The inherent corruption that occurs when the institution of science is conflated with the scientific method. This is the transformation of science from a process of open, fallible inquiry into a political entity—a state-sanctioned authority that gets to definitively regulate what is considered "objective" and, by extension, "moral." The problem arises when the label "scientific" is wielded not as a descriptor of methodology, but as a cudgel of power to silence dissent, marginalize non-hegemonic worldviews (by labeling them "pseudoscience"), and enforce a single, materialist ontology as the only valid reality. In this politicized state, defending science devolves into a fundamentalist posture of declaring everything else "non-science," creating an empty, negative identity more concerned with gatekeeping authority than with understanding the world. It's when the priesthood in lab coats cares more about protecting the temple's power than pursuing messy, unpredictable truth.
Example: "When the public health agency's messaging shifted from 'here is the evolving data on masks' to 'any questioning of our mandates is anti-science pseudoscience,' they showcased the Political Problem of Science. The method—tentative, evidence-based—was replaced by the institution's need for unquestioned authority, turning a public health tool into a political loyalty test."
by AbzuInExile January 31, 2026
Get the Political Problem of Science mug.The flip side of the same coin: the use of the accusation of "pseudoscience" as a primary political weapon to dismiss and demonize ideas, not because they have been engaged with substantively, but because they challenge a dominant ideology or power structure. This problem exposes how the term is often emptied of its epistemological meaning (critiquing structural contradictions) and is instead deployed as a cheap, thought-terminating smear. By reducing all critique to the category of "not-science," the accuser avoids the harder work of defending their own ideological assumptions, using the cultural authority of science as a shield. Ironically, this reductionist discourse—which bases its entire identity on a negative definition—becomes its own form of pseudoscience, mimicking science's authority while abandoning its spirit of open scrutiny.
Example: "Dismissing all critiques of industrial agriculture as 'organic pseudoscience' without addressing the specific points about soil depletion and pesticide runoff is the Political Problem of Pseudoscience. The agribusiness lobby isn't defending scientific rigor; it's using the label to pathologize any challenge to its economic model, turning a valid debate about systems into a hollow war of epithets."
by AbzuInExile January 31, 2026
Get the Political Problem of Pseudoscience mug.The perspective that the entire arena of politics—left vs. right, the issues that matter, the very idea of what government should do—is not a reflection of natural human divisions, but a constructed battlefield. Ideologies, parties, and political identities are built over time through media, education, and leaders to organize conflict, allocate resources, and give meaning to social life.
Example: "The 'culture war' issue of the 1850s was slavery. Today it's gender identity. The Theory of Constructed Politics says the fundamental conflict isn't natural; the battleground is constructed. Political elites and media build salience around certain issues to mobilize groups, constructing 'us vs. them' around whatever symbols and fears will hold a coalition together at the time."
by Abzu Land January 31, 2026
Get the Theory of Constructed Politics mug.The analysis of how intimate, private relationships (romantic, familial, friendly) are fundamentally shaped by, and in turn shape, larger political power structures, ideologies, and economic realities. It asserts that the personal is not just political; the personal is a microcosm of the political. Who does the dishes, how a couple budgets, or what is discussed (or silenced) at the dinner table are all enactments of class, gender, and cultural power dynamics.
Theory of Politics Under the Covers Example: A "progressive" man who still expects his female partner to handle all the emotional labor and mental load of the household is practicing Politics Under the Covers. His public ideology clashes with the private, lived political economy of his relationship, revealing that his beliefs haven't conquered his ingrained social programming about gender roles.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 3, 2026
Get the Theory of Politics Under the Covers mug.The full spectrum of unconscious and conscious prejudices that shape how individuals and groups perceive political information, actors, and policies. This includes partisan bias (favoring your party), ideological bias (filtering facts through a left/right lens), outgroup bias (distrusting the opposing side), and politician bias (assuming all politicians are corrupt). These biases ensure we are not rational political actors, but tribal, emotional ones.
Political Biases Example: A voter dismisses a glowing jobs report because it was released by an administration from the opposing party, accusing them of "cooking the books." The same voter would hail an identical report from their own party as proof of economic genius. This is raw Political Bias in action—the same fact is judged not on its merit, but on its source.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 4, 2026
Get the Political Biases mug.The cynical, real-world practice in governance where politicians and bureaucrats selectively enforce laws, award contracts, or direct resources not by objective criteria, but to reward allies, punish opponents, and secure future political advantage. It's the application of bias as a tool of state power, turning public policy into a mechanism for maintaining private political capital.
Example: A city government fast-tracks building permits for developers who are major campaign donors, while "losing" the permits of developers who support the opposition. This Political Picking uses the neutral machinery of administration to perform partisan favoritism, creating a shadow system of rewards and punishments.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 4, 2026
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