What you say about concepts losing their attachment to real things reminds me of an old essay by Freddie deBoer where he refers to this (in the specific context of criticisms, and what we'd now call cancelling) as "critique drift." I like that phrase because I think the word "drift" emphasizes how it's a thing that happens while you're n…
What you say about concepts losing their attachment to real things reminds me of an old essay by Freddie deBoer where he refers to this (in the specific context of criticisms, and what we'd now call cancelling) as "critique drift." I like that phrase because I think the word "drift" emphasizes how it's a thing that happens while you're not paying too much attention. You can intuitively start saying "but what about this argument" and "but that's white men stuff," and eventually you just habitually say it without thinking as precisely about why you're saying it. And if you get approval every time, the drift happens even more easily.
In my opinion, a lot of people are aware somehow in their bones that the drift is happening... they're somehow feeling discomfort about it, about their lack of confidence in the things they're saying. They say things and no longer feel in touch with the meaning of what they're saying, and that doesn't feel good. But the way they respond to that discomfort, in my opinion, is to turn it outward and tell other people that they are doing things wrong.
ooh I like that. Words drift all the time, sometimes to mean their complete opposite. And often I think when people encounter a term or criticism without knowing the background behind it, it then takes on a life quite different from how it was intended.
What you say about concepts losing their attachment to real things reminds me of an old essay by Freddie deBoer where he refers to this (in the specific context of criticisms, and what we'd now call cancelling) as "critique drift." I like that phrase because I think the word "drift" emphasizes how it's a thing that happens while you're not paying too much attention. You can intuitively start saying "but what about this argument" and "but that's white men stuff," and eventually you just habitually say it without thinking as precisely about why you're saying it. And if you get approval every time, the drift happens even more easily.
In my opinion, a lot of people are aware somehow in their bones that the drift is happening... they're somehow feeling discomfort about it, about their lack of confidence in the things they're saying. They say things and no longer feel in touch with the meaning of what they're saying, and that doesn't feel good. But the way they respond to that discomfort, in my opinion, is to turn it outward and tell other people that they are doing things wrong.
ooh I like that. Words drift all the time, sometimes to mean their complete opposite. And often I think when people encounter a term or criticism without knowing the background behind it, it then takes on a life quite different from how it was intended.