"Postmodernism is an academic theory, originating in academia with an academic elite, not in the world of women and men, where feminist theory is rooted"
- Catharine MacKinnon
About this Quote
This quote by Catharine MacKinnon is a critique of postmodernism, which she views as a scholastic theory that is detached from the lived experiences of ladies and males. She argues that postmodernism is rooted in academia and the academic elite, and is not based upon the truths of the world. In contrast, she sees feminist theory as being rooted in the world of ladies and guys, and as being based on their experiences. MacKinnon is suggesting that postmodernism is too abstract and eliminated from the truths of everyday life, and that feminist theory is more grounded and appropriate. She is promoting for a more useful method to understanding gender and power dynamics, one that is based upon the lived experiences of ladies and men.