The Frankfurt School: From a Failed Revolution to Critical Theory | Tom Nicholas

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The Frankfurt School get mentioned a lot on this website. Alongside being celebrated for their contributions to philosophy, sociology and political science, however, Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse and the various other scholars who worked at what was (and is) officially known as the Institute for Social Research, are the target of a lot of vitriol.
Commentators on the political right including Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro will often invoke the Frankfurt School as a group of intellectual bogey men and the progenitors of political correctness, cultural marxism, postmodernism or whatever else they seek to porn scorn on that day.
In today's episode of What the Theory?, I seek to provide some insight into what the Frankfurt School actually was (and is). Beginning with the perceived failure of the German Revolution, I track the history of the Frankfurt School through formation, exile in the United States during the Second World War and up to the student revolts of May 1968.
Alongside this institutional history, I also provide some insight into the work of the Frankfurt School, introducing ideas such as critical theory and the culture industry as well as touching on seminal texts such as Dialectic of Enlightenment, The Authoritarian Personality, One-Dimensional Man and more.
If you'd like to support me to make more videos like this then I'd be very grateful if you'd check out my Patreon page at / tomnicholas
Further Reading
Grand Hotel Abyss by Stuart Jeffries
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UK: amzn.to/2SmepYC
Critical Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Stephen Eric Bronner
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UK: amzn.to/3b9GkDA
Dialectic of Enlightenment by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer
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UK: amzn.to/31xgbKD
[The above are affiliate links. I receive a small kickback from anything you buy which, in turn, helps to support the channel.]
If you've enjoyed this video and would like to see more including my What The Theory? series in which I provide some snappy introductions to key theories in the humanities as well as video essays and more then do consider subscribing.
Thanks for watching!
Twitter: @Tom_Nicholas
Website: www.tomnicholas.com

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Thanks for watching all! If you’d like to help me make more videos like this then I’d be super grateful if you’d check out my Patreon at patreon.com/tomnicholas

[@manbearpig7521]

Thanks for this Tom.

[@manbearpig7521]

Do Marcuse!

[@atrimajumder1072]

Loved this succinct overview of the Frankfurt school. Your videos are well researched and I would urge you to do a piece on Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. Love from India

[@a.z.fellco.1704]

Where can I find a list of sources?

[@dazpatreg]

What's the theme music it's Savage

[@4everharvey]

Why am sitting here watching Gordon Ramsey explaining the Frankfurter Schule to me?

[@jeffmolek2]

IT'S F**KING RAW

[@tcritt]

I thought it was a troll doll from the 90s

[@mr_reborn]

Gordon Ramsays Frankfurt School of Cookery .... Sorry, what's that? Oh, School of Fuckery ... Gotcha... Sorry ... Muppet.

[@joemeyer6876]

I thought it was a young Mickey Rooney. . .

[@happyhaze1526]

Because you can't budge after those 8 bong hits. I know what's going on over there.

[@TheseUseless]

“Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Leibnecht were outmanoeuvred by the social democrats” that’s one way to put being gunned down by a militia.

[@mmm7528]

that happened afterwards

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

You're useless, Useless: their political defeat in parliamentary politics is a different thing from their murder by the Fascist Right.

[@Jokkkkke]

Economics is a social science. The fact that certain academics pretend it isn’t has been corrosive to the discipline and society as a whole. The idea of a purely “scientific” socialism has been problematic for similar reasons. Ultimately, we’re studying the fulfilment of human needs and desires, not just productive efficiencies for their own sake

[@tumelondaba4659]

@M C this

[@RareSeldas]

If you consider dialectical materialism to be, descriptively, an extension of the scientific method then that's what would define it as scientific. Just like if you believe socialism is fundamentally about worker democracy then it would thus too be just an extension of democracy. Most leftists though, both within the ML and anarchist movements, don't believe anybody is ever capable of ever doing anything 'purely' scientific, because science itself is not a basic category. Science is a subcategory of epistemology, just like history.

[@robbradshaw1415]

Economics is an attempt to understand people and how they behave. It can never be a science

[@dunoobyduby]

@M C But not doing it is even worse. It needs to take every view into concern since it has impact on all of them

[@JerehmiaBoaz]

@M C Pretending economics is a natural science is much worse because it implies that the economy isn't man-made and hence trying to change an economic system is fighting against nature (or even god).

[@DoratTheKiller]

Thank God for this channel. Anti-intellectualism is festering on KZbin enough as it is, there's need for more scholarly-like channels like this one

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Thanks! Trying to shine a bit of light in the darkness!

[@thenowchurch6419]

That is an understatement. More kudos to Tom for fostering genuine thought and research.

[@vforvillain77]

LOL

[@TheEnmineer]

@Some Guy What is your problem? He's just giving the history of an organization. Anyhow he may be a socialist, but I cannot see how he cannot also be an intellectual. Instead of speaking primarily on politics in this particular video, he speaks on the history, which sounds like a thing an intellectual may do.

[@TheCaptainjuicy]

Some Guy It could be argued that he could be one given his presentation of a lot of information in a very nuanced form. Yes, he may lean one way yet he still provides context and nuanced approaches to the matters he discusses, and offers head to help provide broader understanding of complex subjects. I’d lean towards him being an intellectual over the guy simply dismissing him and calling him a leftard and a twat.

[@chorabari]

German tip: "Main" in "Frankfurt am Main" is pronounced like the English word "mine".

[@chorabari]

@What are you going to do? I beg to differ: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_am_Main

[@chorabari]

@What are you going to do? Ich weiss. Der obige Kommentar war nur als Korrektur der Aussprache gemeint.

[@chorabari]

@What are you going to do? A river. It's called "Frankfurt am Main" to distinguish it from another city, "Frankfurt an der Oder", which lies on the Oder river.

[@happyhaze1526]

Interesting. Did you know that the correct pronunciation of 'mine' in English is like the pronunciation of mein in the Mandarin word 'chowmein?" No biggie. I didn't know that, either.

[@happyhaze1526]

@What are you going to do? Hi. I've dated three Chinese women in my life so far. All of them were characters, and one was very Latin, she even taught salsa dancing Taipei. So, I hope that satisfies your curiosity.

[@thomasswords6837]

your videos are so well done. You don't waste any of your viewers' time by adding off-topic commentary and they move along briskly. I especially appreciated this one, as I had heard about the Frankfurt School and knew the names of the major scholars there, but couldn't have told you anything beyond those details.

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Get educated learn english

[@sophiebennett568]

I need to have like an entire day with you where you explain all of this and I can ask questions every 5 seconds and then maybeeeee I'd understand and remember even a little bit. Good video though! Loved it

[@SennaHawx]

As the grandson of one of the "last German philosophers of the Frankfurt school", this is going to be interesting

[@AlloAnder]

Which one?

[@sjuvanet]

your mom

[@SennaHawx]

@@AlloAnder Not sure why my first response disappeared: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl-Otto_Apel

[@topcatmatt]

transcendental pragmatism nice

[@patricktan7120]

well, what’s the verdict?

[@benasbaranovskis639]

Thank you Tom. But I think it would be better to do a split videos or even a small series about Frankfurt school. Firstly because there are a lot of theories and authors. Secondly there are 3 waves of Frankfurt school that could be split into few videos. Of course you maybe do not have time for that because of your PhD stuff, but think about it in future. Great videos! Stay on track! Keep it up! Fan (not the electric fan witch makes wind flow to your face) from LTU.

[@Tom_Nicholas]

My plan, if there seems to be enough interest, is to do some more in-depth videos on separate FS scholars. I always find a bit of context helpful though so wanted to do a bit of an overview first!

[@Tom_Nicholas]

And thanks for your kind words about my videos!

[@gurjotsingh8934]

@@Tom_Nicholas would love that Tom!

[@crsbeats5509]

The categorization of the Frankfurt School in waves, or "Generations" is actually advocated for by Habermas. It is important to know however, that Habermas never called himself a critical theorist but never shies away when he is referred to as such by others. By now it is highly controversial and extremely often discussed if and if so to what extent Habermas actually is an intellectual descendent of his teacher Adorno and Horkheimer.

[@aandyrea]

@@Tom_Nicholas please do this! I'd be very interested

[@Bisquick]

So Adorno basically got analog-cancelled... I think we can all agree that Jazz is surely to blame.

[@yorenfromabove]

best comment

[@JazzGuitarScrapbook]

Yup. It was us.

[@jvniprbrry]

@An Deo 🐕 whistle

[@davesvens8697]

"Jazz is the dEvIl!!!!" Adorno The guy is such a weird person with much obsession on a form of music delivered by angels.

[@davesvens8697]

@An Deo Really, an anti-Semitic dog whistle? Fuck off.

[@violinmerchant]

An exhaustively detailed review of the chronology of the people who founded and shaped the Frankfurt School, their names, predilections, place of residence and the ways in which their philosophy echoed through a myriad events over the past century, lightly braised with occasional specifics regarding their actual theories.

[@czarquetzal8344]

Frankfurt School requires a series of lectures for fait clarification of the issues dealt by its members.

[@afroabsurd]

First video of yours I have watched. Immediately liked and subscribed because it was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for putting this together and sharing this knowledge.

[@sofo02]

I’ve been very curious about the Frankfurt school for a while now, but slightly overwhelmed by the amount of thinkers and theories that are out there, which my perfectionist self found difficult to grasp. Your video serves as a great introduction, so thank you for that. (Though I keep procrastinating studying for my final exams by watching your video essays...)

[@lexort4204]

@@newadam573 Why does that matter?

[@lexort4204]

@@newadam573 Ever heard of a man named Lyndon LaRouche?

[@lexort4204]

@@newadam573 Yeah I thought you might. communemag.com/the-american-roots-of-a-right-wing-conspiracy/

[@lexort4204]

@@newadam573 No it's where you should start. Given the poison you been sucking down. Btw just so you know Anecdotal evidence is not Empirical evidence and all you have is Anecdotal evidence that you refuse to look beyond. You should be open to other perspectives that are outside your bubble. You should seek to further your understanding instead of remaining stagnant. You think the Jews are the problem but all you are doing is looking for a scapegoat and why do you feel the need for a scapegoat then? What truly is your problem?

[@lexort4204]

@@newadam573 Another bonus for ya kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5Dcl6GHhcZ3lac

[@lincolndiasramos]

Wow. That was very enlightening. A lot of that was all fragmented in my mind and now I feel like the pieces have their places in a nice frame. I'm very grateful for that. New follower.

[@TheKingReto]

Every time i see that you "only" have 50k subscribers I'm kind of shocked that such high quality content does not get more attention. I mean your videos are on the same level as those of creators like Philosophy Tube, if you ask me!

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Thank you, really appreciate you saying so. I don't think I could ever be quite as entertaining as PT and the like but I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@msrhuby]

107k now - October 2020

[@sv3931]

150K now - Feb 2021

[@blacktea1210]

202k now May 2021

[@Havre_Chithra]

A year later and he had 200k

[@danduenas7919]

Tom: the frankfurt school isn't what u think it is Also Tom: *describes exactly what i think it is

[@allseeingry2487]

@Franco Spain damn right (adjusts monocle)

[@Jaasau]

Lol. I thought the same exact thing. I thought he was going to debunk what people like Shapiro claim, but…no.

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

@@Jaasau Shapiro & cohorts don't need debunking; when they debunk themselves every other sentence

[@TheRHeretic]

@@shannonm.townsend1232 name one example where Shapiro has debunked himself?

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

@@TheRHeretic bro, if you take him seriously, I can't help you.

[@Rokfreakx]

Interesting that scholars from the Frankfurt School critisized that capitalist societies foster conformity and erode individuality, since we now live in a hyper-individualistic society that makes it hard to organize against anything. I wonder what the Frankfurt School academics would've written if they loved in the 21st century.

[@TheChippewa77]

Thank goodness that they did not. But then they’ve been replaced with new generations of leftists bent on bastardizing history and destroying the United States.

[@markcangila1613]

Do we live on a hyperindividualistic society? Or has hyperindividualism been coopted by that sameness to neutralize it

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

Read lewis mimford

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

*Mumford

[@jonathanbailey1597]

Not a bad little intro there! Nice historical overview that doesn’t get mired in the complexity, yet invites us to want to know a bit more. Great for beginners! Kudos.

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Thanks! That was what I was aiming for so I'm glad it seemed to do the job!

[@jonathanbailey1597]

Tom Nicholas Great stuff! I’m going to subscribe!

[@reinv7819]

Hi Tom, thanks for the interesting video! Would you consider making a video on Lacan? I'm reading Zizek right now but having some trouble understanding it, because I'm not so familiar with Lacan's work

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Heya, no worries, I hope it was interesting! Lacan's been on my list for ages but I've yet to get round to it. Will aim to cover at some point in the future though!

[@jvniprbrry]

@An Deo fuck off dude

[@allhumansarejusthuman.5776]

@An Deo pull you head out the tin foil hat crowd and address the reality. Anti-Semites and capitalists are the ones who hold all the power and are destroying your life; the reason you lost your job was because your paid with monopoly money, not money that is printed to represent something real like labour hours. The FIAT system, and the stock market control your every move and life, they control the government, they set themselves up to get nice cushy socialist benefits on the backs of your capitalist labour and everytime they see someone trying to find out why they make up a new tin foil hat theory and blame it on that Fooling you into thinking your the enlightened one; while you follow them off a cliff like a good little sheep.

[@drumgirlz]

Please chapter your videos! I'm a new viewer and would appreciate if you broke your essays into bigger headings so I can get a clearer understanding of your arguments and the most important ideas, and can jump to specific parts of your essays that I'm most interested in. Thank you! (was watching your neoliberliberalism video and thought of this, but wanted to come to the most recent video to comment)

[@drjaydeepchakrabarty]

Please make more videos. Both dynamic and rich in content. Greetings and love from India

[@devilbhrothesavage2807]

As a german and avid Adorno reader its always strange to hear some non-germans talk about him like he is this strange underground genius.

[@luciasamaras7767]

You have taught me a great deal in a most delightful way. Thank you!

[@edgarrodriguez8973]

I got really interested in reading these Frankfurter authors after watching your amazing video. Greetings from Bogotá, Colombia

[@saraafonso4646]

I found your channel today and have been watching video after video :) I think your work is fantastic

[@patrickcon1]

This is most informative and really well put together.

[@tazmiller7490]

I like how you started out being sarcastic with the conservative critics of the Frankfurt school, and you went on to precisely base those criticisms as solid arguments!

[@happyhaze1526]

Way to go. Learn from the masters, I always say.

[@CP-pt1ot]

Except he still called them conspiracy theories at the end. Which indicates he doesn't really understand the criticisms, or he forgot that the whole aim all along for critical theory was to find a way to make society stop thinking in ways this bunch of academics didn't like.

[@happyhaze1526]

@@CP-pt1ot I'm lost. This bunch of academs means the people on the chanel or the people that advocate CT? I am not clear who didn't like what. By all accounts I heard, What's a reall nice guy and all.

[@williamerickson520]

@@happyhaze1526 I believe he's referring to the people discussed in the video. The very idea of repressive tolerance is to only tolerate certain ideas, in this case the "left wing" ideas put forth by the members of the Frankfurt school. Does that help?

[@happyhaze1526]

@@williamerickson520 No. Intelligent people don't tolerate ideas because of this or that 'wing'. That is just stupidity. Ideas either make more sense, less sense or no sense at all. It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to figure out that's how you evaluate ideas. I know kids that get it.

[@kwaemsam96]

You know what scares me... I study at the frankfurt university and took a course on the frankfurt school, but it was by no means as informative and well structured as your video. Thank you for your contributions to public knowledge 🙏🏾

[@riasatmorshedkhan7327]

I was looking for a brief introductory video on Frankfurt School and fortunately landed on your channel. You are amazing! Besides, hope that you'd continue making videos on fundamentals and particularly i would like you to make a whole playlist on critical theories and its nuances!

[@vsalukir7019]

There are no nuances. It's simply a method for using cheap polemics to destroy your target. You can use it to destroy any values held by anyone including those of the founders of the Frankfurt school. It's basically just "criticize until it breaks". It's nothing but sophistry with lipstick.

[@catcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatca]

Please do more videos on this topic. This summary by its scope leaves almost all mentioned aspects uncertain for someone like me, who has no prior knowledge on the subject. But I wouldn't call that a weak point for this video - it raising questions instead of answering them makes for good introduction - the story and the evolution displayed here are much more interesting than a more informative summary - which given the range would probably feel like a mental list of bulletpoints in overly long powerpoint presentation.

[@w1zady]

If you continue with content about the Frankfurt School, I would love to here you go into a bit more detail into the main points of the critical theory in contrast to traditional theory and their understanding of ideology. Thanks for the great work :)

[@mcooper8825]

Yes, seconded.

[@rcherLansky]

It is a written out strategy on how to take over power using peoples differences to turn them against eachother. They hate middle class. They want everyone poor and helpless while they control all power and money.

[@nektariosorfanoudakis2270]

@@rcherLansky Fuck off Fash

[@rcherLansky]

@@nektariosorfanoudakis2270 Go read their documents. They literally write out their strategies. They even make up words to call people when they are losing an argument. Like homophobe, fash, xenophobic. Kind of like what you just did.

[@molonlabe820]

@@nektariosorfanoudakis2270 you must be an intellectual. Fascism and Marxism are two side of the same state worshipping coin.lol

[@Naps56]

One of the rare episodes on any digital social media channel that's devoid of blind faith/passion. Keep it up !

[@geriatricwarzone2972]

If it wasn't for the pesky fact that capitalism has raised more people out of poverty then all these forms of marxism put together we'd have our socialist revolution comrades

[@goharshahnazaryan4642]

Thank you, Tom for very thorough, yet easy to listen video

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Thanks Gohar, glad you thought so!

[@arunavaacharya9463]

What a coincidence. My instructor in one of my pre-phd course works asked me to read about Frankfurt school as part of my assignment. I would appreciate a longer video essay on this topic

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Perfect timing then! Hope it’s helpful in some small way. And yes, if the interest seems to be there, I’ll have a think about following this up with some more in-depth videos on individual scholars.

[@arunavaacharya9463]

@@Tom_Nicholas That would be much appreciated. In fact if you can connect how Frankfurt School is different or similar to Neo-Marxist of the later times.

[@atrimajumder1072]

@@arunavaacharya9463 Thanks for raising this topic. A comparative analysis with the neo-Marxists,or even an independent one, would really be conducive in understanding the evolution of political philosophy(especially the leftist discourse). On another note, I would like to ask you about the philosophers you identify as neo-Marxists ( for instance do you consider Fredric Jameson as one or more contemporary ones like Terry Eagleton?)

[@arunavaacharya9463]

@@atrimajumder1072 Walter Benjamin also comes in the category of Neo-Marxist.

[@marissashantez6051]

Frankfurt School are a very destructive thing. The problem with antipositivism is that it tears down rather then builds up. And their way of analyzing leaves a lot to be desired. Capitalism has lifted more people out of poverty then any other system. Its rooted in meritocracy, which is the most antiracist thing there is. But they decided that it causes harm. Why did they decide this? Because they were in New York, and thats what was around them. They saw that inequality still existed. Instead of realizing that there is nothing wrong with equal outcomes as long as there was an abundance of opportunities, they just decided it was bad. So they started tearing it down.

[@oeautobody3586]

They sure were depressing, how did they ever get to American culture?

[@BenDover-br3bn]

So this is the gates of hell after all.

[@pesquer2211]

Hi Tom, I loved your video. It definitely changed my point of view and I will be reflecting about this for a while. So thank you! I do want to add something now, however, which is that the Petersons, the Shapiros, and even the Lindsays of the world aren’t denouncing the totality of thought from the Frankfurt School, which as you point out, is diverse in its thought and viewpoints. They are denouncing a more specific branch which seems to have merged with and then turned away from the Frankfurt school. In particular I am referring to the woke, which Peterson refers to as a specific blend of postmodernism and neomarxism, and which James Lindsay refers to as ‘the truth according to social justice’. In particular they find fault with the loss of individuality that is characteristic of this newer tradition, which is also, ironically enough, the same fear shared by the social scientists from the Frankfurt school…

[@rodrigobrugada5201]

Nice summary :) You should do a video on Latin American thinkers influenced by the Frankfurt school, such as Bolívar Echeverría and Stefan Gandler

[@eoharafisher]

Adorno seems to have been right, in the US. Protests here in the 60's did not dismantle capitalism. In fact, by the eighties, things were much worse: "The Reagan Revolution."

[@Spiral.Dynamics]

This is really good. I’d like to see you do an essay on the Spiral Dynamics psychological development model.

[@christianCTN5]

absolutely love your vidssss, looking forward to the Habermas one

[@johongo]

What do you think of James Lindsay’s takes on the Frankfurt school?

[@GuysUTubeAccoountt]

Think you already know the answer.

[@tanyatroxler5303]

James is dead on!!!

[@drwhatson]

When it comes to debunking Critical Theory, James Lindsay runs rings around EVERYBODY else.

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

It's trash, predatory propaganda, cynical grift, faux intellectualism, and I'm being very charitable in my criticism.

[@michaelmcclure3383]

This videos conclusion that critical theory is opposed to any encroachment on individual liberty and stands as a rebellion against social conformity.. This seems very much at odds with what James Lindsay calls the totalising effect of Hegelianism.

[@KyleJamesKeen]

Any chance you could do a wtf on Hegel? You may have already, I may just need to dig a bit more

[@MountainsBreath]

Literally no one understands Hegel. Dude was on another level.

[@borkwoof696]

@@MountainsBreath you get credit for trying tho

[@MountainsBreath]

@@borkwoof696 I do like his approach to aesthetics particularly in the way he wrote about the sublime. However, I would be lying if I said I could grasp many of the other more complex aspects of his process.

[@patod4]

I started off listening to Judith Butler on Benjamin and Kafka. she might have original ideas, but it is hard to listen to a lecturer that goes ehemmm...mmm.. hummm...eh...every two seconds. Your lectures flows and is a pleasure to listen to. I take it as an intro, I knew nothing about the Fr. School. Thanks a lot.

[@sarahfuchs958]

Thank you very much this helped me a lot! I was just wondering what music was used throughout the first 20mins of the video in the background?

[@andrewgeraci72]

Bravo !! Thank you , thank you for that well documented well organized and delivered lecture . This week with the civil unrest in the US , casual conversations with friends and relatives reveal how these ideas have saturated popular understanding of selective tolerance and shut down culture and out rage for the disadvantaged. Your lecture was particularly relavent today

[@owenswabi]

Yes and this kind of philosophy is to blame for that. We are all being agitated

[@lsobrien]

A very good introduction. Re: future videos: As others have said, it would be nice to see you cover Dialectic of Enlightenment more deeply. And I would also appreciate a look at Marcuse's later works (the figure the conspiracy nuts are most obsessed with), as well as Horkheimer's The Eclipse of Reason, a sorely overlooked and important text. Thank you!

[@liolio7545]

Luke O'Brien can you explain the reason why they were at 98% jews? Please

[@cjay2]

You call some people "conspiracy nuts"? Really? That says something about your 'comment'.

[@ottodachat]

nice video, wondering if you have any videos detailing Walter Benjamin's influence on the Frankfurt School as well as Husserl & Heidigger

[@danieleberle2112]

I love this vídeo, Quite entertaining for an academic topic :D The best, thank you

[@indowntime1966]

I’m just gonna say these not so nice gentlemen have met their Maker.

[@billpeel4408]

Ah, the Frankfurt School of Cultural Marxism and Wizardry. A video on The Dialectic of Enlightenment would be cool. Good video too

[@mrunseen3797]

Cultural Marxism is not a thing. Just an invention by right wingers to have some fairy tale to argue against. And right wing terrorist Anders Breivik used that term in his sick "manifesto"....so you know..be smarter don't believe that shit.

[@michamarzec4311]

@@mrunseen3797 What. xD

[@mrunseen3797]

@@michamarzec4311 cultural Marxism is not a thing. It doesn't exist. It's just a made up term/conspiracy theory by right wingers aka neofascists.

[@michamarzec4311]

@@mrunseen3797 Yea, you are clearly right. Somhow misread your comment, didn't noticing word 'cultural', so you gotta imagine, how absurd it appeared to me. xD Sorry and good day!

[@mrunseen3797]

@@michamarzec4311 alright :)

[@tekiwi]

I find it interesting that you did not mention "Eros and Civilization" that was the book that Herbert Marcusa pushed for the sexual revolution. Also the fact that their are striking similarities in the writings of Marx's Communist Manifesto and Marcusa's Eros and Civilization and also the roll of how the Sexual Revolution brought about Feminism and how Feminism has brought about much of the degradation of modern society as we know it. It's one thing to call upon certain people as Conspiracy Theorists because of what the Frankfurt School may or may not have been responsible for however leaving out one of the single most influential events of our modern society, it's effects on said society and those who where behind it is nothing short of pure ignorance. If the very fact that Henry Kissinger who was sleeping with Gloria Stienem where both working with Marcusa to implement the Sexual Revolution smells of a Conspiracy to you then you have a lot to learn in life !

[@jonnyd9351]

Well obviously he didn’t delve into that, what were you expecting?😂

[@d.a.455]

@@jonnyd9351an unbiased take on this subversive school and it’s implications on modern society I guess 🤷‍♂️

[@milestegg869]

This is excellent. In 1983 at BYU Horkheimer and Theodre Adorno and had a fated meeting. It led me to the application of the technique to Latin America and Liberation Theology. Later Marcuse, Horkheimer and Adorno shaped my thought argument contruction, critiques and the development of grounded theory as a college debater but moreso as a college debate coach and in my work with the Open Society Institute. Thank you.

[@youreshouldoflearntgrammer8277]

I bet

[@mikeoyler2983]

Thank you for your thorough research and sharing this!

[@Redactedlllllllllllll]

They could never comprehend how so many people would love their domestication.

[@drewan6591]

@Xander Niks why?

[@drewan6591]

@Xander Niks have you even watched the video or are you just commenting what think it is

[@drewan6591]

@Xander Niks also I wonder what you think about Albert Einsteins socialist views

[@lorettagreen6794]

@Xander Niks you aren’t explaining yourself in context of any particular work. Just some broad generalizations that are talking points you likely just received from someone else. How about you explain yourself with reference to one of the scholars and a particular analysis? Then maybe we can have a conversation. Otherwise you just sound like an ideologue making ad hominem attacks who has no self awareness that they themselves think within received ideology when dismissing any other analysis of material society and culture as emotional. if everyone thought like you we would still all believe in “divine right”.

[@lorettagreen6794]

@Xander Niks prove it. make a specific commentary instead of blowing hot air.

[@moksha8473]

If you want a contextualisation of the various strains of thought coming out of the Frankfurt School, I implore you to read 'Grand Hotel Abyss' by Stuart Jeffries. Tom has kindly linked it in his description; it's an excellent read and helps you understand why Adorno et. al. were writing/saying the things they were saying.

[@lookbovine]

Looks very interesting. Thanks for the recommendation-or at least pointing out his citation.

[@kaupperta]

@@lookbovine hi there, is there a link to it?

[@sheppi.316]

@@kaupperta In the video description.

[@kaupperta]

@@sheppi.316 Many thanks @sheppi. Found it ;) saludos mejicanos

[@erichnk]

Excellent, well-researched and historicized overview. Another approach to further dealing with the complexities of the FS might be to further historicize and systemize the analysis some of its themes, as you indirectly do with the concepts of ideological hegemony (Gramsci) in videos like Futurism and Muske, .and their further development after its decline as a progressive force.

[@richardwagner2781]

Thank you so much for this video! It's amazing to have such a well written and presented video as an introduction to the Frankfurter Schule! Please do a video on Habermas!!!

[@anchoDePulso]

It would be fun a video about Zygmunt Bauman's Liquid Modernity.

[@resonance6322]

YES! would love for liquid fear to be covered, not sure if that's a different book or simply part of the series, but a specific paragraph on how neo-liberalism orders society as contention between those under the security umbrella of the state (the normatively 'desirable'), and the 'outsiders' who remain consumerists under capitalism, but outside of the enlightened security of the state.

[@vectaaze3188]

Wonderful video as usual! Would love to see a video on Adorno's aesthetics.

[@dgmontalvo8347]

Excellent informative video... where might i find another great review of the Frankfurt school, maybe a book? Thank you for your research.

[@sallyh3902]

Here is a literature student bumped into your videos and fall in love with them. Thanks for sooooooo great introduction!!! BTW, it would be super helpful if you can do an introduction to The Dialectic of Enlightenment... I had a hard time understanding it ;(

[@mahaamed6247]

love this channel, it helped me ace my semiotics class last semester! so thank you tom and have a great day'

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Thank you! Really pleased to have helped you out!

[@liolio7545]

Thanks jews of israel

[@edcify8241]

@@liolio7545 Are you ok?

[@jeiaz]

I support a video on Habermas!

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Cooooool, if there seems to be some interest, that means I can bump it up my list a little. It'll be nice to make a video on someone whose still alive for a change!

[@jeiaz]

@@Tom_Nicholas Then better make it quick!

[@gotterdammerung6088]

@@Tom_Nicholas I'd love a video on Habermas.

[@switchspittalowks]

Looks like the youtube algorithms were working in my favor today! Amazing channel 🙌🏼

[@matiaslucas8933]

Hey! Great video! What about talking about concepts like cultural industry and hyperreality in relation to the current situation of quarantine?

[@allypoum]

Excellent summary of a huge swathe of history - you're good at this teaching lark. Look forward to your work on individual scholars & schools.

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Thank you! It was a lot to fit in but I’m glad it seemed to work!

[@twigpoppapump6985]

It's an interesting video but it came across to me that there was a lot of attempting to infer legitimacy to things which are entirely ideological.

[@leopheard]

Isn't that what everyone does from every position?

[@jeremybiggs8413]

@@leopheard not necessarily.

[@HAUNTEDRECS]

Fuck that. This is a pro communist video, be honest.. it's a load of bullshit.

[@sethmoyer5109]

@@HAUNTEDRECS have you never watched any of this guys other videos? You’re stating the obvious, dummy

[@HAUNTEDRECS]

@@sethmoyer5109 No, I don't sit around watching commie propaganda all day.. Go work on a commune, bet you can't even operate a shovel.

[@Okiijiida]

What do you think was the application of the studies of the Frankfurt school, specifically reaching into the psychological aspects of society?

[@MincraftEgo]

Im a critical theorist studying in frankfurt and i just wanted to take a look on youtube what people outside frankfurt think of the work done here. I have friends at the Institute for social science (IFS) and its fucking hilarious to see that they are corrupting the american youth without them knowing. This video is great, keep on. :)

[@Studiosmediamilk]

what do you mean?

[@TRLgoodvibesdotcom]

Ive never heard jordan peterson talk about the frankfurt school and I’ve listened to over 100hrs of his lectures

[@Mutantcy1992]

Yeah he doesn't talk about them but rather about their intellectual progeny. When he talks about cultural Marxism, this is it. Notice at the very end of this video, Tom says the Frankfurt School and Critical Theorists realized that focusing just on the economic wasn't enough, but they needed to focus on the culture too.

[@GodsGreatest]

Dude! The Frankfurt school is Peterson's favourite talk-point.

[@TRLgoodvibesdotcom]

@@GodsGreatest link because no

[@GodsGreatest]

@@TRLgoodvibesdotcom you could just search " Jordan Peterson 'post modernism, or cultural Marxism" here on KZbin.

[@TRLgoodvibesdotcom]

@@GodsGreatest never mentions them

[@NoodleBerry]

The Frankfurt School: the first victims of capitalist realism apparently

[@ApplyWithCaution]

... how can you discuss this topic without including Antonio Gramsci?

[@KevinPetrusNL]

Definitely show people what a dangerous idiot that was (and his legacy is today)!

[@FifinatorKlon]

@@KevinPetrusNL Give me a quick rundown pls

[@TheJthom9]

Frankfurt School were not the first to analyse or critique the culture of capitalism. Weber, Durkheim and Lukacs were doing it decades earlier

[@Starkus23]

Lukacs work is quite literally the sole foundation of what inspired the Frankfurt school and he was in close contact with Adorno and Horkheimer.

[@buggerall]

Easily your most engaging video from the ones I've seen. It also seemed to me that you particularly enjoyed making this one yourself. It was really clear and informative and about a subject I really wanted to know more about for a while now. Keep it up!

[@gergster6899]

I remember studying critical theory at university and at the time, thought it was an interesting analysis of the underlying biases of 'establishment' thought. Ironically, I came to see that such analysis could be readily applied to leftist thought for its underlying biases.

[@TANK-qi5wg]

It is never applied to leftist thought because leftists are purely about deconstructing the established society

[@TANK-qi5wg]

@Red Baron neoliberals are far left socially, far right economically.

[@jackotaco5054]

TANK Neoliberals are mostly apolitical when it comes to social issues such as gay rights for example. It’s one of the biggest criticisms of neoliberalism (one that I hold myself) that it’s very cynical and only seems to care about social issues when there seems to be some sort of profit to be made out of it. Like how Hillary was against gay marriage just a couple a years ago just to 180 when it became to popular to deny

[@jaogando]

amazing work! thank you. however i have to say this feels incomplete without videos about Jurgen Habermas’s philosophy. keep up the good work! cheers

[@luizsa8300]

Yes, please make individual videos about Marcuse, Adorno et al!

[@chofans]

Recently-out-of-school cultural studies nerd here, getting my daily intellectual fix

[@KravenTheHaunter]

I'm late to the game on this video, but I would personally LOVE a deep dive crash course on the works of Herbert Marcuse. I've just recently gotten into his writing.

[@ikkespillendekarakter3924]

The people, miserable from believing this shyte, want to make the rest of us miserable.

[@metatechnologist]

Yup. They'll do it by having a summer of violent riots or forcing medications on everyone.

[@Mendoza2626]

Interesting stuff, well done, wonder on the subject of your PhD, PPE related perhaps? Been considering myself!

[@nikoskoutsilieris6087]

hey man,i absolutely love your videos! Do Walter Benjamin too!

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

And Lewis Mumford.

[@commorevpenguin9602]

4:48 "outmanoeuvred" You mean murdered?

[@leniepenie3419]

yeah just like the communists ´outmanoeuvred´ millions of innocent people

[@caffeinator1849]

goddamnit, I thought we're over this blame game. Christianity outmanoeuvred millions of people, nationalism outmanoeuvred millions of people, capitalism outmanoeuvred millions of people. At this point, we should all be antinatalist

[@leniepenie3419]

@@caffeinator1849 Yes so we need to keep in mind what principles causes less suffering then others, nationalism, capitalism and christianity also brought some good things which compensated (a little) for the fact that it caused harm. Communism was very destructive in all its forms, people overall were way better of with capitalism for example. Which doesn't mean that capitalism is perfect offcourse.

[@panemetcircenses6003]

@@leniepenie3419 Which people? Not those in czarist Russia, and debating whether people would have been better off if no revolution had occured is futile.

[@leniepenie3419]

@@panemetcircenses6003 The millions that died under communism. Then debating whether people would have been better off if the National Socialist revolution never occured is also futile. Which in the end is like saying all relative and all ideologies are of equel worth and it doesn't matter which one we chose.

[@dawnemile7499]

The Frankfurt School reminds me of a doomsday religion that pivots when their predictions fail rather than admit that they were wrong.

[@rodrigodeamoriza6879]

I really enjoyed this video:)

[@JE-ee7cd]

Awesome video... as always. 👍

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Thank you, I really appreciate you saying so!

[@sofitocyn100]

I just clicked on your videos list to have an idea of how unbiased you were. First video title I read : "how to spot a potential fascist". So you're one of those witch hunters. I can't take you seriously and frankly, nobody should. Trying to disprove other takes on history that are deemed "conspirationist" don't make you smarter than said conspirationists. What blows my mind is how blindly your audience buys into whatever you say when you clearly aren't neutral. If one wants to learn about the frankfurt school, all they have to do is read its funders' writings to make their own opinions. Crazy that people get their so called education on youtube through dogmatic youtubers

[@trybunt]

Did you watch that video (about facists)? Or are you just judging the title? I think its great idea what you are doing- listening to some other points of view, I think we could all do a bit more listening to each other, and a bit less judging the each other as evil/brainwashed if we don't agree. As for bias, everyone has bias, it's literally impossible to not have bias, so I don't really understand why you are criticising this random KZbinr about bias. Clearly people can be blinded by bias, and ignore huge important issues, but this video is just explaining the history of some radical school, and the people who founded it, he doesn't seem to be giving a heap of opinion or speculation, at least not 20mins in, where I'm up to. He's explaining what they thought, not what he thinks..

[@sofitocyn100]

@@trybunt look, I used to buy into this far left ideology like anybody else who went to college. I have basically paid to be brainwashed. I know exactly what is the philosophical basis of wokism. Postmodernism. Critical theory. I know what people who see the world through a postmodernist lens believe in because most of my friends, those who have studied at the University as well by the way, repeat concepts derived from this ideology all the time. Now, I am yet to meet anybody in the Left to explain me what the oppositlng camp believes in. I don't know many people who have made the effort to question their beliefs to go and see what other people think. Right leaning people are always called "fascists, homophobes, nazis and bigots" just because they think differently. For example, they believe in the concept of taking ownership for your own life and small Government (thereby reducing its influence) what they want is always rationally explainable. The Left wants everything and its contrary and is only driven by the feelings (always offended, never satisfied). They want a big Government providing welfare, but they attack the "system" because it is said to be corrupted, racist, sexist etc. As if giving more power to it would ever fix this issue. They want to take down the police and jails and don't even think of the consequences of living in a police free and jail free country. They "educate " you or tell you aggressively to "go educate yourself" when you disagree with them. They point out all the (more often than not, perceived) problems in our society, but never bring any solution. No, our system should be disrupted, our norms deconstructed. There should be no State at all because State=Power. So the most natural way to live together is anarchy. At the same time, the power and means of production should be given to the people, who should be protected by a strong welfare system, hence communism. They want both anarchy (zero government) and communism (massive government). They want criminals to be pardoned (because criminals commit crimes because of society) but want to execute our political leaders. I could go on and on.

[@lukethomeret-duran5273]

The Frankfurt school of thought is probably one of the most intriguing and influential schools of thought to my politicial analysis of the world.

[@delltawnnorthri7459]

Evil doctrine. How can you not see it?

[@lukethomeret-duran5273]

@@delltawnnorthri7459 the Frankfurt school is one of the greatest schools of thought that has developed amazing intellectual analyses to challenge the presuppositions within individuals in society that reinforces the status quo and systems of power. It is extremely popular in academia and other intellectual circles. Sadly uneducated people like you don't get this as right wingers are generally irrational, closed minded, patriotic and hold many other views that stop progression and defend conservation. Unfortunately I will never convince you in a comment until you actually pick up a book and read. Best way to open up your mind is to make the choice to. If you read books like the Dialectics of enlightenment, the one dimensional man, the culture industry and more and come out thinking they are evil, then you are as manipulated and propagatized as you sound. You borderline sound like Peterson XD reminds me of when he said "Foucault was evil", one of the most anti-intellectual Christian conservative claims I've ever heard

[@bayerischemotorenwerke5252]

Marxism has shown us that even the stupidest ideas can be pervasive with enough money behind them

[@mariahlittley9594]

This is a great video; well-structured, engaging, incredibly informative and extremely well-spoken! I have an oral exam in a few days on the culture industry and critical theory and this helped me a lot! Keep up the good work and many thanks from Germany!

[@DonnaSnyder]

This is one of your best videos, Tom. Thank you for your scholarship and your theatrical talent. I hope you finished your studies and that I should now address you as Doctor! Best wishes.

[@jeffersonclippership2588]

Why the revolution succeeded in Russia but not Germany is pretty simple. In Russia, the Bolsheviks had support from soldiers and some officers. The October Revolution is primarily motivated by the Kerensky government continuing to fight WW1. In Germany, the military felt betrayed by politicians and many soldiers fought in the Freikorps.

[@user-bl8bd3no3i]

Good DIRECT ANSWER...😮

[@FR-yr2lo]

De Gaulle was no "evacuated to Germany", he decided to do so. And was also a strategy to show where chaos can lead to.

[@leonkirby8295]

More please You're clarity of thought is awesome

[@mentonerodominicano]

This video was amazing. Never really thought about of the enlightenment way of approaching the natural sciences as being a big factor to totalitarian hegemony, but it makes perfect sense. Now I really want to read 'Dialectic of Enlightenment'

[@bilalhamurabi3362]

Is it true, that the absolute majority of the Frankfurt school were Jews?

[@iamacdr9998]

yeah but literally why does that matter lol

[@iamacdr9998]

@jasper426 i watched it and it was anti-semitic bullshit lol. learnt o engage in the frankfurt schools ideas instead of focusing on dumb neolib-capitalist shit like identity, goofy ahh

[@d.a.455]

@@iamacdr9998because they’re evil and have been hated for their subversive nature for pretty much all of recorded history…

[@kirillsinitsyn]

@tomnicholas care to do one on Niklas Luhmann? Hardly any content on him that’s available in English.

[@nancywysemen7196]

helping me to a broader sense of possibilities. thank-you for using your education.