Are the iconic symbols of modern architecture a new front line in the new era of culture wars?
According to an article by Amanda Kolson Hurley, the so-called Alt-Right has a declared war on a new foe: modern architecture. To back up this take, Kolson Jurley presents two pieces of evidence:
On June 30, the far-right website Infowars posted a 15-minute-long video titled “Why modern architecture SUCKS.” This foray into design criticsim by Infowars—better known for pushing the ludicrousPizzagate conspiracy and for host Alex Jones’ insistence that the Sandy Hook massacre was faked—comes on the heels of another video that turns well-known works of architecture into symbols of liberal decadence. I’m referring to the National Rifle Association’s “clenched fist” ad, which critics have called “chilling” and “an open call to violence.”
According to Kolson Hurley, the signaling of the NRA ad is implicit, while the Infowars video represents a "full-bore attack." Taken together, however, the message coming from these media outlets is that modern architecture "is the province of the liberal urban elite, and that it stands for oppression."
Kolson Hurley provides a close reading of each video, even finding some reasons to agree with the author of the Infowars video, Paul Joseph Watson, on matters such as zoning.
FULL STORY: Why Is the Alt-Right So Angry About Architecture?
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