Sokalomania
An extreme version of Sokalification, where the Sokal hoax becomes a universal weapon to discredit any discipline outside the natural sciences. Sokalomaniacs treat the hoax as a permanent, irrefutable demonstration that philosophy, cultural studies, critical theory, and even parts of sociology are fundamentally fraudulent. They ignore that the hoax targeted specific editorial practices, not the entire field, and that decades of serious work have been produced since. Sokalomania is a form of intellectual closure: it certifies the believer in their prejudice and immunizes them from having to engage with challenging ideas. It is common in online scientism and anti‑postmodernism circles.
Sokalomania Example: “The Sokalomaniac declared that ‘postmodernism is refuted’ and linked to the 1996 hoax. He was unaware that most of the thinkers he dismissed had never been addressed by Sokal. His certainty was inversely related to his knowledge.”
Sokalomania by Dumu The Void June 6, 2026
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