Journalist and filmmaker Leighton Woodhouse negates the fundamentally false readings made by those that write off Foucault as the "Godfather of Wokeness"
Thanks for this great piece. You’re right, of course. However, should we consider the ideology of wokeness as a coherent and contained one which is properly constituted by intellectual and philosophical antecedents? It self-evidently it isn’t that. Isn’t it rather a pseudo discourse which is sutured together from various (clearly heterogeneous and sometimes contradictory) elements of philosophy, social, political, and cultural theory. The lexicon used in Foucault’s work is one of these elements (‘power’, ‘bodies’, ‘spaces’). Judith Butler’s gender theory is another. They have in common the fact that the content of their work and their arguments are often more sophisticated than the ways in which they are conveyed and read. Also clearly no one actually reads Foucault, but are content to absorb a secondhand interpretation of his theories. This is less so for Butler, however - whose wilful indeterminacy practically begs the multiplicity of readings visited upon her work. Nonetheless, in this particular vein - both have contributed something to wokeness, whether voluntarily or not.
Your argument is very convincing. It seems quite reasonable to assume that Foucault would see the true nature of the "woke" faction. Nevertheless, I still suspect he would gladly join the movement if not just for the fun of it.
Thanks for this great piece. You’re right, of course. However, should we consider the ideology of wokeness as a coherent and contained one which is properly constituted by intellectual and philosophical antecedents? It self-evidently it isn’t that. Isn’t it rather a pseudo discourse which is sutured together from various (clearly heterogeneous and sometimes contradictory) elements of philosophy, social, political, and cultural theory. The lexicon used in Foucault’s work is one of these elements (‘power’, ‘bodies’, ‘spaces’). Judith Butler’s gender theory is another. They have in common the fact that the content of their work and their arguments are often more sophisticated than the ways in which they are conveyed and read. Also clearly no one actually reads Foucault, but are content to absorb a secondhand interpretation of his theories. This is less so for Butler, however - whose wilful indeterminacy practically begs the multiplicity of readings visited upon her work. Nonetheless, in this particular vein - both have contributed something to wokeness, whether voluntarily or not.
Good understanding of Foucault, terrible understanding of wokeness.
Your argument is very convincing. It seems quite reasonable to assume that Foucault would see the true nature of the "woke" faction. Nevertheless, I still suspect he would gladly join the movement if not just for the fun of it.
Gratitude for this essay and accurately reflecting Foucault...
Fantastic essay.