As we observe a world spiralling into intellectual disarray, swayed by emotional rhetoric and subjective claims, it becomes evident that rational discourse is under siege. This problem is far from accidental. It’s the outcome of an extensive intellectual campaign led by postmodernist ideologues. Far from innocuous, these doctrines pose insidious threats to the very pillars of rationality that a successful society rests upon.

To begin with, it’s important to be clear about what postmodernism espouses. Postmodernism isn’t a monolith but a confluence of ideas that fundamentally argue for the relativity of all things, including truth.

Its principal claim is there is no such thing as objective reality or truth and that what we think of as truth is simply a ‘Western construct’. Truth, as it claims, is subjective. Any fact that refutes claims made by postmodernists is simply labelled as ‘patriarchy’ or ‘white supremacy’.

Postmodernism then elevates “lived experiences” above empirical evidence, sidelining scientific reasoning as merely another narrative among many.

While appreciating various perspectives is valuable, the postmodernist rejection of objectivity leads to untenable moral and epistemic relativism. Labelling objective truths as ‘Western constructs’ undermines global discourses on human rights and ethical values. How can we rally around universal concepts of justice and equality if they are merely perspectives among a cacophony of viewpoints?

Then there is the question of ‘grand narratives’ or ‘meta-narratives’ that postmodernism seeks to dismantle. A grand narrative refers to an overarching story that attempts to explain the nature of human existence, history and culture. It provides us with a unified view of reality and meaning.

The irony of postmodernism’s attack on grand narratives is that it propagates its own all-encompassing narrative – a narrative focused on societal power structures. This glaring contradiction seems to escape the self-scrutiny that postmodernism claims to promote.

Then there’s the blatant contradiction in postmodernism’s approach to science and reason. It declares science to be a ‘Western construct’, conveniently ignoring the contributions of non-Western cultures to science and philosophy, from algebra in Islamic Golden Age to zero in ancient India.

Yet, postmodernists are quite content to enjoy the fruits of scientific labour, be it medicine, technology or social platforms to propagate their ideas. Technology works because the science behind it is objective, a reality they completely miss or deliberately ignore.

Moreover, once they have muddied the waters by casting doubt on the objectivity of science, leaving everyone confused, they rush in with their own new ‘fact’ which they now expect everyone to accept by fiat.

But contradictions don’t stop there. With postmodernism, we find ourselves in a landscape where the doctrine screams that objective right or wrong is a fantasy, yet, it swiftly acts as judge, jury and social media executioner for anyone daring to tiptoe across the “bigot” line.

As for cultural values, the doctrine posits that all cultures deserve respect and acknowledgment. Yet, it inexplicably excludes Western culture from this sphere of reverence, often characterising it as an oppressive patriarchy. It is the proverbial port-a-potty at a music festival – something to be avoided and, if possible, completely deconstructed.

All these contradictions show not just inconsistency but an almost Machiavellian level of intellectual dishonesty.

The creeping danger of postmodernism should not be underestimated- Edward Caruana Galizia

These contradictions, which in any other intellectual endeavour would mandate re-evaluation, serve as fuel for the postmodernist agenda. Every inconsistency becomes an additional layer of complexity, providing endless fodder for academic papers, lectures and debates that further embed postmodernism in intellectual circles.

This contributes to its unfalsifiability, rendering it immune to logical scrutiny and embedding it even further into the academic landscape.

But the ripples of postmodernism reach beyond academic confines. They infect broader social discourse. In a milieu where facts succumb to feelings, discussions on issues like immigration, LGBTI rights and women’s issues have been robbed of rational debate. Smearing individuals as ‘racist’, ‘sexist’ or ‘homophobic’ becomes a convenient strategy to dismiss concerns without engaging in substantive dialogue.

Freedom of speech suffers immeasurably under postmodernist rule as a result. Opposition to the reigning orthodoxy is swiftly branded as oppressive, leaving no room for genuine intellectual exploration. It just goes to show that they don’t actually believe in subjectivity, except when it suits them.

Alarmingly, postmodernism is not the exclusive weaponry of the far left. Elements of the far right have also found a haven in its relativistic terrain, weaponising it against principles of science, reason and democracy.

The far right took postmodernism and gave it its own twist. If truth is subjective, they argue, then why is a website called something like ‘majortruthsfrombeyond.ning.net’ not as reliable as Britannica.com? If you can have ‘other ways of knowing’, then what’s wrong with ‘alternative’ facts? 

Both extremes contribute to a divisive climate, abandoning the enlightenment ideals that laid the foundations for the liberties we enjoy today.

The answer, then, lies in a return to rational liberalism – a liberalism that is robust, coherent and committed to intellectual honesty. In a world where up can be down and two plus two is five, the greatest revolutionary act is to state the obvious and defend the rational.

The creeping danger of postmodernism should not be underestimated. We must fortify our intellectual ramparts with reason, empirical evidence and an unwavering commitment to objective truth. In the battle against the corrosive tide of postmodern irrationality, our future as a coherent, unified society hangs in the balance.

Edward Caruana Galizia is an actor and has a master’s degree in culture, diaspora and ethnicity from Birkbeck University of London.