Idpol

An example of a lefty meme describing feminism and the alt-right as, “unhelpful spooks”

IDpol is an abbreviation for identity politics used primarily (but not exclusively) in leftist, manospherian sites. It’s used in those places to refer to non-materialist politics (such as incel, feminism etc politics) in a negative way.

Spook

A spook is a slighty overlapping term also used in the lefty manosphere to describe ideas/movements/behaviours born seemingly solely from zealotry/ideology. Such alleged distractions are usually identity politics related, or, “IDpol”. Feminism is often described as a, “spook”, in lefty manospherian sites. Alleged spooks are not always related to IDpol however.

Zizek and Stirner

The term, “spook”, is used to reference Slavoj Zizek’s criticisms of political (including gender) ideology itself. Depictions of spooks use philosopher Max Stirner as a figure.

Often a “spook” can refer to morality or collectivism, as Stirner was seen an egoist.

Feminism as “spook”

Often on boards such as leftypol (now Bunkerchan.xyz), feminism or other grand-narratives are referred to as spooks, in a post-modern way. As such, lefty manospherian boards, while critical of feminism, see it largely as a distraction or a non-event.

Marx and spooks

Karl Marx saw everything as a byproduct of economic and material forces. He came to the conclusion that social liberalization (the related “movements” leftypol calls spooks) was mainly a byproduct of capitalism and the resulting technology, rather than a force on it’s own as modern alt-righters suggest.

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See Also

• left wing