Thoughts on Burn’s Critique of Contra: “In Defense of Theory”
I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this video. I’ve been oscillating between aspects of both Contra and Burns’s positions.
This is what I took from it, though I may be misunderstanding parts of it, so feel free to correct me where needed:
https://youtu.be/Nq8NVn8c7u4?si=5yPK1SG2zqHa_hKR
He seems to depict Contra’s characterization of theory as flawed because he reads it as a dismissal of theory itself, as a basis of intellectual supremacy and dogmatic religion-like allegiance, without any concern for material reality.
Meanwhile, Contra appears less concerned with theory reading in the abstract and more frustrated with a kind of performative online leftism that treats Marxism like infallible scripture while accomplishing very little materially.
What I find odd is that Burns responds as though she’s arguing against political action or serious engagement with theory, when her critique seems more directed at leftists who spend their time arguing online, and attacking people for ideological impurity rather than trying to understand material conditions well enough to actually produce change.