n+1 = 0

Why is n+1 so infuriating? For me it is because it presumes to speak for and about those educated at elite liberal arts colleges and universities without recognizing the many racial, sexual, gender, and class complexities in this demographic. It rolls its eyes at Theory and Cultural Studies (their capitalization, not mine) yet its bibliography only goes as far as Marcuse and Jameson. It has not even deigned to notice the important intellectual contributions made by queers and people of color indebted to these methods. Its idea of community sees no further than the dining hall at Yale transplanted to DUMBO. It thinks it's edgy by throwing a bone to a few "desi" (their pointedly used, smug term -- brownie points! pun intended! lol) authors once in a while. It wrings its hand at the failed state of the academic left but doesn't dare grapple with the politics of its highbrow gatekeeping (indeed, that's what it's celebrated for!). And yet it has the gall to publish an Occupy! broadsheet and write critiques of something it calls the "dominant class." I would really love to know whether the n+1 editors feel they are helming a politically radical arts & culture publication! (Actually, I think I know the answer!!) n+1 is proof that left politics / Marxism is becoming fashionable / part of hipster culture, and it will leave behind anything that is ugly or difficult. Admittedly, this move to the left is partially necessary due to growing precarity of artistic and intellectual pursuits, not just motivated by fashion, but the way n+1 is going about social change is so naive and has a long, long way to go. Like many straight white men it claims a place at the table long before it has been earned and completely ignores the work that has been going on for a long time.

To be continued…

Update, 9/7/14: I no longer (wholly) endorse these sentiments, but I think it's fun to keep for posterity.