In this engaging discussion, Musa al-Gharbi, a sociologist and assistant professor at Stony Brook University, tackles the complexities of social capitalism and its impact on political leanings. He argues that the elite often undermine their own principles of equality, despite their good intentions. Al-Gharbi challenges simplified narratives around wokeness, critiques the disconnect between advocates and the communities they claim to represent, and reflects on how professions shape values and political divides in today's society.
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Modernity vs. Wokeness
Musa al-Gharbi's book, We Have Never Been Woke, draws parallels to Bruno Latour's We Have Never Been Modern.
Both argue that narratives we tell ourselves obscure the nature of our world and hinder our ability to address its challenges.
insights INSIGHT
Symbolic Capitalism and Elitism
Symbolic capitalists prioritize their own status and preferences over true egalitarianism.
This tension undermines their efforts to address social inequalities.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Shoes vs. Scholarship
Al-Gharbi contrasts his experiences in shoe sales with academia.
He highlights the tangible impact of service work versus the abstract nature of symbolic professions.
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In this book, Musa al-Gharbi argues that despite the rise of a new elite who identify as allies of progressive causes such as antiracism, feminism, and LGBTQ rights, social and economic inequalities have continued to grow. These symbolic capitalists, who work primarily with words, ideas, images, and data, genuinely believe in egalitarian principles but inadvertently contribute to and perpetuate the very inequalities they oppose. The book examines how their actions and narratives often provoke backlash against the social justice causes they champion and argues that challenging these self-serving narratives is crucial for addressing social and economic inequality effectively.
We Have Never Been Modern
Bruno Latour
In 'We Have Never Been Modern,' Bruno Latour challenges the conventional understanding of modernity by arguing that the strict divisions between nature and society, science and culture, are constructs rather than realities. He contends that modernity is characterized by a dual process of 'purification' and 'hybridization,' where moderns attempt to separate nature from society but inevitably create hybrids that mix politics, science, technology, and nature. Latour suggests that these hybrids, such as environmental crises and technological advancements, reveal the limitations of modern thought and the need for a more integrated understanding of the world. The book advocates for rethinking the definition and constitution of modernity to better address contemporary challenges[1][2][5].
The Road to Wigan Pier
George Orwell
The book is divided into two parts. The first part is a detailed and evocative account of the poverty and living conditions of the working class in northern England, particularly in mining towns like Wigan. Orwell describes the harsh realities of miners' lives, the poor housing conditions, and the economic struggles faced by these communities. The second part of the book is a more political treatise where Orwell discusses the failures of socialism and his own socialist solutions to the problems he observed. He critiques the middle class and the intellectual left, while advocating for a more practical and compassionate form of socialism[2][4][5].
Why does occupation reliably predict political leanings? What is social capitalism, and how does it span income classes? If social capitalists are sincerely committed to equality and “wokeness,” why do they simultaneously benefit from—and perpetuate—the very inequalities they denounce?
Join us as we dive into Musa al-Gharbi’s provocative new book, We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite (Princeton University Press, 2024). We explore al-Gharbi’s central argument: the disconnect between the stated values of the "symbolic capital elite" and the real-world consequences of their actions, despite their genuine intentions. Al-Gharbi draws parallels to past "great awakenings"—periods of profound cultural upheaval and shifting attitudes toward civil rights. We also examine whether defining "wokeness" is essential to his thesis, and al-Gharbi clarifies some of the most frequently misunderstood aspects of his work.
Musa al-Gharbi is a sociologist and assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. A columnist for The Guardian, his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and other major publications.
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