Conversation

Kinda makes sense that the end of history would be marked by terminal identitarianism. Consequence, not cause. If nobody can find a way to continue everybody’s identity evolution, history ends.
2
4
Identitarian consensus: when everybody agrees what boxes everybody is in. It’s a much deeper state of stable equilibrium than everybody simply having a fixed identity. The way common knowledge is a deeper equilibrium than mere belief or even mutual belief.
1
3
There was a funny Volkswagen ad where an Indian guy responds to some question about yoga with “just because I drive a Volkswagen you think I’m into yoga?” It’s funny because it simultaneously acknowledges and subverts an identitarian consensus Also Seinfeld anti-dentite joke
1
11
An identitarian consensus is also a set of roles and permissions within a narrative. Stereotyping is just the shallowest layer. History ends at an identitarian consensus not because the narrative ends but because it becomes 100% tropey
1
4
The instinct behind simple role-swaps (eg female or black superheroes) as a way to break out of an identitarian consensus equilibrium is solid but... naive. Like transposing a tune to a new key rather than composing a new one. Doesn’t restart history, just phase-shifts it.
1
8
An example of a history-restart type shift is from Campbellian Monomyth hero to LeGuinesque Carrier Bag unheroine. Doctor Who pulled that off, though it has other weaknesses.
1
4
Replying to
the woman wore a burqa and you’re calling that a historical reboot? IMO seems like the kind of low risk feel good pander Justin Trudeau has made his career on (and may likely lose it for)
1
Show replies