Symbolic Capital(ism)

Symbolic Capital(ism) examines the interplay between social justice discourse, inequality, and the influence of symbolic professions. It critiques elite control of symbolic capital, explores knowledge economy impacts, and analyzes socio-political dynamics in academia, politics, and public discourse on various contemporary issues.

Social Justice Discourse Inequality Symbolic Professions Knowledge Economy Political Dynamics Academia Public Discourse

The hottest Substack posts of Symbolic Capital(ism)

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Meet the Symbolic Capitalists

779 implied HN points • 28 May 24
  1. Marx divided the bourgeoisie into 'functioning capitalists' and 'money capitalists,' highlighting the tensions between those who run things and those who own things.
  2. The 'Professional Managerial Class' emerged in the interwar period, defining a group of workers who don't own the means of production but uphold capitalist culture and relations.
  3. The concept of 'Symbolic Capitalists' delves into elites who control symbolic capital through cultural, academic, and political means, using 'wokeness' as a signal of elite background and education.

Introduction to the Symbolic Economy

559 implied HN points • 19 Jun 24
  1. Conventional industries have taken a back seat to symbolic industries in the US over the past 50 years, with finance, insurance, real estate, and professional services taking the lead.
  2. The symbolic economy dominates contemporary life by reshaping how people live, work, and relate to one another, with a major focus on constant connection, data collection, algorithmic curation, and customization.
  3. In the symbolic economy, knowledge, data, and ideas are key assets owned and controlled like physical goods, transforming many sectors into abstract entities and reshaping how economic success is determined based on one's brand and representation.

Save Your Solidarity for the People of Gaza

259 implied HN points • 09 May 24
  1. The protests at elite institutions like Columbia University highlighted the disconnect between activism and reality
  2. While the campus protests sparked attention, the true crisis in Gaza with displaced people sleeping in tents and facing airstrikes received less focus
  3. The disproportionate response from authorities and concerns about safety on campus overshadowed the urgent crisis in Gaza

It's the (Knowledge) Economy, Stupid

119 implied HN points • 04 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Issues Party Politics Voters Democratic Party Labor Unions
  1. The biggest divide in American politics is between knowledge economy professionals and those feeling like 'losers' in this economy, impacting the Democratic Party and the political landscape.
  2. Knowledge economy professionals have significantly influenced the Democratic Party, leading to a disconnect with the values and priorities of most other Americans, especially working-class voters.
  3. The focus on catering to the preferences of knowledge economy professionals has caused a shift in the style and substance of Democratic politics, moving it away from the concerns of ordinary Americans and towards more niche ideologies.
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Education and Privilege Laundering

39 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🚌 Education Social Mobility Inequality Admissions Meritocracy
  1. Elite education institutions, from K-12 schools to universities, primarily serve to maintain and enhance social privileges of affluent families through a complex system of privilege laundering.
  2. The emphasis on elite education can often lead to a false perception of meritocracy, where affluent students receive favorable treatment and higher grades despite not necessarily outperforming their less privileged counterparts.
  3. Scandals like 'Varsity Blues' shed light on the reality behind the illusion of merit in elite college admissions, revealing the pervasive nature of privilege laundering in the American educational system.

The Symbolic Professions Are Super WEIRD

3 HN points • 08 Jul 24
  1. WEIRD societies have distinctive characteristics like future-orientation, individual focus, and preference for instrumental relationships.
  2. Psychological findings from WEIRD societies may not apply universally, highlighting the need for larger and diverse study samples.
  3. Institutions like colleges and universities select for and reinforce WEIRD tendencies, affecting the individuals who enter symbolic professions.

The "Great Awokening" Is Winding Down

39 implied HN points • 08 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Social Issues Cultural Shifts Workplace dynamics Media Trends
  1. The period of intense social change and activism known as the 'Great Awokening' that began after 2011 appears to be losing momentum, with shifts in discourse, norms, and outputs slowing or reversing in knowledge economy fields and institutions.
  2. Knowledge economy professionals became more socially and politically radical over the past decade, leading to significant changes in protest activity, workplace dynamics, media content, and political alignments in the U.S.
  3. There are indications of a cultural shift away from intense focus on social justice issues among younger generations, resulting in reevaluation by multinational corporations, universities, and social media platforms of their involvement in culture wars and identity politics.

On Populism, the Working Class and Partisan Politics

19 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Populism Working Class Partisan Politics
  1. Many Americans are politically conservative symbolically but operationally progressive, lacking representation from political parties or coalitions.
  2. There is a growing appetite for populism in American politics, evidenced by the success of leaders like Trump and Sanders in recent elections.
  3. The Republican Party is facing a struggle between traditional conservatism and populism, with challenges in aligning economic policies with the desires of their base.

Being a Professor is a (Product and Reinforcer of) Privilege

19 implied HN points • 19 Jul 23
🚌 Education Privilege Meritocracy Academia Inequality
  1. Being a tenure-track professor comes with high occupational prestige, pleasant working conditions, and superior job security, offering a lifestyle privilege.
  2. The requirements for becoming a tenure-line professor create barriers for the majority of the U.S. population, favoring elite backgrounds and credentials from prestigious institutions for academic success.
  3. Current academic evaluation practices, such as journal publications, citations, and grant opportunities, often prioritize institutional prestige and professional connections over genuine scholarly merit, reinforcing privileges within academia.

Contextualizing Ideological Gaps in Subjective Well-Being

19 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Political Ideologies Well-being
  1. Conservatives tend to report higher levels of happiness, meaning, and satisfaction in their lives compared to liberals, a pattern that has been consistent over time and across various demographics.
  2. Liberal teens, especially girls, are more likely to report depression than conservatives, and this gap has widened since 2011. The reasons for this disparity are complex and may involve personality traits, genetic factors, and sociocultural influences.
  3. The 'Great Awokening' post-2011 brought significant changes in mental well-being, with a rise in depression among both liberals and conservatives. Liberal ideology may exacerbate anxiety and depression, while conservative beliefs offer psychological benefits to adherents. These ideological differences in mental health are multifaceted and extend beyond demographic factors.

On Christian Nationalism and the "Religious Right"

19 implied HN points • 05 Jan 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Christian nationalism American Society Cultural Discourse
  1. Christian nationalism is a complex and multifaceted ideology that is prominently featured in contemporary discussions, but its specific meaning and implications can vary widely.
  2. The strong focus on Christian nationalism has sparked increased scholarly and media interest, particularly since the 2016 election, with a surge of publications and discussions about the topic.
  3. Despite being often associated with white evangelical Christians, Christian nationalism is a prevalent perspective among Americans of various religious backgrounds and political affiliations, challenging assumptions about its exclusivity.

Social Justice Discourse Notwithstanding, Universities Run on Disposable Scholars

59 implied HN points • 01 May 20
🚌 Education Higher Ed Job Market Social justice Inequality
  1. Universities rely on overproducing PhD candidates to cover undesirable teaching tasks, which leads to exploitation of contingent faculty.
  2. There is a lack of job opportunities for recent PhD graduates, creating a pool of desperate academics reliant on low pay and unstable positions.
  3. Reducing PhD admissions could improve placement rates and bargaining power for academics, but would require faculty to teach more basic courses and do additional work themselves.

There's No Reason to Be Smug About the Partisan "Diploma Divide"

39 implied HN points • 27 Aug 19
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics Education Partisanship Election Polarization
  1. Highly educated individuals may not always make decisions based on facts or logic as commonly believed; they exhibit biases and are less likely to change their beliefs when presented with contradictory evidence.
  2. The growing education divide between political parties does not necessarily indicate one party's superiority in terms of policy or effectiveness; being educated does not guarantee better political judgment.
  3. Academics and intellectuals should be wary of elitism and condescension towards less educated individuals and their political views, as education level does not always correlate with rational or informed political leanings.

Book Review: The Sacred Project of American Sociology

19 implied HN points • 07 May 20
🚌 Education Sociology Philosophy Academia Higher education Social Sciences
  1. American sociology is a political, sacred, and spiritual project with a specific goal of emancipation, equality, and moral affirmation of individuals.
  2. Sociology's sacred project aims to venerate, protect, and advance a specific Durkheimian sacred regarding human autonomy, equality, and identity.
  3. Sociologists must critically assess and make explicit the sacred mission of American sociology to better understand the discipline's impacts, costs, and tradeoffs on academia and society.

Book Review: The Crisis of Expertise

19 implied HN points • 14 Apr 20
🔬 Science Expertise Public Trust Higher education
  1. Despite concerns about a 'war on science' or a 'death of expertise,' public trust in the scientific community remains relatively high in the US.
  2. Americans have significant faith in science compared to other countries, yet there is polarization around various scientific issues like climate change and vaccines.
  3. The crisis of expertise is not about doubting science, but rather about the struggles over defining who counts as an expert, how their findings are interpreted, and the socio-political implications of scientific discoveries.

What COVID-19 Reveals About the Professional Managerial Class

19 implied HN points • 01 Apr 20
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social justice Labor Rights Economic Inequality Policy response Political Dynamics
  1. The professional-managerial class heavily relies on low-paid workers for their comfort and convenience, often overlooking the harsh conditions these workers face.
  2. Urban elites benefit from and perpetuate inequality through their reliance on vulnerable and desperate people to fulfill their needs, such as domestic workers, delivery drivers, and sex workers.
  3. Individuals have the power to challenge inequality by examining their own behaviors and relationships with 'disposable labor,' inspiring change in their communities and beyond.

A Genealogy of the "Great Awokening"

19 implied HN points • 04 Oct 19
🎭️ Culture History Activism Education Academia Social Issues
  1. Many concepts and approaches in today's discourse about institutions of higher learning are not new, but have deep historical roots, often pre-dating recent controversies.
  2. Elite schools have played a significant role in shaping and promoting these ideas, setting trends that other institutions tend to follow.
  3. The institutionalization of social justice movements involved a deliberate, decentralized, and multi-faceted approach, including targeting education schools to influence primary and secondary education.

Book Review: Science Fictions

0 implied HN points • 06 Jan 21
🔬 Science Bias Fraud Hype
  1. The scientific enterprise faces issues like bias, fraud, negligence, and hype that hinder knowledge building and lead to negative consequences.
  2. Scientists often struggle with careerism, which can influence them to commit fraud, exaggerate findings, or neglect opposing evidence.
  3. Proposed solutions to the problems in science include individual vigilance against biases, institutional and cultural reforms, and increased collaboration to transcend individual limitations.

Black Americans Seem to Be Losing Faith in Organized Religion... and the Democratic Party

0 implied HN points • 16 Apr 21
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion Politics Community Beliefs Values
  1. Black Americans, especially young individuals, are becoming less involved in organized religion, with decreasing church membership over the years.
  2. African Americans, while traditionally aligned with the Democratic Party, are showing signs of disillusionment with the party, reflecting a shift in their political affiliation.
  3. Black people's departure from organized religion could lead to a more politically diverse demographic, as both major parties might need to actively engage to gain their support.

The Media’s ‘Great Awokening’ Preceded Trump and has Continued Uninterrupted Since He Was Deposed

0 implied HN points • 07 Sep 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Coverage Trump presidency
  1. The 'Great Awokening' in media existed before Trump and continues even after his departure, suggesting it's not solely tied to him.
  2. Media coverage on prejudice and discrimination escalated across political spectrums from 1970 to 2019, showing significant increases in usage of related terms.
  3. Despite Trump leaving office, media discourse on prejudice and discrimination remains at high levels under Biden's presidency, indicating broader societal dynamics.

Book Review: Technological Slavery

0 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
📚 Literature Book review Ideologies Social Critique Revolution Theory
  1. Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, was a highly intelligent but ultimately violent individual with a tragic and impactful life story.
  2. Kaczynski's manifesto, _Industrial Society and Its Future_, though not revolutionary, had moments of clarity in critiquing societal rebellion and the co-opting of causes by the System.
  3. Kaczynski's focus on abstractly blaming 'the System' and his lack of concrete solutions or engagement with the realities of society ultimately led him to a violent and futile path.

Who is Vaccine Hesitant and Why?

0 implied HN points • 23 Feb 22
🏥 Health Politics Vaccine Hesitancy Skepticism Misinformation Demographics
  1. Vaccine hesitancy is not solely driven by conspiracy theories but also includes reasonable concerns about safety, transparency, and conflicts of interest.
  2. Vaccine hesitancy is present across various demographics, including marginalized and disadvantaged groups along racial, ethnic, and religious lines.
  3. Political ideology like being a MAGA-aligned white does not exclusively determine vaccine hesitation. Other factors like income, education, and access to healthcare play significant roles.

The Intense Focus on *White* Evangelicals Misses Where ‘The Action’ Is

0 implied HN points • 20 Dec 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Voting behavior Political trends
  1. Understanding electoral outcomes requires focusing on populations with growing influence or majorities, rather than shrinking or less significant groups.
  2. White evangelical voters have shown remarkable consistency in their voting behavior over the past two decades, making them less influential in explaining recent political outcomes.
  3. The decline of evangelical Christianity is occurring at a slower rate than other Christian denominations, with non-white evangelicals playing an increasingly prominent role in shaping political trends.

Professors Are Highly Unrepresentative of America Writ Large

0 implied HN points • 24 Jan 23
🚌 Education Representation Diversity Inequality Challenges Progress
  1. College professors in the U.S. come from a narrow slice of society, lacking diversity in backgrounds and perspectives.
  2. There are systemic biases in academia affecting hiring, pay, promotion, and retention, leading to underrepresentation of certain groups.
  3. Efforts to increase diversity in the professoriate must address the slow rate of change and systemic barriers, going beyond current diversity initiatives.

Securitization Discourse, Social Justice Discourse

0 implied HN points • 15 Feb 19
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics National Security Civil Rights Social justice Political Discourse
  1. Securitization rhetoric attempts to turn non-security issues into matters of national security by framing them as threats to safety and security.
  2. Politicians often use the politics of fear, such as securitization, to win support by promising safety measures, but this can be damaging to democracy.
  3. Media outlets tend to reinforce politicians' preferred security framing, contributing to the perpetuation of securitization narratives and fear-mongering.

The 2022 Midterms Results Should Definitively Kill Disparaging Narratives About U.S. Voters

0 implied HN points • 30 Nov 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Voters Narratives Political parties Media
  1. The 2022 midterm elections did not align with the dystopian predictions in the lead-up, with no major voter suppression or violence.
  2. GOP-sympathizing voters defied trends by voting for Democrats when Republican options were election deniers, showing a different side than popular narratives suggest.
  3. Narratives about Trump's electoral success based on white and gender support have been disconfirmed in multiple elections, highlighting nuanced shifts in voter behavior.

On Clarence Thomas, White Liberals and Acceptable Racism

0 implied HN points • 01 Jul 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Race Abortion Identity politics Social justice Racism
  1. Racism from any group, even if perceived as progressive, is never acceptable. It's crucial to recognize and address racism within all communities.
  2. Clarence Thomas' views are influenced by his mistrust of white liberals and his alignment with black nationalism. His perspective sheds light on the complexities of race relations in the U.S.
  3. Advocates for social justice should be honest about their motivations and avoid using supposed altruism as an excuse for racist behavior. It's important to advocate for important causes without resorting to discrimination.

Book Review: The Loneliest Americans

0 implied HN points • 20 Feb 22
🎭️ Culture Literature Identity Society History Politics
  1. Jay Caspian Kang's book
  2. 'Asian American' as an identity was born at the University of California Berkeley in 1968, shaped by shared challenges tied to U.S. military interventions abroad and domestic oppression
  3. Asian Americans, though often portrayed as a 'model minority', face socioeconomic disparities within their community, with some groups like Hmong and Cambodian Americans experiencing lower incomes and educational outcomes
  4. Younger Asian American migrants and professionals often grapple with a hyphenated identity, feeling like outsiders in both the U.S. and their ancestral countries, leading to a sense of 'loneliness' and complex challenges in education, workplace, and representation

Vaccine Hesitancy May Be Unfortunate, But It's Hardly Unreasonable

0 implied HN points • 15 Feb 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccine Hesitancy Public Health COVID-19 Pandemic response
  1. Vaccine hesitancy is driven by valid reasons like rapid vaccine development, use of new technologies, shifting efficacy claims, and evolving recommendations.
  2. Skepticism towards authorities and public health guidance is fueled by issues like conflicts of interest, data suppression, and inconsistency in messaging.
  3. Most vaccine-hesitant individuals are not staunchly against vaccines but are more concerned with mandates, passport requirements, and coercive pandemic containment measures.

Comparing Free Expression On Campus v. Off

0 implied HN points • 19 Apr 19
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech Censorship Public Opinion Political Bias
  1. College students are more likely to self-censor and support censoring others, despite being in environments meant for free thinking and expression.
  2. Conservative students often fear being graded harshly for their political views, leading to self-censorship, although evidence of actual grading discrimination is lacking.
  3. Students feel less comfortable discussing social issues, even academic topics, on campus compared to the general public, and they tend to support censorship across various issues.

College, Inequality and African Americans: Change and Continuity

0 implied HN points • 17 Feb 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Education Inequality Race Social justice Higher education
  1. Historically, African Americans faced exclusion from higher education, even after legal changes, resulting in lower college attendance rates and disparities in graduation rates and debt compared to white peers
  2. Affirmative action measures have primarily benefited elite individuals from marginalized groups, rather than significantly increasing social mobility for a broader range of minorities
  3. Institutions of higher learning have incorporated racial inclusion measures that do not address underlying inequalities, leading to a 'conspiracy of silence' that avoids confronting systemic issues of racialized inequality

The "Great Awokening" Is Unlikely to Change Much

0 implied HN points • 15 Dec 20
  1. Periods of major cultural shifts, like the 'Great Awokening,' often follow shifts in public opinion, with activists trying to push further on changes that have already happened.
  2. The 'Great Awokening' has seen significant shifts in attitudes, with white Democrats driving many of these changes more radically than Trump voters, shaping the current political landscape.
  3. The rise of 'woke' culture among white liberals is tied to a decline in traditional religious affiliations, leading some to seek identity and purpose through political activism with religious undertones.

Whatever Happened to the Obama Coalition?

0 implied HN points • 23 Nov 20
  1. Despite initial success, the Obama Coalition's support eroded over the years, facing losses in key constituencies and failing to maintain its majority in subsequent elections.
  2. Shifts in voter allegiance post-Obama administration suggest a lack of enduring loyalty to the Democratic Party, with groups like suburbanites and middle-income earners trending back towards the GOP.
  3. While Biden's win in 2020 was significant, the lack of a clear 'Biden coalition' indicates potential challenges for the Democratic Party in maintaining support without a unifying figure like Trump.

Religion and Politics in the Age of Trump

0 implied HN points • 16 Nov 20
  1. Democrats have been facing losses with religious voters, except for the religiously unaffiliated and Catholics, over the last four years.
  2. Republicans have been making gains among people of color and religious voters, with notable exceptions being non-religious Americans and Catholics.
  3. Trump's administration saw shifts in support among religious groups, attributed to factors like racial trends, actions he took regarding issues like terrorism, and policies that appealed to religious voters, such as Supreme Court appointments and support for Israel.

Trump is Doing Surprisingly Well with Minority Voters. It Might Not Matter.

0 implied HN points • 02 Nov 20
  1. Trump's support among minority voters seems to be increasing, but it may not ultimately impact election outcomes as white voters are showing decreased support.
  2. Minority voters may not view Trump's controversial comments and policies as racist, leading to their support.
  3. Despite perceptions of racism, some minority voters may support Trump due to dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party and disagreements within minority communities, showing complex voting dynamics.

Trump Voters Have Been Misunderstood All Along (Including By Trump)

0 implied HN points • 06 Aug 20
  1. Trump's racialized rhetoric may have been a drag on his appeal with GOP voters and swing voters, rather than a key to his electoral success.
  2. Trump is losing support primarily among white voters, especially due to his response to racial tensions and racially inflammatory behavior.
  3. Despite the common narrative associating Trump voters with racism, data suggests that Trump's racially charged rhetoric did not uniquely attract his supporters, and may have even driven some white Republican-leaning voters to the opposition.

‘Karen’ is a Democrat

0 implied HN points • 29 May 20
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Race Class Ideology Social justice
  1. White liberals often circulate videos of misbehaving whites without considering class or ideology alignment, which is essential for understanding such incidents.
  2. Progressive whites and elites tend to view state intervention favorably and rely more on authorities to resolve conflicts, while conservatives prefer direct confrontation.
  3. Research shows that whites who denounce racism may still act in ways that favor other whites, influenced by moral credentialing, which can perpetuate systemic inequality.

POC v. PMC: Who Gets to Decide What's "Racist"?

0 implied HN points • 15 May 20
  1. The definition of terms like 'racist' reveals power dynamics in society and can have significant socio-political consequences.
  2. The meaning of 'racist' has evolved, leading to broad labeling, especially by well-off, educated whites, causing various impacts.
  3. Efforts towards antiracism should prioritize listening to the priorities and concerns of marginalized communities, rather than imposing assumptions and ineffective strategies.