Gender, decolonization, privilege, fat-shaming. Having moved from academic articles into everyday life, these words increasingly influence our perception of the world. But where did they come from? Their source is a scattering of critical theories that emerged during the postmodern turn with its problematization of power, knowledge, and truth. Nothing — from sex and history textbooks to medical diagnoses and architecture — can escape activists who have taken on the mission of identifying and destroying all forms of oppression. Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay believe that despite the good intention to make the world a bit more just, critical theories with their almost religious zeal and black-and-white worldview pose a threat to both academia and society. "Cynical Theories" is a thorough and lively examination of the main postulates of "activist science," its internal logic, and contradictions. This book will help you dive into the modern intellectual context, understand what motivates the sides of cultural wars, and not get lost in disputes on elusive topics.