Contingency Quote by Mark Fisher
““emancipatory politics must always destroy the appearance of a ‘natural order’, must reveal what is presented as necessary and inevitable to be a mere contingency, just as it must make what was previously deemed to be impossible seem attainable.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Capitalist Realism, 2009
The quote argues that emancipatory politics must expose the constructed nature of what is presented as inevitable, showing it as contingent and opening possibilities previously deemed impossible.
In simple terms: Show that “natural” orders are actually choices we can change.
Key Takeaway
Expose hidden contingencies to create new possibilities.
Themes
politics
power
ideology
change
contingency
Mood
critical
determined
inspirational
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- activism
- policy reform
- education
- media analysis
- community organizing
Key Concepts
critical theory
social construction
possibility
illusion
Questions to Reflect On
- What “natural” orders do you accept without question?
- How can you reveal their contingency?
A Different Perspective
It can be difficult to convince people entrenched in the status quo that alternatives are viable.
![“[W]hat counts as ‘realistic’, what seems possible at any point in the social field, is defined by a series of political determinations. An ideological position can never be really successful until it is naturalized, and it cannot be naturalized while it is still thought of as a value rather than a…” quote by Mark Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e92/mark-fisher-3649_capitalism_w-hat-counts-as-realistic-what-seems-pos_312976.jpg)
