Remember when critical theory used to be critical? What happened?
What it's become is only comparable to the phenomena of aged action film stars or old washed up musicians coming out of hiatus to produce one last film or album; media that offers some nostalgic references to a bygone era, something that used to work, used to be edgy, but when employed now ultimately leaves the consumer saying 'this would've been OK for the 80s, but this doesn't cut it anymore, you gotta keep up with the times!'
This is because reflexivity killed critical theory, which is to say critical theory killed itself.
What is reflexivity, you ask?
Reflexivity, itself a critical theory concept (and what is more reflexive than that) loaded as it is with subjectivist associations, not to mention an implicit Hegelianism, is the term used by social theorists and humanists alike - often in place of 'cybernetic positive feedback loop' which is too cold and void of subjectivity and humanity - to describe a process where a thing bends back on itself, or refers to itself. In other words, applying a model and its rules to itself, rather than an 'external' object.
That is, critical theory critiqued its way into the mainstream and, in convincing others (which for critical theory is a very important part of the whole program) that being critical was important, or the only morally true or politically effective path, it achieved exalted status as the required position for anyone who wanted to not only avoid being chastised as a reactionary or conservative, but also wanted to be viewed positively as a revolutionary member of the intelligentsia. In other words, critical theory's claim to legitimacy was met with resounding welcome, and when it got what it wanted - mainly a kind of hegemony or normativity - it didn't know what to do with itself.
What happened next was all it took. Critical theory began to internally critique itself through not only infighting, but also simply not being able to get out of its own way. It became the standard, the new norm, and now being a reactionary carried the critical bight that people seeking a dopamine hit from something 'out of the ordinary' would lust for.
When imagination is completely free, and in fact realized, what was previously mundane but not abolished or replaced by 'critical' studies models suddenly becomes, as time passes, attractive again. Reaction comes back into style.
Hyperstitional Postscript
Its 2085. Non-hierarchical, horizontal, rhizosocius3.0 is online and ready. Any and all oppressive concepts have been abolished. A young university student, Xamii, bored with the norm - which is a dynamic and loosely contained chaos - has a thought, a new thought: 'what if hierarchy contained a hidden potential for a level of liberatory freedom greater than that which we currently have? Perhaps it is non-hierarchy that should abolished in favor of a hierarchy, after all, no one in the last generation has ever lived in one!'
Before you can say "Is it surprising that prisons resemble factories, schools, barracks, hospitals, which all resemble prisons?” Xamii has 3-D printed shirts with holologos reading 'Abolish Full Surrogacy - Demand Hierarchy Now!'
E-Book deals fly.
The movement catches some traction. Only a little at first, but, as these things have a tendency to do, it grows, and grows...
A year later, at a (decentralized) press conference, Xamii addresses the unaudience through their direct audio-video input devices:
"Too long have we lived under oppressive non-hierarchy, and fought for full surrogacy. Today we call for a new collective future. A future where, instead of living dividually, feeding off nutrient sacs provided for by the Ultrastate, instead of this we have a small, localized, collective. A group of people to socialize with, to co-habitat with, to share affect with, to model behavior with - I call it the family."
