people.

And heaven knows there is a conservative version of virtue signaling, where a politician espouses ultra-traditional views on homosexuality and traditional marriage–while personally enjoying same sex affairs, or just plain affairs.

Virtue signaling is specific to particular environments.

 

[goodcatholic]

the problem with political buzzwords, memes and slogans.

And now “buzzword” has become a buzzword

 

[SuperLuigi]

If you’re virtue-signaling, it basically means you don’t care about results and just want people to know you have good intentions and that’s what matters in the end. Virtue-signaling has done considerable damage in the developing world with all kinds of failed pet projects.

There is no question that God calls Catholics to be higher than that.

 

[goodcatholic]

Just sounds like people acting superficially, childishly really.
As you say, as Catholic Christians we have a responsibility to avoid this kind of behaviour.
Maybe we also have to be careful using the word “cultural Marxism” ?

 

[jackfitz316]

I honestly think that it exists. We’ve seen how the far left behaves and it clearly fits that description.

 

[SuperLuigi]

Just sounds like people acting superficially, childishly really.

This behaviour is now the norm at many universities. Basically, it’s inmates running the asylum. This is what Catholic parents get up at 6 AM to work their rears off every day pay for. And they give like anyone else because of the basketball or football team “because”. I saw Rick Santorum give a speech on that once.

As you say, as Catholic Christians we have a responsibility to avoid this kind of behaviour.

We have a responsibility to avoid scandal. In the Gospel, John the Baptist called the elites and elite wannabes who wanted baptism because it was cool “a brood of vipers” and told them he wouldn’t baptize them because he knew they weren’t serious about it. A lot of people on the internet would have a big problem with that. That’s where the “you don’t know me” “you can’t judge me” mudfest excuses come in. I also think what a lot of the Patriarchs and Saints would say today would have Christians stampeding over the sharia advocates and secular radicals to silence or even execute them.

That’s what cultural marxism and identity politics are. In order for that to even exist, you need to have an oppressed class or classes, which means you need an oppressor. Even if they achieved their goal, in the end, they’d turn on and destroy each other. Most of these groups are welded together by nothing more than money.

There’s no appeasing people who practice such nonsense anyways. They will always ALWAYS find something wrong.

Another example is a tweet I saw recently. A brown woman posted that Voodoo should be practiced by whites because it’s Afro-Carribean and brown and black in nature. A black woman said she was upset by that because the word brown came before black.

People keep asking on the social issues “where will it end”. I always tell them the sky is the limit, unless they start pushing back.

Maybe we also have to be careful using the word “cultural Marxism” ?

I think you have to be careful with using words in general. Words tend to have meaning in power. Watch your tongue, as the Bible says.

Most people who use the phrase know what they are talking about and are informed on the matter. I’m hoping that will last, and it probably will because those who oppose such nonsense really don’t have a lot of power in academia, the arts or media— aside from some social media which is now actively censoring them,

 

[phil19034]

Marxism is extremely dangerous to Christianity and frankly all religions.

You can read lots of literature from St. John Paul II on this, plus many other Popes from the late 19th century and 20th centuries.

You can also ask just about any Polish Catholic over the age of 40 and they will tell you what it was like to live under Communism.

Same with any East German or any other person of faith from Eastern Europe. You can also ask any Vietnamese Catholic, esp ones from South Vietnam. I once spoke with a Vietnamese Catholic Priest and he could really tell some stories about being Catholic under the Communists.

Also, look at how the Chinese do their best to control the Church in China.

Communism / Marxism pushes atheism for a number of reasons, but especially views religion as a way for the aristocrats to keep people in line because instead of focusing on their current lives, religious people focus on the afterlife. Marx called religion the “opium of the people.”

Marx said the following in his Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right

Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.

Criticism has plucked the imaginary flowers on the chain not in order that man shall continue to bear that chain without fantasy or consolation, but so that he shall throw off the chain and pluck the living flower. The criticism of religion disillusions man, so that he will think, act, and fashion his reality like a man who has discarded his illusions and regained his senses, so that he will move around himself as his own true Sun. Religion is only the illusory Sun which revolves around man as long as he does not revolve around himself

So, in summary, religion has MUCH to fear from Marxism.

God Bless

 

[Regular_Atheist]

The notion of “Cultural Marxism” has little to do with the work of Marx. It’s an often anti-Semitic conspiracy positing that different forms of social “degeneracy” (or whatever you want to call it) are a product of a conspiracy by Marxists. Basically the reason that the LGBT movement exists or interracial relationships exist is because of shady Marxists pulling the strings promoting degeneracy in the West. “Softer” versions of the “theory” try and avoid the conspiratorial element, and describe Cultural Marxism as a vague movement instead. Either way it’s nonsense, often racist, and only uses the term “Marxism” because lots of Americans are still afraid of communism for some reason.

 

[phil19034]

because lots of Americans are still afraid of communism for some reason

Because communism is evil. Ask any one who lives in Poland, who’s over 40 years old. They will tell you, communism is evil.

 

[Regular_Atheist]

I understand why they dislike communism, I just don’t understand why so many Americans consider it to be an immanent threat. The Cold War ended over two decades ago. It’s also an explicitly American phenomenon - here in the UK there isn’t this obsession over the threat of communism or Marxism.

 

[phil19034]

I understand why they dislike communism, I just don’t understand why so many Americans consider it to be an immanent threat. The Cold War ended over two decades ago. It’s also an explicitly American phenomenon - here in the UK there isn’t this obsession over the threat of communism or Marxism.

Because America is a two party system, and the American communists have been slowly gaining influence in the Democratic Party since the 1940s.

There are a number of Americans who fear that communists might actually become a powerful lobby/caucus within the Democratic Party within our lifetimes.

 

[Regular_Atheist]

But that isn’t true, and that isn’t going to happen. What even is it about the incredibly mild neoliberal Democrat politicians that makes people like you so afraid? If the Democrats are communists then Europe is the true successor to the Eastern Bloc. You would probably consider even the Conservative Party here in the UK to be overrun by communists.

 

[phil19034]

But that isn’t true, and that isn’t going to happen. What even is it about the incredibly mild neoliberal Democrat politicians that makes people like you so afraid? If the Democrats are communists then Europe is the true successor to the Eastern Bloc. You would probably consider even the Conservative Party here in the UK to be overrun by communists.

No, that’s not what I mean. The Democrats in Congress are not communists (though a growing number are socialist). Nor are any in state legislatures.

HOWEVER, there are growing number of 20 somethings on the left who are either (a) publicly identify as communist or (b) have strong communist leanings.

These are the same kids who think Fidel Castro was a great guy and great leader.

You see, in the past, American communists would keep their true identity a secret. But today, the communists are not afraid to be vocal and public, which is drawing many college kids on the far left into their influence.

 

[Edmundus1581]

The notion of “Cultural Marxism” has little to do with the work of Marx. It’s an often anti-Semitic conspiracy positing that different forms of social “degeneracy” (or whatever you want to call it) are a product of a conspiracy by Marxists. Basically the reason that the LGBT movement exists or interracial relationships exist is because of shady Marxists pulling the strings promoting degeneracy in the West. “Softer” versions of the “theory” try and avoid the conspiratorial element, and describe Cultural Marxism as a vague movement instead. Either way it’s nonsense, often racist, and only uses the term “Marxism” because lots of Americans are still afraid of communism for some reason.

This is a good description of the term “Cultural Marxism” as a conspiracy theory, and I agree with some of your points. Where I disagree is that’s all nonsense. In my previous posts I’ve said that I don’t see a “conspiracy”. But I do see a “movement” which, without any central organisation, is powerful, heavily ideological, relentless, and very wealthy (in high paying, pointless jobs), and very successful. The cultural Marxists are winning on every front. Apart from the election of Trump they have won, or a winning, every battle they’ve entered - Abortion, LGBT rights, affirmative action and gender quotas, various myths of feminism (“wage gap”, “patriarchy”, “domestic violence epidemic”, “rape culture”), popular acceptance of divorce and extra-marital sex, prohibition of free speech in the universities, misuse of foreign aid, etc…

I doubt that there is any individual who identifies as a “cultural marxist”, or any group of people who sit in meetings plotting to further cultural marxism as an end in itself, however there is a common philosophy and approach to politics.

The label “progressive” could be used, but does not convey the essence of “cultural marxism”, which is that it is intolerant and irrational, under the guise of tolerance and rationality.

…
That’s what cultural marxism and identity politics are. In order for that to even exist, you need to have an oppressed class or classes, which means you need an oppressor. …Most of these groups are welded together by nothing more than money.
…
There’s no appeasing people who practice such nonsense anyways. They will always ALWAYS find something wrong.
…
People keep asking on the social issues “where will it end”. I always tell them the sky is the limit, unless they start pushing back.
…

I agree entirely.

Where will it end? It certainly won’t end with them slowing their attacks, or ceasing their demands for money and legislation to deal with newly discovered “oppressions”. Yes, the sky’s the limit.

But it WILL END, because society cannot function under the weight of this nonsense and expense (and with the universities being entirely turned over to the left), especially while competing societies are unfettered by it, and I expect it will end sooner rather than later.