cultural left

is the post-sixties left which became overly theoretical, overly philosophical, caught up in endless debates about identity, cultural differences, recognition, and symbolic representation. Rather than labor struggles its struggles are circular.

In contrast, the postsixties left, or what Rorty sometimes calls the 'cultural left' and other times the 'academic left,' has eclipsed the modus operandi and also the spirit of the reformist left. This cultural left is caught in endless debates about identity, about cultural differences, about recognition and symbolic representation. It is overly theoretical, and most of its energy is consumed in theoretical or philosophical pursuits. Instead of storming city hall, it rushes from the English department or the dean's office. Its struggles are not labor struggles, but curricular debates. The cultural left has become spectatorial and thus disengaged from concrete campaigns and movements. In contrast to the reformist left, the cultural left has no pride in America. It is emotionally disengaged from it. In fact, it is motivated by a deep anti-Americanism and self-loathing. As Rorty put it elsewhere, 'This over-philosophized and self-obsessed left is the mirror image of the over-philosophized and self-obsessed Straussians. The contempt of both groups for contemporary American society is so great that both have rendered themselves impotent when it comes to national, state or local politics. This means that they get to spend all their energy on academic politics.'

cultural left, n.Definitions

cultural left