Taboo: How Making Race Sacred Produced a Cultural Revolution

by Eric Kaufmann

The once-dominant philosophy of the West, defined by free expression, equal treatment of individuals, national solidarity and scientific rationality, is under threat. 'Cultural socialism' – which advocates harsh restrictions on free speech, due process and national symbols in order to reduce psychological harm and bolster the esteem of formerly marginalized groups – is on the rise. Rather than focusing on Marxist revolutionaries or equality law, Eric Kaufmann concentrates on well-meaning left-liberals. He argues that the genesis of 'woke' cultural socialism emerged from liberal taboos around race that arose in the 1960s and came to be weaponised and extended to other areas, such as gender. Using extensive survey data, he shows that this process is driven mainly by values, not fear, and is only going to accelerate as culturally leftist generations enter the workforce and electorate. Its rise suppresses the open debate that makes effective policy-making possible, harming the minorities cultural socialists purport to help. Only if we shift from encouraging minority fragility to building minority resilience, using state power to check institutional illiberalism, can we resist cultural socialism and restore cultural flourishing. This is the authoritative study of the radical shift in values that has turbo-charged the culture wars of our time. No-one concerned with the cultural and political conflicts of our times can afford to miss it.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Political Science, Cultural, Philosophy, Sociology, History

504 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2024

About the author

Eric Peter Kaufmann is a Canadian professor of politics at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is a specialist on Orangeism in Northern Ireland, nationalism, political demography and demography of the religious/irreligious.

Reviews

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wilde Amazone

The most significant thesis in the book is the notion that elected legislatures are the world’s best defense against the wokeism that prevail in the institutions now controlled by the Woke elite, ie, educational system, professional associations. Quote in the introduction “government is accountable and transparent in a way that institutions are not.” Of course that means voters must stop voting for the politicians who have fallen for Woke nostrums...

John Goode

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A deep dive into the sociology of wokeness

Amazing. As per this book, most people misunderstand wokeness as a political philosophy based on a certain logic, when actually it is more like a religion based on emotion. This is why ardent woke believers are absolutists, meaning their view, which they believe is the only moral view, must prevail, and if you want to be seen as among the virtuous you need to fall into line.

Kaufmann explains this with brilliant insight, and very articulately. He has codified a new perspective on wokeness, with a new language to describe the development and sociology of wokeness. Whereas most commentaries on wokeness focus on what are woke policies, Kaufmann focuses on why are those woke views adopted by so many people.

Wokeness is the probably the most important cultural phenomenon/revolution in the West since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, so we need to understand it better in terms of why has it been so incredibly successful and what have been the consequences.

Karen Alpert, Australia

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Eric Kaufmann is one of the few fearless academics left in the Western World. This book helps outline how we got here, and how we can take the institutions back. Packed with empirical information, but also contains advice about what we can do to resist the secular religion, wokeism, from parasitizing the minds of the next generation.

Anonymous


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[Michael Milburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more sophisticated book than suggested by the title (which wasn’t chosen by the author). Marxism merely offers the supply for which liberalism presents the demand. I was less interested in the proposed solutions.

[Jo Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only read selected extracts as the whole book has not been issued yet but I loved what I read. So clear, succinct and eloquently written.

[Rodrigo Jungmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talvez o melhor sobre o tema seja este aqui.

[Damion Reinhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent diagnosis; treatment regime (final two chapters) remains questionable and untested.

[Joshua Friesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Common sense ain't common.